Choosing Your GYWO 2022 Pledge

[gywomod]

With GYWO 2022 Pledges opening next week, which pledge to choose is hopefully on your mind. Instead of letting everyone stew in their personal hells, we’re running down a few of the common things the mods tell panicked participants, and then offering the comments section as an opportunity for members and future members to talk to each other about their concerns and hopefully help each other come to a pledging decision!

If you're new to GYWO and have a question related to our membership requirements, general guidelines, monthly check-ins, or what words or activities count, please visit our website. More information about pledging for 2022 will be released the week of Dec 13.

Word Count Pledge Vs Habit Pledge
Deciding between a Word Count Pledge or Habit Pledge can be a difficult decision. Here are some things to consider as you make your choice:

• If you want to emphasize the habit of your writing life—encouraging you to sit down to write more often—a Habit Pledge is built to support that. With a Word Count Pledge, it’s easier to write in sustained sprints to reach your goal, but a Habit Pledge forces you to write more days than you might with a Word Count Pledge.
• If tracking your word count is stressful or confusing, try one of the Habit Pledges. You’ll only need to keep track of the number of days you write, instead of all those fiddly words.
• If you are planning to have a year that focuses on revising or on planning stories, a Habit Pledge might be right for you. The Habit Pledges allow you to count days you work on recorded creative writing activities beyond drafting or revising. Our website has more details about the Habit Pledges and further explains what writing activities count toward this pledge.
• You could, potentially, miss a Habit Pledge by running out of days in the year. The most challenging Habit Pledge allows missing up to 15 days, which doesn’t give much wiggle room for accomplishing the pledge later in the year. The Word Count Pledges offer more flexibility since you can catch up at (nearly) any time.
• If you’re already consistent (and happy) with your writing habit, choose a Word Count Pledge to continue to challenge yourself and grow your writing life.
• If you've completed a Word Count Pledge multiple times, but don't think you can hit the next highest Word Count Pledge, consider working on your writing habit this year with a Habit Pledge.
• While you must pick one pledge for GYWO, you can unofficially keep track of a secondary pledge. Your secondary pledge may give you information about choosing a pledge for a future year!

Habit Pledges
Choosing between Habit Pledges comes down to deciding how much you plan to write each month:

• If you plan to write mostly on weekends, choose the 120 Day Pledge. That’s weekends + 16 days.
• If you plan to write mostly on weekdays, choose the 240 Day Pledge. That’s weekdays – 20 days, giving you a few days off.
• If you want to write every day, choose the 350 Day Pledge!
• If you've participated previously and 120 Days was too easy, but 240 Days was too hard, try the new 180 Day Pledge to land right in between!
• If you haven’t tried writing daily before but want to, we recommend the 180 Day Pledge as a way to ease into a semi-daily writing habit before tackling a more challenging pledge.

Word Count Pledges
First Time with a Word Count Pledge?
If you’ve never tracked your word count for the year, take a moment to assess how many words you think you’ve written in the past year. Consider things like whether or not you participate in NaNoWriMo (50K), how much you’ve published in the last year (self or traditionally published, fanfic, blog, etc), and how much you tend to revise your work (writing it entirely over or just editing lines).

• If meeting your goal is more motivating, choose a goal that matches a conservative estimate of how much you wrote in 2021.
• If you think you’ll lose interest if you meet your goal early, choose a goal that matches a liberal estimate of how much you wrote in 2021.
• There are no penalties for not meeting your pledge, so don’t be afraid to choose a pledge you may not be able to meet!

If you’ve done GYWO before but aren’t certain which goal you want, you’ve likely narrowed it down to two goals. Here’s our advice for choosing between two word count goals…

Go Big on Word Counts

• If you wrote 50,000 words or more above your 2021 GYWO pledge level, choose the next pledge level up.* You've already "beaten" it once, so do it again officially.
• If having a big goal motivates you, choose the bigger goal you're between. There's no penalty for not meeting your goal, so if having the big carrot will push you to write, set yourself up with the most motivating goal.
• If you look ahead and see a lot of free time, a more relaxed year, or fewer obstacles between you and your writing time, choose the bigger goal you're between. Just keep an eye out for unexpected things that might take away that time!

*This advice is somewhat dubious if you are currently pledging 75K, 350K, or 500K

Step Back on Word Counts

• If you wrote 50,000 words below your 2021 GYWO pledge level, consider the next pledge level down if knowing that you will meet your pledge is more motivating to you.*
• If having a big goal intimidates you, choose the lesser goal you're between. It's great if you write above your pledge level, so if hitting your pledge early will keep you in a happy writing mood, set yourself up for success.
• If you look ahead and see a lot of non-writing projects, a major life change (moving house, changing jobs, getting married, having a child, etc), or another serious obstacle between you and your writing time, choose the lesser goal you're between. While life can be unpredictable (which we all know, thanks), there are some things we can predict, so there's no reason to stress out about your word count on top of your real life.

