The Rules of Deadline
Aug 19th 2007
Julia LondonOn Writing!
I haven’t prepared a blog post this week because I am on a desperate deadline. I’m already so late with this book, I can’t even tell you. I must have the manuscript in today. MUST!
I always run up against a deadline, but never quite at top speed like I did this one. It made me think of all the reasons why I never ever ever ever want to do this again. But I know I will. I know it is beyond my control. I know because of the rules of deadline:
1. A deadline always reminds you are only human. You have an opportunity, when you begin writing your book, to write so many pages a day and avoid the deadline crunch. But several months out you think you can screw off a few days because who can’t make up 100 pages in a couple of weeks? Well, YOU can’t, but you continue to pretend that you can.
2. A solid deadline is the only really good reason to avoid exercise. “I can’t,” you say to your mother/husband/sister/friend. “I’m on deadline.” And you open up the Free Cell game when you get off the phone.
3. Deadlines=brownies. Think about it—when can you eat brownies with impunity? Deadline and your period.
4. A deadline is a totally believable excuse to avoid showering or changing clothes. What’s the point? It’s not like you’ve worked up a sweat eating brownies. “I am just swamped,” you tell your family/friends/mother. “I can’t WAIT to have time to soak in a bath!” There is probably some truth to that…but its really not as important as, say, brownies. Or playing solitaire, wondering how in the hell you were going to end the book.
5. A deadline is a right of passage for any writer. Until you have faced one, stared it down, beaten it into submission, you haven’t really written. These are the stories told in the bars of the various writers conferences. These are the days that your peers will discuss when you aren’t around. “Did you believe her? Did she really write forty pages in a day?” Nevertheless, the more notches you have on your keyboard, the more a writer you are.
6. A deadline is a good time to question again why you are a writer. What insanity possessed you to make you actually make a living at this? Is there a worse writer in any middle school across America? No! Wouldn’t it be easier way of life to just dig graves or jam nails under your fingernails or lead hikes across the Sahara? Seriously, wouldn’t it?
7. Deadlines are the only reason you finish a book. If it weren’t for that deadline, the damn thing would never get done. And if it didn’t get done, you wouldn’t feel that amazing sense of accomplishment. And if you didn’t feel that, you couldn’t lull yourself into thinking that you really love this job, that there are only three things you need to live: air, water, and writing.
Check with me on Tuesday. Today, I am checking out job opportunities in the Darfur region.
How do you feel about writing? Do you love it because you are not on a deadline? Do you hate it because your deadline is looming? Are you somewhere in between?
44 Comments »
44 Responses to “The Rules of Deadline”
twolilhahas on 20 Aug 2007 at 1:57 am #
I love writing and I hate it. My friend and I have been trying to set times to get together via the internet and write two or three times a week. And let me tell you, writing your feelings down in a blog and writing someone else’s feelings down in a book format are two totally different things! Writing something down in book format is so hard sometimes. It’s like, suddenly, despite knowing what I want to say, I no longer know how to say it. Everyone says to just keep writing…but the ideas just stop coming for me. I may not be cut out to be a romance novelist…but I’m going to keep trying.
I don’t think I’d do very well under the pressure of a deadline.
Karen Rose on 20 Aug 2007 at 6:56 am #
Goddess Julia - I love you! Really.
I’m the one at the bar saying I wrote 40 pages in a day, because I have. I don’t eat brownies, only because I’d have to bake them first and who has time to do that if you’re on DEADLINE? M&M’s are my dietary splurge of choice - you don’t have to unwrap the candy, LOL.
I laughed at the bathing and the changing clothes. That’s me. Ew, but true.
Haven’t played Free Cell in a while. Spider Solitaire or Word Mojo are my games of choice.
Everything else - you’re right on target, girl.
Back to my deadline. But first, I must pay bills and get the kids off to the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year (sing it with me, Goddesses!)
cail on 20 Aug 2007 at 7:09 am #
not a writer, but back when i had to write papers, everyone hated me. i was the person who wrote that horribly long paper and handed it in a week before the deadline.
that being said, i’d happily indulged in the brownies with you. Karen R, i’ll do the baking.
dbrown3400 on 20 Aug 2007 at 7:26 am #
I am a writer! . . . in my head. Well, almost. I have a “perfect”, one-half ms and two “perfect” chapters of another well-hidden in my computer. I will finish them someday because I love their stories. But I do write reviews each month for Romantic Times Book Reviews. We have a deadline or they don’t make the magazine.
