Thursday, July 26, 2012

Guest Blog with Donna Fletcher - Deadline Insanity - Plus G*veaway of Untamed Fire


Deadline insanity... is there a cure?

Writers worry endlessly about meeting deadlines and what writer hasn’t written the very last line with barely time to spare. So is there a cure for deadline insanity or is it just part of being a writer? Before we see if we can find a cure let’s examine the other parts of being a writer.

Characters can drive you nuts. They never do what you want them to. They go off on their own tangents until you wonder if the story is even yours anymore.

Storyline lets you know basically what your book is going to be about. I guess you could also call it the theme. You know exactly what it is and where you’re going with it. Yeah, right. Curve balls coming your way here, watch out.

Plot is getting your storyline from point A to B to C and tying it all up at the end. Suddenly, OMG, your character takes a wrong turn or so you think and you can’t get to point B. Once that’s figured out you can glide to point C—but wait—you forgot an essential part that ties the book all together. More rewrites.

Marketing is something you have to do but really don’t want to do or have time to do. There are guest blogs, interviews, appearances, your website to maintain, and a whole bunch more. Talk about insanity!

Social Networking is part of marketing but a whole section on its own. Facebook, Twitter. Pinterest. Etc. Oh, and whatever new social networking site pops up tomorrow. My head’s spinning just thinking about it.

After seeing all that the conclusion seems obvious... you’re insane if you want to be a writer. The one problem is that if writing is in your blood you don’t have a choice. There’s no magic in successfully meeting deadlines. If you’re compulsive about finishing things on time you’ll meet your deadline no matter what (which describes me). If you’re usually or always late in finishing things up than you’ll probably have difficulty meeting a deadline. And then there’s always life itself throwing you a curve ball and tossing your deadline right out the window.

Deadline insanity or deadline hell is part of being a writer and all writers have to deal with it no matter what. However there is a terrific benefit to deadlines. It is that overwhelming sensation of pure relief and joy you get when you finally finish your book—whether on time or late—that no one can take away from you. And that in itself is a reward or perhaps a cure for deadline insanity.




Donna Fletcher is a USA Today bestselling author of adventurous historical romances. She is also a past President of New Jersey Romance Writers and Novelists, Inc.

Links to Buy 




Gaby Alvardo borrows the powerful ranchero’s horse to rush and help her injured brother.



Raphael Cabrillo doesn’t see it that way to him... she stole his horse. And so she is to be punished for her crime. She will serve a term of six months as companion to his ailing mother.

Raphael intends to tame the spirited woman who refuses to wear shoes, dances under the moonlight, takes his ill mother on picnics and stirs his passion like no other woman.

But when an attempt is made on Gaby’s life there isn’t anything he won’t do to protect her.
Will Raphael tame the willful woman or love the untamed fire that burns within her?



Review to be posted shortly


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4 comments:

Angela Brown said...

Those curve balls from characters and life really do impact the ability to meet deadlines...in my case, self-inflicted deadlines. Wow, self-inflicted, as if I'm wounding myself. More like self-demanded.

Cherie Reich said...

Ah, deadlines. I do try to keep ahead of them, but I often need that pressure of the looming deadline to kick myself into high gear to get things done. Great post!

Donna Fletcher said...

Thanks for having me, Nicole.

Angela & Cherie, good luck with your deadlines and enjoy the thrill of writing The End.

Stefanie McMullen said...

Oooh deadlines...that's got to be crazy pressure. Thanks for the post. It was a great read and your book sounds interesting!