*This advice is somewhat dubious if you are currently pledging 75K, 150K, or 500K.

Keep Your Word Count Consistent

• If you're going to hit your 2021 GYWO pledge level within the month of December and it was a comfortable pace, keep it the same! The community goal is to keep you writing, so if your 2021 pledge level works for you, let it work for you in 2022.
• If you came close to hitting your 2021 pledge level or it was a challenge to make it, this might be the right pledge level to try again in 2022.

The best advice we have is to look at your schedule and figure out where writing fits into it. List out the projects, ficathons, and stories you might write next year and consider the word tallies or time involved. Really think about what's motivating for you—knowing you'll hit a goal or chasing down the finish line.

As a reminder, your GYWO pledge is locked in for the full year.
You cannot change pledges mid-year.
If you hit your goal early, you're still part of the same pledge group.
So choose a goal to sustain you ALL year.


In the comments, let us know your pledging woes! Wonder how difficult another pledge is? Still need clarity on the pledge types? This is your opportunity to ask. After some discussion, hopefully you'll come away with a confident decision.

Note: Commenting to this post does not constitute pledging for 2022. Come back next week and follow the instructions in the Pledges & Requirements post to make a pledge for 2022.

Comments

[muscle_wizard]

I just sent a friend request, it'll be from diarthrosis o/

[theemdash]

I LOVE IT.

[theemdash]

Oh, feeling free is a legit need, yes. Good luck capturing that freedom!!

[theemdash]

"How you feel" is a method of evaluation that's harder to capture but so important to the decision-making process.

[theemdash]

It's much easier to make up a word count deficit later in the year than it is a day deficit. As long as counting words won't stress you out, it sounds like a good match!

[sheenianni]

I mean I definitely won't be using the official GYWO file - it's a great concept, but counting words every day was way too stressful. But I think I can do it monthly: record the word count at the beginning of the month, keep track which stories I worked on and then do the math for the monthly check-in. Hopefully it goes well...

[thissugarcane]

(Quickly on my phone at work, apologies for weird formatting if it happens!) Oh, yes, 2020 finishing in the spring was a WFH anomaly I think. In general though, I've come to realize that being ahead is more motivating than being behind, just for me!

[bjornwilde]

I set myself a goal of only counting original work and not online RPG for my habit goal; the 240 days. Which worked for about 9 months then I just fizzled out.

Not sure what I mean to do for my goal next year, but it is something I'll need to consider. I think it might be best if I stick to a schedule like I only have to write 5 days of the week.

[peaked]

I ended up surprising myself and writing 150k+ over my word count pledge for the first time ever. I'm considering taking 350k next year (which is so strange to me because I always found 200k to be the best goal for me for personal reasons).

Even though this year was technically different to any other year, I felt busier than I've ever been in my professional life. It did help that I was wfh, but as I wrote in the evening way after work was over (and have written in the evenings after going out), I think I have a routine settled even if I had to trudge back into the office. I definitely think because I've focused on getting into a writing rhythm and getting a routine down that I can reach a higher word count next year. (The only thing that work can do is get busier, which I know I can handle—writing has become my little wind-down and treat after work.) I have a lot of writing projects I want to focus on. I definitely have the content for a Herculean effort.

It's just so scary! But I've been aiming for 200k for a few years now and I think it's time for a change of scenery. I considered going to 250k, but I think I'll either go 300k or 350k. Even though blue/purple are two of my favourite colours, those greens look nice, too.

[ladyjax]

I'm giving this more thought this time around. I made my habit pledge this year but mostly by the skin of my teeth. A lot of times, I felt like I was just spinning my wheels and not writing anything of merit (in my estimation)

It also doesn't help that I've worked from home since last March and trying to keep all of that separated from the rest of my life is hard. And like others, I picked up hobbies, etc. to keep myself going.

However, as I write this, I'm asking myself what I want to get out of it and also am I enjoying it. I haven't felt joy in my writing in a while and switching things up may help me rediscover what I've been missing in myself and what I produce.

All this to say, I'm looking at word pledges and seeing what I want to make of that.

[topaz_eyes]

My first year I aimed for 75K and made it to 60.7K (107 days). My 2nd year I aimed for 75K, reached it in late August (147 days), and finished the year with 115K (217 days). This year I just finished the 75K pledge a few days ago (135 days), and expect to finish somewhere around 80K (days tbd). I've been eyeing the 150K pledge, which in theory is only double the daily expected count (from 206 to 412 words/day). In practice, it means I'd have to double that pace again to keep up, because I can't write every day. On the days I do manage to write I've averaged about 550 words/day. I've met the monthly pace for the 150K pledge a few times, usually during the mid-summer marathon, but it's not sustainable for me long term. So, looks like 75K again, even though it feels too low.