I enjoy writing. I have a process, which means I agonize over each word. We’re only allowed 175 words per review so it’s a painful experience. After all, how many ways can you say, “well-defined characters” or “entertaining”, “enjoyable”, etc? And I used the thesaurus to discover a character doesn’t refer to people. You get the idea. You want the review to be fresh and original, just as any goddess would want her NYT bestseller and for me, at least, that deadline looms and it becomes work.
Cont.
dbrown3400 on 20 Aug 2007 at 7:27 am #
We get the galleys, and they are increasing mine, eek! about the same time we submit our reviews for the next magazine, which is two months ahead. I usually read the books early in the month and write my reviews the Sunday night before I need to email them Monday morning. With more reviews to do that’s gotta change. I don’t feel any emotion except to say to myself, “I can’t believe I did this to myself AGAIN.” Then I eat another Milky Way. They’re already baked.
Donna
Karen Hawkins on 20 Aug 2007 at 7:54 am #
Deadlines? (blinks) What are those?
Freshechelle on 20 Aug 2007 at 8:35 am #
Dear Julia -
Come try Spider Solitaire.
Sincerely,
An enabler
P.S. Anything worth having is worth waiting for. Hope your publisher feels the same.
Lisa H on 20 Aug 2007 at 8:38 am #
I consider myself a “perspiring writer” I just finished my first draft of a very “fraught with sexual tension” Historical Romance. I am halfway through polishing it and now need to begin to send it out to agents and publishers. I already am having stress attacks worrying about the next book. Should I have a good start on it before I send this out? What if I get lucky and someone wants to publish it without first receiving 75 rejection letters?
I tend to work well on deadline, my choice of poison is Coke Classic and Tortillia Chips (I prefer guacomole with them, but its hard to type with dip on your chip).
I have been published a few times in non-fiction books, but I was able to make the deadline because I was only writing a page or two!
Julia, my dream is to have your problem!
Lismore on 20 Aug 2007 at 9:33 am #
I’m not a writer, but you all need to keep writing so that I have good books to read. I do admit to being a terrible procrastinator.
Karen, I am singing with you and adding loud whooping cheers. Back to school is a great time of year.
Julia London on 20 Aug 2007 at 9:48 am #
I have to add an 8th rule: Deadlines allow you to revisit why you married your husband. In some cases, like Karen Rose, its because he’s such a supportive gem. As for me, he can be very supportive. But then there are days like today, when he says, “What are you doing?” Like I haven’t been doing this very thing for days now. Like I haven’t been stuck in my office saying things like, “I hope you don’t mind sandwiches again — I have to make this deadline!”, or (whimpering) “I don’t think I can do it!”
This morning, I say, “I am trying to finish this &#(&% book.” He gets a blank look on his face and says, “What book?”
WHAT BOOK?
I cheerfully reminded him which book. He said Oh. Then disappeared.
Lisa H on 20 Aug 2007 at 10:11 am #
Karen,
My kids go back in Sept. and boy do I look forward to it! I sing along with that great Staples commercial “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”
My children just glare at me, and I, in turn, smile sweetly!
Freshechelle on 20 Aug 2007 at 10:15 am #
Julia, I’ll bet your husband looked real funny running down the street yelling “I was only kidding” following that “what book?” comment.
Claudia Dain on 20 Aug 2007 at 10:21 am #
I am SO with you, Julia. I have a Sept 1 deadline and am hurrying to meet it. Why did I think I knew what I was doing in this story? Where was I going with it?
I want to be the writer who bangs out 40 pages a day. That’s what I call perfect. At that pace a book would only take a week or two and, at two books a year, the other 48 weeks would be mine.
