Deadline? What Deadline? Sometimes You Need a Break

I got a message from my editor. “I’ll have everything together by the end of the week. Just wanted to give you a heads up so you can clear your schedule for the rewrite.” Then I waited. And I waited some more. Finally the rewrite landed in my inbox at midnight last Saturday.

This means that I have a book due today, one week before Christmas. Do I need to explain to all of you writing women that I really had other plans for the days spent on this rewrite? Probably not. I’m guessing that at least a few of you still have Christmas cards to send out and gifts yet to purchase.

For four days I dove into the rewrite. Monday through Thursday. I got about half of it done but I was frustrated and things were not looking good for the weekend. So what did I do?

I took time off. We decorated the tree and got the rest of the decorations up. I read over my editor’s notes and rewrote a chapter.

Next I finished crocheting a gift for someone. Then I came back and roughed out the new chapter.

Then I wrapped the gift books that my husband wanted to take to the post office. Gotta get those books into the hands of young readers. Then I came back and rewrote the new chapter and took it to grade level.

By then my son was out with friends. My husband and I went to the grocery and got what we needed for dinner. I worked while dinner was in the oven and we ate and watched a movie. Then I read over more notes from my editor and wrapped up the last chapter.

Yes, I had a lot of work to get done this weekend. But the funny thing about freelancing is that you can let it fill your day, your week and your weekend. Yet, strangely enough, there is always something more to do.

You have to take time off to do other things. When you do, you’ll be re energized and ready to go. Things will come together much more quickly. I rewrote as much Friday and Saturday as I did Monday through Thursday and I did it in a lot less time.

To be a successful freelancer, you do need to devote time to your work. But you also need to recognize when something isn’t coming together because you’ve been at your desk for too long. A break will help you find the distance that you need to really evaluate what you’ve written. That’s when things will come together much more quickly.

Sunday night? I could have spent the time reading through my changes. But I just wasn’t sure I had achieved the necessary distance from my work. So I went to a family screening of Polar Express, sang the hot chocolate song with preschoolers, and munched on popcorn.

I’ve been told I’m really productive. But Polar Express and popcorn? A women writer has to keep her priorities straight.

--SueBE

To find out more about Sue Bradford Edwards' writing, visit her blog, One Writer's Journey.  Sue is also the instructor for Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins January 8th, 2017.

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6 comments creative energy, energizing, meeting deadlines, rewriting

Deadlines vs Taking a Break

This was “The Week of Deadlines.” Educational activities with photos. A sample chapter. A book outline. It made for some really long days.

I’ve learned this week how to tell when I need a break. The first sign came when I told my son that I didn’t appreciate his subtext. He’s sixteen so he shot me “a look” for that one.

The second sign came when I read an article on how not to be too wordy. Instead of just reading the examples, I found myself editing out additional unnecessary words.

But the biggest clue came when I tried to quickly paint my toe nails. I told my son I’d put lunch in the oven as soon as I finished drafting my toes. We decided he should deal with the oven.

So what do I do when I need a break but I have so much to get done? I take a break.

I know. It sounds counterintuitive, but I’ve learned that once I hit that wall, I need to stop. My progress has slowed to a crawl anyway, and if I keep pushing myself I’m going to do more harm than good.

My top three breaks?

Meal time. It isn’t that I’m food obsessed but skipping meals is a big mistake. Low blood sugar does not go hand-in-land with creativity. If it happens to be lunch and I’m home by myself, I listen to an audio book. It gives me something else to think about for a while. Dinner time is family time which always pulls me out of work mode.

Yoga class. Home workouts are too easy to skip as is gym time. Because of this, I signed up for a twice weekly yoga class. I was tempted to skip this week but I made myself go. It meant 90 minutes away from my desk filled with both exercise and deep breathing. I came back to my office focused and re-energized.

Knitting or crochet. Doing something creative, and non-writing related, recharges my batteries. Maybe it’s that I see results. Maybe it’s because it’s meditative. I’m not sure, but it does the trick. I come out of my craft time with writing related solutions ready to go.

Even if you have a deadline or three to meet, be sure to get up and get away from the computer every now and then. Set a timer in another room if that’s what it takes to make you leave your desk. But get up. Don’t skip meals. Move around. You’ll see the difference when you sit back down to write.

--SueBE

Sue is the instructor for our course, Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults. The next session begins on November 9, 2015.