(Unfortunately I'm more motivated by word counts than days worked.)

[theemdash]

I made that switch after I made my goal only because of RP one year. It was tough the next couple of years, but I don't regret it. (And now my writing life is much stronger!)

The 240D sounds like it might be good for you, but if you want to keep those stricter rules on yourself but also provide some more wiggle room, you might like the 180D?

[theemdash]

Congrats on having such a productive year! Yeah, it really sounds like you're up for a bigger challenge, and that even the 250K isn't as much of a challenge as you need. If you think life can continue like this, achieving that 350K goal "officially" would be a nice feather in your cap...

[theemdash]

Oof, it's so tough to feel like you're spinning your wheels on writing and not producing anything "worthwhile." (I have been there so, so many times.)

If does sound like you need a change a pace, and counting words instead of days could do that. Based on what you're describing, I'd recommend going a little conservative on a word count goal, just to take pressure off that spinning feeling. (I know I have that feeling most often when I'm struggling to hit a word count goal.)

[theemdash]

Honestly, that sounds like 75K is your sweet spot. Maybe set a stretch goal for yourself to aim for 100K to start building stamina? I know I did that to get myself feeling more comfortable as I waffled between 200K and 250K for a few years.

Re: Thinking out loud

[theemdash]

WELCOME BACK!! *hugs*

New pledges were added this year! We finally had the backend resources to support a couple new additions and both of these have been desperately needed in their respective slots. I'm so happy to be able to add them.


Moving on to you, though...

From all that, it sounds like you want a challenge, not just a number you absolutely know you can hit (75K), so that makes the 150K pledge the fairly obvious choice. The other nice thing is it should give you a little push to stay on your goal of writing interactive fiction samples on the side, and might also account for any on-the-job training exercises you might need to write to develop more skills.

150K seems like a good choice for you next year.

Re: Thinking out loud

[annofowlshire]

Yay! Thanks! Very excited to be back for this year! It feels like it’s been forever since I more or less stopped engaging with the community early in the pandemic (+ cross country move).

My minor annoyance was that my contract didn’t cement until just a few days after 2021 sign ups closed, so I’ve been missing my community all year while doing one of the most intense/challenging (in spirit if not word count) writing years of my life!

Thanks for the supportive comments/feedback. 150k it’ll be!

Re: Thinking out loud

[annofowlshire]

And I kind of make light of day job writing like, “I just show up and I’ll magically hit that goal” but actually I’ve found that having contracted/paying work is certainly motivating, but there are still days I can just twiddle away in procrastination…

Re: Thinking out loud

[theemdash]

WOOF. Yeah, that's a lot to go through. And, yes, I absolutely understand about things happening JUST too late. 😂(I have had so many of those happen.)

Re: Thinking out loud

[theemdash]

I'm not going to fault you on that since I'm very much the same way. I know I'll hit a deadline imposed by someone else and probably write double as many words as necessary!

Re: Thinking out loud

[annofowlshire]

Yeah, external deadlines are my saving grace!

[elaiel]

I wasn't even halfway to my target this year due to health issues, close family illness and bereavements, work stress and now moving house. I'm kind of wondering whether to drop down a level to make it feel more achievable. But then, I'll be in the new house in a few days, I'm not coping with a sick parent any more and next year looks like it'll be a much less stressful year all round. But dropping down a level also feels kind of like giving in, but I know it's be more achievable. Still not sure.

[literarycrafter]

75K again for me for definite.

I haven’t hit it once yet I don’t think 🤔 (or maybe once, but if I did that was definitely a fluke).

This year I would have been close, but when November rolled around I decided I was too busy with work to want to do NaNoWriMo too - which would have boosted my word count exponentially.

My biggest problem is remembering to check-in (especially during the summer months when I a) don’t do much writing and b) forget I’ve used up the grace period you provide) and I’ve tried everything I can think of to remind myself but nothing works.

[topaz_eyes]

I agree, aiming for 100K (275 words/day) as a stretch goal would be a good way to build up. Thanks!

Re: Thinking out loud

[annofowlshire]

So actually, I was thinking more about this (when I should have been sleeping LOL) and I might go for as much as 300k. Basically:

75k+ projected for work writing
195k+ morning pages/free writing (and that’s if only done 5 days a week)*
???k turning freewriting into actual IF samples and other stuff**

Also, I like the color of the 300k bar >_>;

*Morning Pages-style freewriting is core to my writing process, and it looks like the “what counts” guidelines have also been revised which makes me really happy since I never felt like my writing process quite fit into what the guidelines said “counted” and while I “followed my heart” anyway it’s nice to see it widened.

*Including GYMO Discussion Posts, because I momentarily thought I’d not volunteer this year and then came up with like half a dozen fresh topics I wanted to write about two minutes later so I guess I should do it :P (Assuming you need volunteers, but I think that’s alway the case…)