What the Muse Wants...

When I started writing this year, I had a solid number in mind. A goal I wanted to hit before December first reared it's real life filled head and forced me out of the dream world I plan to live in for November. Granted this number is just a little bet higher than everyone else's, but the point of matter is, there was goal.

Something happened yesterday, however, that's making me question this number. And it's not what you think, because I'm not planning on bringing that number down. No, instead I want to add to it. Suddenly I feel like it's not high enough. That I'm sure I can fit a few more words in every day and hit an even higher number. How hard could that be, really, when I've already got a high goal?

So what made me do this? It's quite simple. Competition. This may sound stupid (in fact, I often question my own rationality skills) but when one of my writing buddies informed me yesterday that they were planning on surpassing me, this was where my mind went. I had to write more. I had to write faster, and I was not giving up.

Don't get me wrong, I wish my writing buddy all the luck in the world. More than anything I love to see people achieving their goals, and if that goal is to hit a high number in November, more power to them. The thing is, she found it. That one button that makes my motivation go through the roof. It was what made me write so many words last year, and it's what's going to keep me going this year.

I thrive on competition. More importantly, my muse thrives on competition. While I may already have my plots done, I assure you, the muse is still very important in my writing endeavors, and having someone challenge me just motivates both of us to keep writing.

Competition, however, is just one way for a person to motivate themselves to write. For some people, just setting a goal for themselves is all they need. For others a treat when they hit that goal is required. (For the record, I'm also planning on giving myself a treat if I hit my goal of 200k this month.) No one is the same, whether it be their style of writing, their speed of writing, or how they motivate themselves to write.

So how do you do it? What button do you need to push to keep yourself writing throughout the month?