Make your freelance writing work more fun by using gamification principles in your writing business.

1. GAMIFICATIONMake Freelance Writing More Fun
Jennifer Mattern
AllIndieWriters.com/gamification/

2. GAMIFICATION?
WHAT IS
You use game principles, such as
point systems and competition,
to make your freelance writing work
more exciting, interesting, or fun.

3. HOW CAN YOU GAMIFY
FREELANCE WRITING?

4. Set goals and to-do lists. Complete
your goals to earn rewards.
Small goals = Small rewards
(ex. Completing a weekly to-do list =
Eating your favorite dessert)
Large goals = Large rewards
(ex. Reaching a new yearly income
target = A long-awaited trip)
Rewards should be big enough to
motivate you.
REWARDS SYSTEMS
1.

5. Again, set goals and rewards you
would like to earn.
But this time assign a point value to
each task on your to-do list, and
assign a point value to each reward.
This way even small, everyday tasks
help you work towards larger rewards.
POINTS SYSTEMS
2.

6. Take a race-the-clock approach to
certain tasks, such as pushing through
a first draft or managing your social
media accounts for the day.
Feeling like you're on a tight deadline
can help you eliminate distractions
and avoid procrastination.
My preference is to use the Pomodoro
Technique where you work in 25-
minute increments. Learn more about
it at PomodoroTechnique.com.
TIMERS
3.

7. Enlist a colleague for some friendly
competition.
For example, you might compete with
a local colleague to see who can finish
a similar project faster, or who gets
through their weekly to-do list.
The "loser" might have to buy coffee
the next time you get together. And if
nothing else, you have an
accountability buddy.
COMPETITION
4.

8. If you don't have another writer to
compete with, compete against
yourself. Keep a progress chart to
visualize progress and goals.
Word count trackers are a good option
for long projects, like books.
Or tie this into a race-against-the-clock
system by trying to improve your
speed on your most common types of
freelance writing projects.
PROGRESS CHARTS
5.

9. Learn more.
Read the original post at AllIndieWriters.com/gamification/
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