I think that's because you're struggling to agree with me and disagree with me at the same time.

And I agree with you, so allow me to disagree...

😉

I think the reason I personally prefer the "just write" approach over the "yes, we know it's a gimmick" approach is that ultimately I believe the gimmicks don't work. You either are a writer or you aren't and no amount of trickery will push you from one state into the other.

To quote Tami, "That was depressing."

To make it less depressing, I offer this. If you're like me and you're stuck in that am-I-or-am-I-not state, tools like this may help you answer that. The tricks themselves won't tip you one way or the other, but they will help enlighten you about your own innate abilities.

Does that make sense? (Probably not...)

The money thing is a gimmick. I know it's a gimmick, you know it's a gimmick, we all know how to spell gimmick.

But many people have heard, repeated, printed out, pasted, or tattooed the old adage of "Just Write!" and initial enthusiasm wanes, giving way to a realization that there are no Bobs and nobody's probably going to say anything if you fall asleep on the couch on Tuesday.

That was depressing.

On a BRIGHTER note, I'm convinced that acknowledging the depressing bits is valuable armor when girding yourself against them.

Some people employ actual Bobs (an accountability and writing group) to maintain their output. Doing so is a great idea, as long as the group is not made up of your friends, who will commiserate and tell you it's okay if you slack off.

Your boss is not your buddy, and neither should your accountability partners be.

This comment took a strange turn.

In short, I AGREE - the point is most definitely not the dollars.

However, the "just write!" approach rarely seems to work for most folks very often.

In this way, your writing and dieting blogs are hinged together at the spine and kiss in the middle. =]