If only.
zambonigirl (zambi) on 20 Aug 2007 at 10:37 am #
I like writing. Every year I think about joining NaNoWriMo, but I don’t. I have about three stories running through my brain, in various stages of writtenness (yes, I’m making up words. Leave me alone) on my computer, but I don’t seem to finish anything. I’m not sure if a deadline from NaNo would help me, or just make me shut down with teh procrastinationz completely. And then there’s the way that I have a hard time staying with the plot. You thought Tolkein was bad? Ha! Mitchner? He doesn’t KNOW backstory. I *know* backstory, baby, and I want to write it!
So, yeah, like a lot of the commenters, there’s a love/hate relationship going on.
Julia London on 20 Aug 2007 at 10:55 am #
Freshechelle, in his defense, he did stick his head back in and tell me that had a momentary lapse…because he watched football all weekend and got sidetracked.
The “i watched a lot of football” defense. hahahaaaa…
25 pages to go. Puuuuuuuuuuuuuush!
DebMarlowe on 20 Aug 2007 at 10:56 am #
Peeking my head out of deadline dementia to say “Brownies? You bake brownies?” I’m afraid my kids are going to be living on pizza and hot dogs for the next two weeks. Brownies are a pipe dream!
And so is the end of this danged book!
KMB25 on 20 Aug 2007 at 11:06 am #
Ok, for once I’m going to be the good one….YOU CAN DO IT JULIA!!!!!
Normally, I’m also a procrastinator (although I love the game SNOOD!)…but I started thinking this way:
If Julia procrastinates on a book then it just takes THAT much longer before we (her wonderful readership audience) get to read it. So I’m thinking that we should really be pushing and encouraging our fav authors to hurry up so we can read more books!!
So anyways, I am also a chocoholic…and I LOVE brownies…as well as M&Ms…I like the peanut ones best! I help with the baking and keeping you guys stocked with M&Ms if it’ll help keep the writer’s block away!
~Kim
Ronlyn on 20 Aug 2007 at 11:41 am #
mmmm….brownies!
I haven’t written anything outside of office policies, etc since college. BUT, I don’t have to have a deadline to enjoy brownies. *G*
I bow down to all you writting goddesses as I have many stories running around in my head, but haven’t even put them on paper.
Lisa H on 20 Aug 2007 at 11:45 am #
Zambi,
Try to just write a little each day, even if its only 1 paragraph. You will get into a very good habit and before you know it, (several years later) your book will be finished. I read Stephen King’s book called “On
Writing” and I found it to be a great encouragement to discipline yourself to write. Once I followed his advice I found myself looking forward to my writing time each day, and I did finally finish my book. It took about 8 months. Now comes the hard part—trying to get it published!
dbrown3400 on 20 Aug 2007 at 11:58 am #
Since a Goddess book is never OT, the UPS man just arrived with TO SCOTLAND, WITH LOVE. Thanks, KarenH
db
colinfirthfan on 20 Aug 2007 at 12:36 pm #
I hate deadlines… but unless there is a deadline I’d never get anything done!!!
BTW - thank you all for FIRTHING us. Made my day!!
ladydawgfan on 20 Aug 2007 at 12:38 pm #
Here’s a little secret (and a reward for finishing your book) next time you bake brownies:
Make your brownie mix like you usually would and spread it in the pan. Then estimate where you would be cutting the baked brownies. At those intervales, place about 1/2 tsp of peanut butter in the middle of the square and bake as usual. The brownie mix will rise up and bake over the peanut butter, and the heat of the baking will set it, creating the worlds easiest and yummiest peanut butter cup brownies.
Enjoy!! Now FINISH THAT BOOK!!!!
Karen Hawkins on 20 Aug 2007 at 1:14 pm #
Push, Julia! Push! At the end of that deadline is IRELAND. Cool, green, fun, beer-laden, and NO WRITING.
db, lemme know what you think of TO SCOTLAND WITH LOVE. Ooops. Now, I’m on pins and needles! This is WORSE than a deadline.
ladydawgfan, that recipe is EVIL. I gotta try that.
Suzanne Enoch on 20 Aug 2007 at 1:20 pm #
I always feel like Captain Kirk when I’m on deadline. “Sulu, warp three!” The only problem is when my dilithium crystals need some cookie dough.
