That's it!
Done with my lack of progress on doing My Own Thing, inspired by the Four Seasons of Jewelry project of old, I now pronounce another addition to the programs in which the Quicksilver Crafter is participating: A Springtime of Creation (SpoC). It sounds kind of melodramatic, but I didn't want to be too specific and limit myself into not succeeding. ;)
The parameters are simple:
From now, April 26, 2007, until the summer solstice, June 21, 2007, I will make (or finish) one saleable item per week and list it on Etsy or in my web site store.
That's it. It can be something small, it can be something large, and while it should preferably be something started specifically for this project, it can also be something I previously started (no use in discouraging myself from finishing UFOs ;)), but I must list one new item a week. No cheating and listing items that I already have made; or rather, I get extra points for doing that, but the requirement is that I finish one thing every week until and including the week of the summer solstice, which is on a Thursday. Conveniently (I didn't plan this, so it really is convenient ;)), today is also a Thursday, so the "week" begins today, and I'm not required to make something by this weekend. That also makes Thursday the deadline date for each week.
That's only eight weeks, and eight items. Doesn't sound like much, does it? But it's more than nothing, and that's the idea. :D
If I do well this season, I'll do a Summer of Creativity after. (Maybe I'll call it SmoC, since that's kinda funny. ;))
And since I've given myself an idea with the mention of points above, maybe I will use a points system and reward myself based on how much I do. After all, "failing" one week doesn't mean I get to slack the next week. I should have incentive to continue creating even if I fall behind. Here's the bonus incentives program for SpoC 2007:
I get two points for every week I succeed in listing a new (or newly finished) item. Since I'm a slacker and I know it ;), I'll count it if I make an item in time but post it late, or make an item almost on time and post it late. It's still for the week I mostly made it during -- as long as I tried, I get points.
I also get two points for every newly finished item I list beyond the requirement. (I can't get this two points without fulfilling the initial requirement, so it's okay that extra items get the same point value as the items of the original goal. Meaning, I can't "cheat" with these points by slacking and still getting the same point value as I would if I didn't slack. I can "cheat" and get all my productivity done in a shorter period of time than allotted for the whole project, but since this is about productivity and not about pacing myself, that's okay, too. ;))
I get half a point for each previously finished item I list during SpoC 2007. (That way, I'd have to list four previously finished items to equal the effort, and earned points, of one newly finished item, which seems fair enough.)
And I get one point if someone buys an item I listed for SpoC 2007, because part of the goal for SpoC is to get stuff listed so people can buy things. If you're out there watching, see? You can help me get SpoC points. ;)
At the end of SpoC 2007, based on my points total, I'll give myself something nice, or do something nice for myself. The rewards point categories will be...
>0 - 7 points: Anything more than zero points gets a small reward, because I did something, and something is better than nothing.
8 - 15 points: The halfway mark reward. I got halfway to my goal, and that's still cool.
16 - 19 points: I win! This is like winning NaNoWriMo; I got where I intended to get, and that's going to get a significant reward!
20 or more points: I made a special effort and got notably more done than I set out to do, so I get something extra-special to inspire me for the future.
I'm making up a chart right now of potential rewards. I'm not sure yet whether I'll set one specific reward per category, or give myself a range of options depending on what I feel like choosing at the end of the project. Practically speaking, the second is always an option, since it's my project, and all, but. ;)
Speaking of doing things at the end of other things, and of achieving goals, I think I'm going to narrowly miss my Personal Challenge deadline to fulfill all my UberLate Swap obligations. Eep. The "or else" for the challenge is that I'll finish three UFOs in the next month. I'd better pick my UFOs now ... ;P
