Saturday, November 3, 2012

DEADLINES


DEADLINES

Who needs them?




An independently published author has the advantage of never being required to work toward a deadline. But, then, there are also those pesky, self-imposed deadlines. Are they a necessary evil or are they the death of our creativity? The procrastination bug hounds us all; distractions surround us at every turn. We all need to find a way to work toward the things we want to achieve.
How about goals? Are they merely deadlines in disguise? Maybe they are, but goals merged with deadlines, get things done. If you’re a new author, you need to establish habits that will support your work throughout your writing career. An experienced author can draw from what’s worked for him/her in the past, fine-tuning as he matures in his writing habits. A new author must establish good work habits early on.
And authors are not the only ones who need to develop a system for achieving their goals and meeting their deadlines.
            Some ways to make deadlines less painful;
1.     Think long-term. This keeps expectations realistic. Goals and deadlines can always be readjusted, but avoid stressing yourself by making them urgent.
2.     Supplement the long-term with daily, weekly, and monthly goals. Breaking down any large project into doable increments will keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
3.     Give yourself flexibility. A daily deadline of one page of writing may be easily doable, but it also allows you to miss a day and do two, and then catch up the next day.
4.     Don’t just make goals or deadlines and forget about them: Write them down, post them on your computer, keep a notebook.

Dear Readers,
 Many of us work better with a deadline looming. It’s hard, however, to stick to one that is self-generated! One way to set up a deadline for yourself is to get on a waiting list for reviews, editing, proofing, formatting, etc. Then, in order to use the services of the professional you’ve chosen, you’ll have to have your manuscript ready in time. This one works pretty well for me. Tell us what works for you.
Take care, and have a great week,
Marla

12 comments:

  1. Writer Dave Here,
    I'm retired, so most of my time is my own. I dedicate afternoons to my writing, whether it's actual writing or writing related tasks. So from noon to 5PM I'm usually in my study, which I call the Scriptorium. I blog every 10 days or so, and I'm writing my second novel. I write for 3 hours and do my emails, research, and marketing the other 2 hours. I am a relaxed writer, I don't create stress for my self.It's great to be an indie writer. I write for my self-satisfaction and to create a modest readership. I enjoy the feedback I get. I'm not in it for money, just as long as I make enough to cover writing expenses.

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    1. Wow! I think many of us will be envious. You are fortunate to have a writing area you can call your own!
      My office is a corner of a large, open area that includes the kitchen, dining room, and living room, so I'm
      in a very bad spot for interruptions. When I bought this house I wasn't writing, so it wasn't a big concern. Now my only option would be a room addition and you know how pricey that would be! I'll do it when I sell my first
      million books! LOL
      Keep at it,
      Marla

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  2. Hi Marla,
    I found your blog through a tweet, and so happy I did. Looking forward to reading more!

    I've read so many posts this week by writers who are stressed out by their NaNoWriMo daily word count misses, and I wish they could all read your suggestions, especially #3.

    I'm on the other side of the fence as an editor. Once an author has spent months--sometimes years--writing a manuscript, I'm under the gun to edit it within a specific time frame so it can move on to the next step. Breaking that schedule down into manageable pieces is the secret--and that's your suggestion #2. The concept works with just about anything, so thanks for your thoughtful post.

    --Candace

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    1. Hello!
      Glad you found me! I've never tried NaNoWriMo, and sure do admire those that do. Sounds like a pretty intimidating deadline. Do you think everyone really writes as they go, or do some use writing they've prepared during the year? Boggles my mind thinking of keeping up! Usually too busy with my novel-writing to even consider it.
      Yes, manageable pieces and flexibility are important. I"d think with something like NaNo, the decision to do it would be a big part of it! Huge commitment. Kudos to all of you writers that are in the swing of it!
      Marla

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  3. Wise advice, Marla. What a wonderful blog you have!

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    1. Donnell,
      High words of praise coming from you! Nice to hear from you and happy to have you visit my blog.
      Hope all is well with you. Are you still involved in the Du Maurier contest? I'd love to enter again, but
      the timing hasn't been right! Maybe this year . . .
      Have a great weekend,
      Marla

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  4. Thanks for this post. It might be the kick up the backside I need to get rolling again with my writing. I've working away at NaNoWriMo and failing miserably when it comes to the minimum daily word-count to reach the magic 50K at the end of the month. Still, I'm over 10K in words written since Nov 1 so I'm headed in the right direction, albeit slowly.

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    1. Great! We all need that once in a while. You are very brave to tack NaNoWriMo. I think slow is
      good for something like that, but try to do something on it every day. Careful or you'll have too
      big a block of text t finish at the end, which could rush the storyline too much.
      Stick with it!
      Marla

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  5. I'm just finishing MFA in creative writing and I'm seriously missing the monthly deadlines of 30 pages to my mentor. Now I'm left to organize and be self-disciplined - not easy to do with all the other distractions of life.

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    1. Wow, thirty pages a month for creative writing is HARD! I'm afraid I'd have to give you the same advice I gave Melanie--stick with it and try to do something every day. Even if it's only to read what you have so far and do some editing.
      Try to avoid that horrible panicked feeling you'll get if you leave it all till the last minute.
      Good luck, Suzanne,
      Marla

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  6. I am reading this at the perfect time. This is something I've been struggling with. I've come to terms that my book will be done when it's done. As long as work on it for 2-3 hrs a day, I feel I have made tremendous progress.

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    1. So happy it helps you! Kudos to doing 2-3 hours a day. That is wonderful progress.
      It's so hard to keep up with the writing now that the holiday season is upon us.
      Keep up the good work.
      Thanks for stopping in,
      Marla

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