As we bid a fond sabbatical to TA Jeanne Marie, we are taking another look at our favorite JM posts. Mine is from June 2011, "Gold Stars." In this one, JM discusses the pros and cons of rewards for summer reading programs. Shouldn't the act of reading be reward in itself? This made m think of the larger issue, "Who gives gold stars to writers?"
There are plenty of rewards out there for published authors. Not just gold stars, but fancy embossed stickers on book jackets proclaiming this book was the among the best of whatever genre that particular year. Some are more prestigious than others but still those stickers, and medals and plexiglass trophies are nice to have . They are a tangible "atta-girl" in a field that doesn't provide a lot of them.
But there are a lot of books, and comparatively few awards. Even fewer awards mean anything in the way of prestige or, let's face it, book sales. That is if you have first been rewarded by being published. Some of us, (most of us?) toil year after year, page after page, with nothing more than a bunch of rejection letter/emails to show for our efforts. In the ultimate downer, many publishers, in the interest of saving time and paper, don't even send out rejections any more. If you don't hear anything after a certain amount of time,"we (the publisher) aren't interested." Ouch. We, (the writer) no longer have the satisfaction of weeping and wailing and torching a rejection letter in the fireplace. (I can't be the only one who has done this.)
Sometimes writing becomes just another thankless task, like housework or driving carpool. Ralph Waldo Emerson said "A thing done well is it's own reward." Mr. Emerson never vacuumed or was trapped in a minivan of eye rolling seventh graders, to whom your mere presence was a necessary embarrassment , since thirteen-year-olds don't have drivers' licenses. There are days when I am either staring at a blank computer screen or playing Candy Crunch Saga. Either way, I am accomplishing the same thing. Nothing. And wondering why I chose to be a writer.
Even being a published writer doesn't necessarily provide satisfaction. Soon you learn that royalty statements often arrive without royalty checks....because your books hasn't earned enough. Money isn't everything, but it's hard to tell yourself that you spent years of your life writing something that is earning you only the advance money and not a nickel more. For most of this, that advance can be counted in five figures. I could make more moolah at my local fast food establishment.
So why do we keep doing this? Where are the gold stars? For me, they aren't movie options, or Newbery awards or a book going into a 55th printing because it is on the required reading list in all fifty states.
I have to have hunt for those gold stars. Sorry Mr. Emerson, but a job done well is not it's own reward for me, because I never feel that I have done a job well. I am a terrible judge of my own work, by which I mean, I think nearly everything I write is terrible.
Every now and then, I do find those sparkly rewards. A student saying, "I loved your book." A critique group member saying "Wow, I never would have thought of writing this story from that point of view." External rewards.
My most consistent gold star is this: writing is a compulsion. If I never sold another story, I would still write. Letters, eulogies (I am the official family eulogy writer), this blog. Although a Newbery award would be great (so would a movie option) my real gold star is the knowledge that somewhere, sometime, my writing has connected with someone. Maybe someone like you.
Posted by Mary Ann Rodman
Everyone wants students to be be intrinsically motivated to write daily. While we can hope our enthusiasm is contagious, sometimes it’s not enough for reluctant writers. Working with reluctant writers means providing the… Read More →
I wanted my students to be intrinsically motivated to write daily when I was a classroom teacher. When I began teaching I naively thought my enthusiasm for writing would be contagious. While my enthusiasm was enough for some students, it didn’t cut it for some of my reluctant writers. Working with reluctant writers means getting [...]
I wanted my students to be intrinsically motivated to write daily when I was a classroom teacher. When I began teaching I naively thought my enthusiasm for writing would be contagious. While my enthusiasm was enough for some students, it didn’t cut it for some of my reluctant writers. Working with reluctant writers means getting [...]
More and more Millennials are checking in to media events and TV shows. They already have their smartphones, tablets, and laptops nearby, chatting with their friends on social media about what they’re watching; checking in was the next logical... Read the rest of this post
Author Mindy Klasky is testing a “reader-supported serialized novel” model with her new book, Fright Court. The author will publish her novel by chapters online, asking for PayPal donations at the end of each post.