With this deadline (though it seems as though I’ve been on constant deadline for the past 15 months), I’m trying to be good and eat grapes. But they don’t do that thing to my brain that helps me write — not the same way that chocolate does. Did someone mention cookie dough? Oh, that was me.
zambonigirl (zambi) on 20 Aug 2007 at 1:24 pm #
When I make brownies, I use a really easy recipe that I found on the back of some baking chocolate, I spread the batter in a pan, I add chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet) on top, and then bake. After it’s finished, I dust cocoa powder on top so that they’re like truffle brownies. It’s so chocolatey and rich. You really need a scoop of ice cream or a glass of milk with them.
Maybe I’ll make some when I go to North Carolina this Friday…
dbrown3400 on 20 Aug 2007 at 1:39 pm #
I was checking the blog before I went to work and gained five pounds. But I do have this recipe for Turtle Brownies. . .
db
Marie on 20 Aug 2007 at 2:03 pm #
I am not a deadline by a agent or editor, but by myself and CC(I’ll explain later.) I have found goldminer due to the fact that I must find something to do to put off writing. I play goldminer when I have to do research or when I begin to doubt myself. CC is a great critique group if you haven’t signed up you should. The website is critiquecircle.com. I hope I don’t gain to much weight while writing this one.
Julia London on 20 Aug 2007 at 2:13 pm #
Thanks Kim! I’ve got about 10 pages to go. your brownies haven’t gotten here yet
Ladydawg. you need to stay away from me. Far, far, away.
Lisa H, Zambi, Marie, good luck with the writing projects! Lisa, I’ve heard great things about his book but haven’t read it.
Suzie….mmmmmmmmm, cookie dough…….I see a run up to CVS in my very near future.
Lisa H on 20 Aug 2007 at 2:46 pm #
Keep Going Julia!!! You are almost there! Let us know tomorrow how it all turns out!
KMB25 on 20 Aug 2007 at 2:47 pm #
Julia, I’m very excited about any new book…I just finished the entire Thrillseekers series and I LOVED it…so perhaps that’s why I’m sending you my good energy vibes to finish that book!!!
As to the brownies…well, somehow I don’t think you’d want me to ship them to you…it just wouldn’t be the same (and well, it might be a tad on the creepy side.) But I can tell you another little secret of the recipe that my husband gave me! He puts Khalua in the brownies and that makes them even yummier!!!
~Kim
Sabrina Jeffries on 20 Aug 2007 at 3:18 pm #
Ah, Julia, you have captured the rules of Deadline Hell to perfection. And given that my publisher and I may be cooking up something special (still in discussion or I’d spill), my deadlines may be getting ridiculous very quickly.
This last book (like yours, Julia) was, for some reason, killer. It seemed to never end. It was my longest book in years (although I did manage to chop it down to size), so I went a WEE bit beyond deadline, which, of course, is crowding up the books that follow after.
But this is the first deadline I did not try to eat my way through, and I must say I felt better for it. I kept walking and eating salads, and that actually did help a lot. I find that the sugar rush really makes me more tired, which doesn’t help. But after years of telling myself, “I’m on deadline; I’m allowed!” it took some effort not to do it.
I only allow myself one computer game, on my big computer, which I only get on at night. There are none on my laptop. Otherwise, I’d play all day.
Nicole Jordan on 20 Aug 2007 at 3:54 pm #
Your description of deadline dementia is so funny, Julia! And so right on. I can sure sympathize.
Hope you finish today and can eat brownies just for the pleasure of it instead of fuel.
Freshechelle on 20 Aug 2007 at 3:59 pm #
It’s been 3 hours since you were at 10 pages? How’s it going?
ladydawgfan on 20 Aug 2007 at 4:03 pm #
BTW, what exactly does one written page entail? What is the word count per page, font size, border size for example in MS Works? Just curious.
Judy F on 20 Aug 2007 at 4:24 pm #
I don’t write but these are pretty funny.
Julia I would have thrown a book at him. LOL
Right now I am on a deadline from Medicare getting stuff back to them w/i 30 days. So far its going pretty smoothly but some of our centers are pains when you need stuff that should be in the chart.
