NaNoWriMo 2023: A Rollicking Ride, Inked!
Exploring the Efficiency of the Star Sticker Approach: Is It Truly Effective?
Every year, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) feels like a marathon, but this year, I decided to lace up my writing sneakers with a twist: Alexa Donne's Star Sticker Method. Let's talk about my experience with this productivity tool!
To kick things off, I penned a blog post back in October, explaining that I was going to try the Star Sticker Method for productivity and discuss the results later. My expectations were straightforward:
- Boosted word counts
- Increased motivation
- Join the 50k-word-club this time!
Word Count Cha-Cha-Cha?
You betcha! Each day, I surpassed my target word count goals with ease, thanks to the constant reminder that a few more words meant another star. The kicker? Achieving those extra words often sent me into a writing flow state, racking up even more words!
Keeping My Motivation Whole?
Absolutely! Giving myself stickers to commemorate my achievements was a whole lot of fun. I found myself looking forward to the color selection process and grappling with the math to determine how many stickers of different sizes I could earn. Plus, rewarding myself with stickers on the evenings I didn't create writing mush was an added bonus.
Still Writing After 50k?
Definitely! This is a major win for me because I've historically burnt out at the 50k mark. This time, I wrapped up with a ten-day cushion to spare, and even then, managed to maintain the steam for a few more words. Of course, at that point, I was too gasped to manage the sticker accounting and writing simultaneously, so one had to give way.
NaNoWriMo's built-in motivators, such as graphs and progress bars, seemed to play a bigger role in my success than the stickers themselves. However, once I hit the 50k mark, it took every iota of strength I had left to keep writing and update the NaNoWriMo site. Consequently, I had to wave goodbye to the stickers for the rest of the month.
I can't wait to give this method another whirl, perhaps in a different month to truly test its effectiveness. But, don't be surprised if you catch me trying this experiment again!
One important takeaway: I found the stickers to be far more influential if I rewarded myself right after I had written. Late-night writing sessions, while productive, often left me too drained to bother with stickers, which undermined the reward system's effectiveness. If I were to try this again, I'd make it a point to handle those stickers immediately after completing my daily word count.
In summary, did the star sticker method work for me? A resounding YES! Was it fun, engaging, and motivating? Once again, YES! I wholeheartedly recommend you give it a shot to discover if it works for you too!
What productivity hack do you currently swear by? Share it in the comments below, and let's swap tips!
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The Star Sticker Method proved to be an engaging productivity hack during NaNoWriMo 2023, not only boosting my word counts but also increasing my motivation and enjoyment of the writing process. In the realm of home-and-garden hacks, this novel-writing approach can serve as a refreshing lifestyle solution for productivity enthusiasts.
