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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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.
ReplyDeleteAh, 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!
ReplyDeleteThanks for having me, Nicole.
ReplyDeleteAngela & Cherie, good luck with your deadlines and enjoy the thrill of writing The End.
Oooh deadlines...that's got to be crazy pressure. Thanks for the post. It was a great read and your book sounds interesting!
ReplyDelete