MJ on 20 Aug 2007 at 4:37 pm #
Julia, Julia….I’m laughing, but WITH you. Not at you, promise.
And I don’t write. But my academic deadlines evoke similar behaviour.
Just think of all of us who are dying to read that fantastic work….and how good you’ll feel when you’re done. (And YES that will happen. It always has in the past and it will this time too.)
And Karen you know I loved your book. Have been sick for what seems like weeks (it’s days, of course) but had to drag myself up to check the blog. I have been reading snatches between naps - thanks again. I’ll think of this book as the inflight movie + the nanny. (-;
And so to bed.
Claudia Dain on 20 Aug 2007 at 4:40 pm #
Ladydawgfan, one page is 250 words, give or take. Sometimes you can write a page in 15 minutes, other times it can take all day. Of course, that’s with lots of “I need to take a walk/eat a brownie/drive to the mall/watch a good movie and get my brain going” breaks!
Go, Julia!!!!
doglady on 20 Aug 2007 at 8:49 pm #
Gee, thanks, Julia. I am only a little bit more terrified than I was before after reading your Seven Deadly Sins of Deadlines! I am a newly aspiring historical romance writer. Fortunately I keep hearing Anna Campbell in my head saying “Quit fiddling about and finish the damned book!” in a very distinct Aussie accent. When I started I had no clue what a word count was or how to set up a daily quota or anything like that. Boy, have I learned a lot since AvonFanLit !! Scary stuff too! My poison of choice? Reese’s Cups - any kind, but I LOVE the big ones!! I love brownies, but I do not crave them because I manage a bakery and we make fresh gourmet brownies every day. Brownies that I have to ice with chocolate fudge, german chocolate, cream cheese, caramel, walnuts and bits of the candy of the month (this month - Snickers) or some combination thereof. I tend to slack off for a few days and then sit down and shoot off 2 to 3K in one sitting. I would LOVE to be able to spread that out!
doglady on 20 Aug 2007 at 8:54 pm #
Keep at it Julia ! Come on, Deb Marlowe! I am really counting on reading that Golden Heart winning book!! Sabrina, at the risk of sounding incredibly selfish, I have no problem with your deadlines becoming ridiculous IF it means I get to read more of your books in quick succession. I know, I know. Completely selfish!! Julia, he actually said that and you let him live? He is SO lucky to have you!! Tell him I said that! Take him to Ireland and make him carry your luggage and a huge number of parcels of completely indulgent purchases for you. That’ll teach him! What book, indeed!
doglady on 20 Aug 2007 at 8:56 pm #
Oh and Julia ? I hear the brownies in Darfur are few and far between and that the batter looks suspiciously like sand. Just thought you would want to know!
Julia London on 21 Aug 2007 at 9:00 am #
Thanks ladies! I did it! I got the book in and then kicked back with a bottle of wine and the last crumbs of brownies.
And for the record, I don’t BAKE brownies. I BUY brownies. Or beg my mom to come through.
Valerie on 21 Aug 2007 at 11:48 am #
I have to self-impose deadlines. I couldn’t just toodle along. Too many other things would get done, lol. So, I join challenges that I work in and it has an accountability factor that keeps me typing more than a page a day.
Oh, and chocolate helps…in any form!
Caren Crane on 21 Aug 2007 at 1:53 pm #
Congrats on finishing the book, Julia! We’re all waiting for it, so it benefits all of us. Plus, we got some great brownie tips. *g* My kids love “rocky road” brownies. I make these killer brownies with real butter (no mixes - yuck!), then when they’re warm, sprinkle with chocolate and peanut butter chips (the most decadent chips you can find) and mini marshmallows. When all that lusciousness cools, drizzle the pan with Hershey’s syrup. Of course, I can’t eat them anymore, but the kids adore them.
I would eat them, but I might as well just tape them to my thighs, so…*sigh*
darkshire007 on 21 Aug 2007 at 5:58 pm #
Because I can barely string two sentences together, I will leave the writing to the professionals and enjoy the fruits of their labor! HA! And congrats to Julia for finishing her book as we are impatiently waiting for it….