Marathons and Challenges: Motivation or Intimidation?

[Mikari]

It was a motivation when I made shrines. My second info centric shrine about Ureksa from Summon Night was made for a marathon. Boshi was also for a marathon and there are others. I didn't sign up unless I felt I had plenty of time though, so I did skip a few marathons for that reason back when I made shrines. Overall though, a lot of my shrines wouldn't have existed at all without marathons.

[Emma]

Yeah, I'm often hesitant on signing up because I know there's a good chance I won't complete the site and then I feel bad when that happens. I'm a terrible procrastinator.

That said, I do find the challenges motivating. I don't think its the deadlines that motivate me, but more people talking about their sites and getting excited for them and things like that.

Anyway, let's see what I have actually completed...
1 Page 1 Month - Through The Ruin Grey, Prince of Zero, Messenger of Magic
Creature Feature - Howling Moon, Cute Charm

[Lethe]

I'm with wolfrun and Emma on this, and also partly dubiousdisc. <3 I'm the type who doesn't even "decide" on making a shrine unless I have something specific about the subject I absolutely want to talk about, which motivates me to create the context for that very essay, the context being the rest of the shrine. Once I know what I'm shrining, I sign up.

I thought it was just about deadlines being motivating, but that's not actually it - it's seeing how everyone is working on something for a specific event! This includes seeing the amount of people who have signed up for an event and resolved to do something for it. Whether or not they deliver doesn't change the motivation I get from seeing them participate!

And, as wolfrun said, an event makes me prioritize things over others and help push out something that may not have been realized in the near future. Or it makes me pick a subject I wouldn't have considered shrining otherwise.

Onigiri Box - Baton Pass (2015)
BAB The Road to Hell is Paved With Good Intentions - Valkyrie (2015)
One Page, One Month: Encore - Jamais Plus (2015)
BAB Metamorphosis + One Page, One Month - Awakening (2015)
BAB Metamorphosis - In Control (2015)
Old School - Strength of Heart (2015)
One Page, One Month: Encore - Prisoner's Dilemma (2012)

So, I own nine shrines, and seven of them were made for events. These shrines mean so much to me - yet, would you have guessed that if I had not decided to sign up for these events, I'd most likely not have any of those now? I think about five of these subjects I wouldn't have considered shrining if they hadn't been just such a good fit for the respective event (theme- or format-wise). At least two of these were so overwhelming to think about, I don't think I'd have had the resolve to sit down and actually START mapping out my plans and then work on realizing those plans without those events.

I think that you should look at it this way: Even if you don't manage to finish your shrine, just the fact that an event made you plan out the shrine and get started on it already means plenty of progress. Several people use that to keep working on the shrine they've started, or come back later to finish it. An unfinished product does not mean no progress, or having nothing to show, or having failed and not being able to take pride in yourself.

If you haven't signed up for many events yet and/or are new, I recommend starting with those 1P1M marathons - they're just such a lovely way to get into it. And even outside of that specific marathon, I'd recommend considering making one page shrines for whatever event comes up!

[Destinie]

I remember doing my first Marathon and I was so excited! I would come across people's websites that had banners on them linking them to marathons that they participated in and I was so desperate to participate, I thought it was the coolest thing!

I am definitely guilty of not signing up because I don't think I will ever finish the site. However, I think the last few I have signed up and then didn't feel too bad if I didn't finish. There's no penalty so now I try to go on the side that I would rather sign up than not, if that makes any sense.

I sometimes think most of my sites were made for marathons! Let's see:

Country Bumpkins- Dynamic Duos
Immemorial- 1 Page, 1 Month
Penumbra- 1 Page, 1 Month
Soothsay- Girl Mode
Thunderstorm- Creature Feature
Rock Steady- Minor Character

And the Godfather was made for the first PokeThon that many Amassment members participated in! I also had another 1P1M site that is now closed. So that's...a lot actually. Thanks Amassment for inspiring me to work on my sites! :P

[Robin]

Challenges and marathons motivate me a lot, especially when my subject matter is hotly anticipated (ahem, Jessie x James site). It helps me to know that people are excited for my sites--otherwise, I can feel like "eh, I could make this site, but why bother, nobody's gonna read it but me," etc. It also keeps me accountable; once I make a promise to do something, I usually keep it. (It's just getting around to committing that can be the issue sometimes xD)

That all said, I've made/revamped 5 sites because of challenges and marathons:

Inexhaustible Peace - Blast from the Past, February 2015
Something Good - Old School Challenge, July 2015
Lux Perpetua - Bad Ass Bitches Marathon, September 2015
Elusive Enchanter - One Page One Month, September 2015
Counterbalance - Dynamic Duos, March 2016

(Apparently, challenges and marathons motivate me to do some of my better work, too!)

[Elysa]

Are you ever intimidated to sign up for marathons or challenges here because you think you won't finish and will let yourself and others down?

This applies to me so much, haha. I am definitely the type that will feel down if I don't deliver something I've committed to. I had a tough time deciding whether or not to join the Dynamic Duos challenge, because I wasn't sure I'd have time to actually work on it, but talking with people and seeing this topic made me do it anyway. I haven't actually started on it since I signed up, and might not get to it until early June because of other obligations, but I'm hoping to at least start on it, that would already feel like an accomplishment, haha.

In terms of motivation, I still have a hard time writing things, but I think it will help a lot to talk to other members about it, especially when you're stuck on something! I used to try and write everything by myself, for the surprise element, but recently I've started to see the benefits in showing/talking about your work in progress. Seeing other people working on something similar is also really nice!!

I don't think I completed any sites since Amassment moved to this forum, but I have two I finished during its LJ days: Cheerful Sensibility & Replay, both made for One Page, One Month! I think I was about halfway with another shrine before the due date, but I took it offline as I didn't like it much anymore, but I do want to start working on/revamp that in the future!

[Anise]

I always find it motivating. It's a good opportunity to make shrines I've been planning on but haven't had a chance to complete.

I completed:
Loyalty - OTP Challenge
Red Lotus - Girl Mode
Blitzkrieg - 1 Page 1 Month
Charlatan - 1 Page 1 Month
The Last Centurion - 1 Page 1 Month
Earthbound - Onigiri Box

I'm also working on my Dynamic Duos Shrines but haven't completed it yet.