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Leave a Comment deadlines, giving yourself a break, meeting deadlines, taking a break

Raise Your Hand if You Procrastinate

Hi, my name is Renee, and I am a procrastinator.

As I was driving to a reporting assignment today, this scheduled blog post came to mind. It’s been on my list of things to do for a week, but I was mulling around a few different topics and it took me awhile to find the right one to work on.

Okay, who am I kidding? I wasn’t “mulling over” anything. I procrastinated, plain and simple. I can’t say for sure if I procrastinate a lot in my personal life as well as my professional. I usually get money turned in on time for my children’s school collections and purchase gifts before special events. I have a calendar I put all my appointments on and don’t find myself running late to meetings and other scheduled events very often.

I just know that while I typically don’t miss deadlines, I do usually turn in assignments either the day before or the day of. And while I get interviews done well in advance, I always feel the need to let information simmer awhile before I tackle a rough outline of an article, especially if the story requires a difficult subject matter.

I am the type of writer who needs accountability and deadlines in order to be productive. This does not bode well when you are the editor of a bi-monthly parenting magazine, as I am. I assign stories to writers and regular contributors and try to pad deadlines where I can so that even if an article comes in late, it doesn’t affect our production schedule. But what do you do when you’re the editor of such a magazine and you are also responsible for writing some of its content? You stress. You put off researching the calendar events. You lose a little sleep. You watch old episodes of the television show “Wings” when you know you should be writing back-to-school content. As every production cycle begins, my husband watches me pace back and forth in front of my computer, muttering to myself. He brews extra coffee and sits back, always offering me a speck of hope by saying, “You don’t need to worry about this. You’ll get it done. You always do.”

It seems appropriate that our latest issue features an article called How to Manage the Evil Three: Rejection, Depression and Procrastination. I sometimes wonder if procrastination and creativity go hand in hand, or if I just simply put things off to create more drama in my life. I’m not the only procrastinator around here, am I?

Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer and editor who blogs at Renee’s Pages.

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7 comments Creativity, meeting deadlines, procrastination, Renee Roberson, writer's block

The Diva Dilemma

Write a book, hook an agent, land a contract. Next step: seeing your novel move from print to the silver screen. You know your book is a Hollywood match made in heaven.


Many new (and even some established) writers need to remember that once an agent signs you and your novel, those stars in your eyes may not come from the flash of the paparazzi. Those sparkly lights may come from a swift knock to the head - a wake-up dose of reality - from your agent or editor.

So, drama queens, you must learn how to navigate the publishing world without causing a scene. Editors and agents would much prefer that you stick to writing one. :)

Want to avoid coming off as a needy, clingy, difficult,it's-all-about-me, it's-my-novel-and-I'll-avoid-change author? Follow these guiding lights and create an engaging relationship with those who can take you to the stars: agents and editors.

1. Meet deadlines. Editors and agents establish target dates for a reason. When writers miss deadlines, trust erodes in the relationships you're attempting to establish. If you know you're going to miss the cut-off date, let your editor and agent know prior to the actual deadline. Usually, a plan can be worked out, but silence, in this case, is not golden. It shows you may be difficult to work with.
2. Make it personal. Has your editor given you stellar ideas that improve your writing? Tell her thank you. A handwritten note goes a long way and lets your editor know that you appreciate her time and opinion.
3. Maintain professionalism. Sometimes, authors are so anxious to see their ideas printed in any form that they forget that the road to publication features several distinct stops, a.k.a. the agent's trash can and the editor's desk. Don't hound or make outrageous demands. Trust your agent. Listen to your editor. Chances are, they've been involved in the game for quite a while. And if you do have a grievance, follow the chain of command.
4. Meet other writers. Network, network, network. Join a critique group, especially one that is brutally honest about your work. They will question and make you consider 'why' you wrote something in a certain way. It will make your work stronger.
5. Manage modesty. Writing is hard work! Once you accept the professional advice available to you, your labor of intense work and love will be printed. But it's important to remember that writing isn't about you, the author; it's about the story.

Don't turn into a diva who expects an agent or editor to hand you everything on a silver platter. The final product is so satisfying when you've built a solid relationship with the professionals and written the best work possible. Then, you can let your light shine.

by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of LuAnn's work at LuAnn's Writing on the Wall or follow the discussion on Facebook.

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Leave a Comment agent relationships, editor relationships, LuAnn Schindler, meeting deadlines, networking, professionalism, thank you notes