For the last few years I have been a head of my deadlines. And not just a little. But like, months ahead of deadline. I seemed to keep having these events that I wanted to get books completed by - biths of babies, American Thanksgiving, Conference, Drunk Writer Talk. So, I had real deadlines and then I had my own.
And let me tell you, this has been great. I am heroic in my editors eyes. I have so much good will built up in this department that if I could somehow transform good will into shoes I would be Maureen.
And I've liked it too, I feel on top of my game and focused. I was really diligent every day despite being ahead of the deadline.
But OH! Oh the times they have changed - my deadline is November 15 for my Harlequin Superromance (I thought it was Nov. 22, why? No idea). And it's doable if I stick to my word count goal every day and work on the weekends and in the evenings...really, it's not even that hard. But what have I been doing? SLACKING OFF. Watching TV - in the middle of the day. Eating cookies? (That's effing up this no cookie diet I was on for about ten minutes. The second I said "Molly, no more cookies, what did I want? Ten cookies.) Friday Maureen and I had a writing date and what did I convince her to do? HAVE A BEER!
I am so far away from my word count goal that it's actually funny. Like ludicrious. Like a Monty Python sketch. And it's not my children, or my husband, or fate conspiring against me, it's me. %100 me. Though Maureen could have been a bit more firm on that beer thing...
Do you do this? When the pressure is on, do you go to sleep? Because I've been doing that too.
Oh please!!! I'm the queen of self destruction. I've been on this all meat diet for a month. No bread, no starch, just meat. And more meat.
ReplyDeleteBut what I do? I throw in some wine. Okay a lot of wine. Then I wonder why I'm not losing weight like the book says I should.
It's the same with writing. I was supposed to be way ahead of where I am now - so that I can get started on the next big book idea.
But sometimes when I know I have to do something... I just don't do it. I say.. Eff that. You can't make me... Of course I don't know who I'm talking to but needless to say I can get very stubborn with my imaginary friend called responsible behavior.
You cannot blame me for that beer. LOL ;)
ReplyDeleteI hate responsible behavior. I'm gonna have a cookie.
ReplyDeleteCookies and TV are so much easier than finishing a book. I am speaking from experience here.
ReplyDeleteHard work may pay off in time, but procrastination always pays off now...
I play endless games of spider solitaire. I'm not even good at it. I can't win anything more difficult than two suit spider.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I eat. If something's remotely healthy, I spread butter on it.
I do this too! I turned in my previous book 5-1-11. I was not under contract for the ENTIRE SUMMER! We didn't go back to contract until September with the book due November 1st. Did I write the Single Title book I've been talking about writing for years so my agent could shop it? No. I read and ate and drank and lived like a regular person. Now I'm on a deadline and hopeful I can turn it in with a few more tweaks.
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