When I added the calendar count down to a finished rough draft on the right, I envisioned myself in a virtual writer‘s garret for weeks on end with nothing but time to knock out my intended word count and finish the initial story. As a lifelong expert at procrastination and pulling things out at the last minute, I should have known that giving myself a firm deadline would do nothing more than activate my stubborn side who said I could write more words the next day. Plus, life in general tends to get in the way of the best plans. All of this to say – I’m not going to make my rough draft deadline.
I am reminded of the Douglas Adams quote, “I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.” In my general life, it doesn’t change that much that I’m not going to meet my early-June deadline because I’ve pushed my deadline for my first completed novel back for ages. So what’s one more day, week, or month?
One thing is my pride. I am no farther this year in my writing career than I was last year. Now, we don’t write so that we can boast about it. Okay, we do. But I’ve got a yearly professional dinner coming up, and when I get asked what I’ve been doing with myself recently, I wish that I could say that I’d finished a book and it was in the editorial process. I still may be able to do that if I push hard. But it does affect my pride that I don’t have a finished product ready to tell them to go purchase and write a glowing review.
Another more worrying aspect is that not meeting a deadline can affect the team of professionals a self-published writer has set up. I am fortunate that my editor has a more open schedule and is aware to expect my work in June. But I had to change my cover designer based on their schedule because most of them get booked well in advance. The one I will reveal at a later date stays busy but works fast with excellent results. This means I have to pay for such service, and that will add to my final start-up bill. But if my editor were not a former colleague and now friend, I could be throwing off her schedule by not producing when I said I would. As she gets busier, I will have to be a better task master on myself to get my writing done.
I have a couple of beta readers who are reading the work in its roughest form as I go. To assume that they have all the time in the world to put my material first whenever I can get it to them is also disrespectful, and I could risk not getting the feedback I truly need to get my work in the best order possible prior to the editing process. The better my manuscript is, the less editing work it may need, and therefore the less money spent on editing.
As a potential self-publishing author, I am only hurting myself. The summer time is a great time to have a book out. My particular WIP would be a wonderful summer read. However, if it’s not ready until August, I may be risking potential readers. Also, in the world of self-published works, the best way to gain momentum is to keep momentum. That means that when Book One is released, Book Two better be considerably in the works if not moving into the editorial process. The most success goes to indie authors who produce books no later than three to four months after their last one, especially if it’s part of a series.
The biggest reason I should stop sitting back and watch that deadline whoosh past me is that I’m ready to say I’ve finished something. I’ve got short stories, but I’ve never fully finished one of my novels. This one is all planned out. While it’s gone through a few changes, the overall story has never changed. And I’m ready to finish the first draft no matter what state it’s in or what gets changed in the long run. I think finishing it will be a huge accomplishment and step to becoming a more established writer. Plus, I’ve got ideas for other books and series. There are currently three books in line for this current series. Then I’ve got an urban fantasy that could align with the New Adult genre.
Last, it should be apparent through my posts about publishing that things are changing. I don’t want to be left behind taking steps that worked once but are no longer as successful. I would rather be on the forefront of change and challenge. In order to do that, I need to finish here and take my word count to my manuscript. May you find the motivation you need to meet your deadlines!
Tagged: Douglas Adams, Draft document, Publishing, Self-publishing, Short story, WIP, Word count, Writer
Falls Into Writing 
I use this analogy Often, I tell people” I can sometimes sit for two hours and get two sentences, or sit for thirty seconds, be hit by the creative bolt, and write 2000 words as fast as my hands could hit the keys.
Pat Conroy once old me, (as a Young Man) “The act writing is mechanical, the art of writing is governed by imagination, which is governed by nothing, especially time”
If you know Pat Conroy, might I infer that you’re from the SC region? Perhaps the sea islands out there? That’s the setting for my current wip and a place I frequent regularly. I wish I could just write when my creative muse hit me, but if I do want to make a business of it, then I do have to kick myself in my virtual pants a bit more than I would if I were just writing to write.
I am from small town SC. A child of the Edisto, and how I managed to write my novel was by making notes whenever and however I could(I have quite a few notebooks with scribbling in them) then would diligently transpose them to the main work. Yes it is a disciplined affair, but I never .. ever .. sat down an wrote if I could not treat my reader with the reverence they deserved. Also my characters were fleshed out in marvelous ways.. sometimes writing conversations between several of them that were meant to help me define each by that interaction.. that and D&D
Time can definitely help in fleshing things out. And I wish I could just spend oodles of time writing. But I also want to force myself to finish. I want a finished product in my stable. I think it would help me finish other started projects as well.
Agreed, and to be commended, I am simply talking about what were my mechanisms and how I kept the gunk of mediocrity out of the gears
Yep. Me, I’ve got this kickbutt editor who whips my stuff into shape. What she does hurts, but it definitely makes it soooo much better. I’ll be writing about her in a later post.
I once met the Son of the agent for T.S. Elliot, who edited Hemingway’s The sun also rises. I was told the story about how While(Elliot) doing this , called Hemingway and said “Ernie this is great But e need to make some changes. He cut the first 26 pages. What we read of one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century, Starts with page 27 of what Hemingway wrote. That has been my lasting impression of Editors and I abide the storm of their Critique with that perspective.
Well, as a former freelance editor, I should know what to expect. But it still stings because I can’t shake the writer from my form. And I chose a particularly meticulous one. But she’s very encouraging during the drafting stages. I think she just likes to cut things down in the long run!
I apologize for the Typos..
Is it true that you are really no farther in your career this year? I get it that you haven’t published the book yet, but the blog seems to be getting some good exposure–hopefully that will translate into more success for the book whenever it arrives.
And a good summer read would also be a good winter read, if not better. Cuz winter kinda sucks.
I exaggerate a little. Last year, I was editing more than writing. So in a way, no. I’m ahead. And I’m happy with this blog. But as I was writing this post, I was also chatting with my editor at the same time. And I’m off-schedule with her. She actually was chuckling because she keeps hearing my deadlines and not getting my work. Also, while I’ve got lots of projects started, including one that got pitched to an agent, nothing has gone as far as I would like.
I think I may be a bit harsh on myself (as writers are prone to do). But I’m really hoping for an August release! I’d be happiest if I could make it the end of July for my birthday!
I found it an insightful point when you said you should have book two in the editorial process when book one is published. Worth thinking about.
Because I don’t have other material out yet and am building my writing brand, the release date has to come more quickly. That’s part of the self-publishing model – to keep the material coming so that more readers find you and the readers you do find stay satisfied. It’s different than traditional publishing, and it’s one I’m trying to get used to. I’m hoping to hold myself to that goal, and I’ve got the story mapped out.