Current Project: Improper Pinkerton
Status: 56,000 words
You'd think as many hours as I've spent working on this project it would be farther than 56,000 words. My goal when the dh left for Elk camp on Friday was to write like a fiend. Well, with company coming this week, I also made a list of things to do each day in preparation for the company.
Each thing on my list took longer than I'd anticipated, and when I'd sit down to write, I'd be thinking about the next thing that needed done instead of focusing on the characters.
My goal for this project was to have this queried to agents by now. Now my goal is to have queries out the first week of January. But I'm sitting here thinking is that practical either? I have 8 extra people coming at Christmas and five of them are staying two weeks. BUT- if this was a deadline I had to meet for a publisher- I'd have not made Christmas presents, bought everything online, and told people live with the mess of my house. Which tells me, I have to start thinking like my deadlines are publishing house deadlines or I'm going to miss the train with this project because the hot button on this project will have passed.
So, if you aren't on a publisher's deadline, do you still push yourself to meet personal deadlines no matter what or do you fudge, like I'm doing and then beat yourself up? If you are on a publisher deadline, and make those deadlines, do you think you could stay to a personal deadline?
PS: I've updated my personal blog if you want to hop over and take a peek. I'm pleased that I managed to tweak a format (thank you ,Eli) and part of my writing time this past week was writing an article for the Willamette Writers. Their newsletter editor e-mailed and asked if I'd do an article on virtual tours as they'd noticed I'd been doing a lot of virtual promotion. So when it comes out in their newsletter, I'll forward it to the loop.
10 comments:
How flattering they asked you to do a special article. That's great!
You describe me perfectly when it comes to deadlines. Lately I've been horrible about meeting my personal deadlines and then I feel massively guilty.
Writing is hard. When you are the sole taskmaster, it's tough to stay disciplined. Especially when you blow a personal deadline and realized the world didn't explode.
Paty, Interesting blog. Everyone will no doubt have a different take and a different set of rules, sometimes between different projects,
My rule of thumb is every deadline matters. All I have to gauge myself and with which to motivate myself IS myself. So, yes, I make deadlines almost always. Publishing house deadlines are easier to use as a reason to lessen personal commitments because there's a third party. I will fudge a bit on an arbitrary deadline (I will have this proposal out by X week of X month) if I feel the need but since one project feeds the next and you can't build a career doing what I do without publishing frequently, I've learned to be more selfish with my time.
I'd stop beating myself up if I were you. I think all of us would agree you juggle your family and your writing admirably, you're very goal orientated, you'll have your book out on time. I don't think the "hot" button will disappear in a matter of a few days or weeks. If you'd had a publisher deadline for this book, would you have added so many entanglements to your life?
Kendra, I agree when you are your own task master it's hard to stay disciplined. I have another Halsey brother story to get written- the sooner the better, yet I've promised myself the project I'm on now WILL be done soon. But I missed my deadline and wonder how when I get picked up by a larger press I'll be able to handle the deadlines, other than telling my family fend for themselves when they come to see me. And taking on less things that don't have to do with the project I'm on.
Alice, You're right about the taking on too many things besides my writing. I'm really going to have to stop that. I did say I'd help one 4th grade room with their picture book project, but this year I made it clear it was only a one day thing. And I told the local group this is my last year finding speakers for their meetings. Even though it has given me more contacts. And I've backed off a lot at the editing job. I only take on past authors, to free more of my time. BUT-not making my self-imposed deadline is freakin' driving me crazy!!!
Way to go on your new blog, Paty. Looks great!
Alice is right, pub deadlines are much easier to make because of that third party influence. I always work better under an external deadline rather than an internal one. That said, I agree with Alice that you're a very goal oriented writer, and fudging a few weeks because of the holidays is not a big deal in your case.
Good luck with the company. Right now I'm just trying to survive having the kids off school this week (eek!) and the DH off work until after the first of the year (triple eek!).
This is a timely post for me. I'd been having a hard time making myself sit my butt in the chair, so to speak, and had to figure out why. Now, I'm setting smaller goals--writing every day, for example. As I get back into that habit, I'll feel more confident about setting bigger goals for myself.
One trap (for me) that I have to watch myself from falling into is making excuses--I'm too tired, or I'm too mentally fried from the day job, etc. I can always find an excuse not to write -- just like I can always find a reason and time to write if that's what's really important.
Wow, that's a tough issue, one that I struggle with a lot. Writing fiction is such a creatively demanding endeavor and it's hard for me to force myself to create on demand. It's the same with my design work. I make those deadlines, though, so if I had a real publishing deadline, I'd work around those "uncreative" moments somehow. It won't be easy. And writing is harder than graphic design, IMO, but that's because I've been a designer for 30 years.
I write every day, no matter what. I'd love to write 2000 words or more every day, but I haven't met that goal on a regular basis. But I can get 1000 words at least. I'm even managing to get some writing done while my son and grandson are here. I just keep the laptop in my room and get up before day break. It worked this morning. We'll see about tomorrow.
My husband and I took the kids (son and grandson) to The High Desert Museum today and we all had a blast. I've also managed to get my grandson interested in the space shuttle as NASA's Endeavor can be seen in the sky above our house for a few minutes every night. Awesome! Now he asks all the time to see pictures on the Internet of the space "shovel." He's four. He gets words mixed up sometimes. 8^)
Thanks Eli! I appreciate your help with the new blog. Hope you make it sane into the new year.
Debbie, when I had kids at home and had a part time job outside the house, I had to be consistent with writing time or I'd get out of rhythm and find it harder to get started again.
Karen, You can't go wrong taking a child to the High Desert Museum! And adults find so much there too! I agree you have to stay consistent with writing time to get any words.
Hi, Paty! I really like the updated look of your blog--very nice! And congratulations on being asked to do an article for Willamette Writers. All the energy you have put into promotion is paying off!
It's interesting that you mentioned beating yourself up if you don't make the goal you set for yourself. This subject came up on one of my other loops and I recently confronted this tendency in myself. I realized beating myself up is really wasted energy that I could use to figure out what I could differently to meet a goal. And, sometimes, life just throws us a curve (or two or three).
Whatever the reason, I've decided to skip the "beating myself up" phase and use that energy to do something positive that will move me closer to my goals.
Paty, love your blog's new look!
Woo Hoo on the article you've been asked to do!! :)
Stop beating yourself up or you're husband will wonder what you've been doing while he was out hunting! LOL
But seriously, I used to totally beat myself up when I didn't make my self-imposed goals. Like Genene, I've finally come to the conclusion it's not worth it and since then I've been a lot happier and find writing easier and much more satisfying.
Everyday, I read Alice's great quote, "At times, writing is hard- but not writing is harder- and having written is the sweetest feeling of all." and I keep it in my mind all the time, so when I do get a chance to write, I feel awesome about it; and when I don't have the time to write, I just let it go and look forward to when I can get back to it again.
I suppose if I had real deadlines I'd change my tune and freak though. LOL But for now, I'm happy doing what I'm doing. Bruise free. ;_
Genene and Becky,
I'm trying to breath slowly and concentrate on just getting the book written. After all I can't do anything until it is done. But I don't like not accomplishing things I've set out to do.
Thank you for your reminders you have to be sane and in control to write a decent word, sentence, paragraph, scene, chapter and book.
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