Donors will receive a variety of gifts, ranging from a magnet to a personalized signed poster of the Fright Court book cover. Klasky has already published several books through traditional channels.
Here’s more about the book: “Sarah Anderson has found her dream job: Clerk of Court for the District of Columbia Night Court. Dream job, that is, until she’s attacked in the open courtroom by a vampire defendant. And until she’s forced to take self-defense lessons from her boss, the enigmatic vampire James Morton. And until she learns that she can’t share the truth about any of that with her best friend, Allison Ward – even over delectable cupcakes from the Cake Walk bakery.”
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
Because it's a dreary day and I really have to force myself for good cheer this morning, I'm throwing the gauntlet for a challenge of sorts. And I'll even dangle the carrot so you'll feel inspired.
The Sunday Challenge can be accomplished in one of two ways:
1. Do something to bring your story forward.
OR
2. Do something to organize your work area.
I know it's a Sunday and perhaps there will be zero readers today. Maybe you planned on reading a book or watching movies or relaxing today. But, if you do stop by and choose to make this a productive Sunday...
1. Leave a comment on your intended project and
2. Get to work. Spend 15 minutes, 1 hour, or even the whole day tackling your manuscript or work area. It's your choice. Just do something to jump start your day.
3. Return by TONIGHT (11pm EST) to let me know the results. Your sense of accomplishment will be proof enough.
I will offer 3 different prizes (click on item to learn more):
Ready? Set! GO!
It can be very difficult for parents to know just how strict to be with children who are suffering from mental diseases. In the excerpt below authors Jennifer B. Freeman, PhD and Abbe Marrs Garcia, PhD explain why setting up goals with rewards can help a child make progress. Freeman and Garcia’s book, Family-Based Treatment for Young Children With OCD, is specifically designed to provide all the information a family needs to participate in treatment with a child 5-8 who suffers from OCD. While the book focuses on OCD the excerpt below can be applied to children who are struggling to progress in many types of treatments.
Rewards sometimes sounds like bribing a child to behave, but these rewards are actually very different from bribery. The major difference is that these types of rewards are planned and proactive. Rewards
are connected to specific behaviors, both of which have been determined ahead of time. The rewards are set up beforehand to help a child stay motivated to control her behavior and to make good behavioral choices. This is very difference than offering rewards of desperation-for example, giving a toy to a child who is throwing a tantrum to quiet her down or telling a child who won’t stop a compulsion that if she gets in the car now she will get something she really wants. In these situations, rewards are being used to get quick control of a child who is misbehaving or having great difficulty with an anxiety-provoking situation. In this program’s reward plan, you will reward your child for practicing therapy skills and facing her fears-appropriate behaviors you might reward anyway.
Key Components of Successful Reward Programs
When designing a reward program for your child, keep the following key components in mind:
- The plan should be simple and easy to follow-ideally targeting specific, easy to observe behaviors.
-Rewards should be delivered promptly following desired behaviors.
-Rewards should be frequent enough that the child will be encouraged to work toward them.
-Rewards should be something the child enjoys and that the parents are going to feel okay about if children do not get it (e.g., stickers, playing a game, spending time with someone special, food, or a small toy).
-Rewards have to be delivered consistently.
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Thanks, MA! This definitely connected with ME. I'm so grateful that you blog here with the TAs. What you say rings so true for me and many other writers and teachers.
Sending you a virtual gold star today! *
Well,
I'm officially awarding you MY Gold Star, Mary Ann.
(Maybe April can create one with her spiffy illustrator program?)
Reading your oh, so honest words and hearing your authentic and oh, so Southern voice ALWAYS inspires me to be real and honest with our - and - my - readers.
Your Fan Esther
Wow, MA, I love this. You have a way of hitting the nail solidly on its head.
THank you, TA's for your "gold stars." THe money is nice, the awards are OK, but it's making a connection with others through your words that is the real gold star.