Comments on: Ignore that deadline behind the curtain!

By: Patricia Bray

Patricia Bray — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:38:37 +0000

I’m much the same way, in that I’m much more productive with a deadline, even if it’s artificial.

Wishing you the best of luck, and high word counts!

Patricia

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:41:32 +0000

I think I’m going to go for it. I decided to put a few major tasks, like starting the draft of the new novel, until after my marathon (which took a lot of spare time to train for and I finished Sunday). 1000 words a day, or about 4 pages, is what I normally can manage while working full time. I’m going to be happy to get the new book finished by August. Finished a first draft early would let me apply myself to the revisions in a more timely manner than I normally do.

By: S.C. Butler

S.C. Butler — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:51:31 +0000

Kristine - Comparing everyday writing to competition was a bit of a stretch. But sometimes I feel I have to summon vast amounts of energy before I can get started, kind of like you do before a race. The problem is, as you point out, that you have to do it every day.

Which can be exhausting

By: Melanie Fletcher

Melanie Fletcher — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:39:11 +0000

And I have a half-finished novel sticking its tongue out at me, too. 70 Days of Sweat — sounds like a good idea to me.

By: Kristine Smith

Kristine Smith — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:08:20 +0000

But I just figured out one of the major issues that has been giving me fits with this novel, so now just to write the damned thing . . .

Once I didn’t figure out a POV character until one month before the book was due. I think those panic tracks have been permanently etched in my brain.

Ain’t it fun?

Oh yeah…

By: Michelle Sagara

Michelle Sagara — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 19:04:34 +0000

I almost signed up for this, but I’m still in the “reread everything and make sure the time-lines are fixed in my head before I start” stage of the book, and I’m pretty sure I won’t make it out of that in time to lay down new words in this section of the novel =/

By: Diana Pharaoh Francis

Diana Pharaoh Francis — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:02:03 +0000

Yeah, well, I wish this deadline was artificial. But mine is due in June. But I just figured out one of the major issues that has been giving me fits with this novel, so now just to write the damned thing . . .

Ain’t it fun?

By: Kristine Smith

Kristine Smith — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:03:31 +0000

Elizabeth–December seems so far away, doesn’t it?

Except that we’re almost in March…

By: Kristine Smith

Kristine Smith — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:02:35 +0000

Bev–I need to make this deadline. To make it with time to spare would bring me no end of joy.

By: Kristine Smith

Kristine Smith — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:01:57 +0000

Sam–well, the Times article made sense to me. I run, but I’m not very good at it, and there are times when I just need to stare into space/concentrate on the song streaming into my ears/do anything but think about the fact that I’m only halfway through my run. I would consider writing a book more everyday running rather than competition–I just don’t get that adrenaline push until the end is in sight, and before I get to that end, there’s a hell of a lot of beginning and middle that needs to be set down.

So, I agree that yes, in competition, most good athletes leave it all on the field. But to me, writing is mostly practice/warm-up/scales/stretching.