I have a love/hate relationship with many things in my life:
1) Walgreens. Most of the time, they don't have what I need. However, there are those rare days where they have exactly what I want and it's 50% off.
2) Tapered Candles. Love the smell, hate the drips.
3) Parking Lots. Aside from the Frogger-style dodging of cars, carts and pedestrians and discounting the fact that I can never find those cart return thingies, I have no problem with them.
4) Deadlines. Oy.
Today, I'm dutifully trying to accomplish my 2,000 word goal in my current WIP. So far, so distracted. I put a pork roast in my Crock Pot this morning for dinner and the garlic has been teasingly wafting through the house the whole day. My husband came home for lunch (which was great! Still distracting). It's freezing cold in my house, so I keep stopping to refill my coffee mug or warm my hands.
I love deadlines because I feel like I get so much more done. I'm happier, I'm focused, I stick to my daily schedule.
I hate deadlines because of the forced creativity, the poor food choices (Chex Mix. M&Ms. Candy Corn. Need I say more?), and the fact that I have friends, I just can't spend time with them.
Pros and Cons though? I think the Pros win. Which is why I highly recommend setting a deadline - whether it's a WIP under contract or one you're writing for the fun of it (or maybe one you're writing to get a contract!).
Not only would slapping a date on your manuscript and sticking to it help you stay focused, but it will also give you tons of practice for when you do get a signed contract! Publishers love writers who make their deadlines - and especially the ones who make them without having panic attacks!
The key is to stick to your date. My current deadline is February 1st. The second secret is to realize that you don't have any other options. There is no "Oh, sorry, I got busy and didn't finish it." Find a date maybe four to six months out (to really mimic a publisher!) and do whatever you need to do (legally and morally) to get that deadline met.
And don't discount the fun of working on a deadline. Chex Mix have to be the best salty snack around. And who doesn't love M&Ms?
Great post, Erynn! I actually just signed up for National Novel Writing Month to kick-start my novel writing! I keep putting it off and putting it off and I think this will be a great way to get focused and actually put some words out on this story I want to write!
ReplyDeleteThe website is: www.nanowrimo.org for anyone else who wants to sign up! The writing begins Nov. 1! :)
That's great Stephany, I have several friends doing NaNoWriMo and they're super excited. Good luck!!! =)
ReplyDeleteErynn, love this post. I too have the same issue with candy corn these past few weeks. lol Good advice though!
I love deadlines! Except when I don't. They really do help me focus. I need to work now on figuring out exactly what it is that I want to write for myself (Oh, who am I kidding? I'll want to get it published!), then set goals and deadlines for my project. That just sounds too big and scary, though!
ReplyDelete~Bethany L.
Chex Mix is delicious...as are M&Ms. And yeah, I totally agree, deadlines are a must. Otherwise, there's always a convenient reason for procrastinating, trust me. A deadline a day helps keep my productivity in check...
ReplyDeleteUgh! I'm right there with you, Erynn. I am the queen of procrastination when I don't have a deadline to work toward. Even if it is only a self-imposed deadline, or simply knowing that I have to face my writers group every Thursday (and if we don't meet our goals, we have to write a poem using random words that the goal-meeters give us), it definitely helps when you're being held accountable for your progress.
ReplyDeleteStephany - NaNoWriMo is awesome and I'm so impressed that you've got the guts to do it! Keep us posted on how it's going!
ReplyDeleteBetsy - Candy corn is the best thing about fall. :)
Bethany - Best of luck with your deadlines! And I hope that publication is just around the corner for you! :)
Christa - I am the Queen of Procrastination. My house is never cleaner than when I'm on a deadline.
Christiana - Ugh. Poems. And random ones with assigned words. Ugh. Yeah, that would definitely help me keep my word goals!