Tag Archives: Deadlines

Pushing Deadlines

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Outtakes 90

 

Pushing Deadlines

By Cait Collins

I have no problem making appointments on time. Usually I’m a few minutes early. I try to apply the practice to my writing career. While I’ve done some of my best writing in a crunch, I do not recommend the practice. Pushing the envelope or missing the deadline could have serious consequences. Lose the idea a deadline is a guideline. Signing a contract is a commitment to provide the project by the specified date.

Begin working on the project immediately. If the research is complete, writing or editing can be set aside temporarily so that another project can be started or completed. Never wait until the last minute to start an assignment. Catch up is easier than a last minute start.

Planning and prioritizing are required to meet those multiple commitments. I use a white dray erase board and a planner to keep me on track. Every assignment is noted in my planner by date received and the due date. The white board tracks the progress of my projects. I do not use different planners and white boards for my career and my personal commitments. Dual tracking opens the door to double booking or missed appointments.

Each writer must develop his own method for tracking contracts, research, submissions, and personal commitments. It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation. Whatever works, make every effort to get the project in on time. Life happens. None of us are immune to illness or the unexpected computer crashing. When life intervenes, contact the agent or editor immediately and explain why you may not be able to meet the contracted date. If given an extension, finish the work and submit it before the expected date. A one-time delay might be overlooked, but repeat offenses could damage a career beyond repair. When the decision comes down to two equally talented writers, the nod will most often go to the author with the best record for dependability.

Happy Blog-iversary to us!

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Happy Blog-iversary to us! 

We’re Celebrating the Big 1!

By Natalie Bright

We are a diverse group of writers actively writing and critique together. We started WordsmithSix Blog on August 1, 2011 with the goal to share our love of the written word.

I have to admit that I was very reluctant to start blogging, mainly because of the commitment. I’m of the opinion that if you volunteer to do something, you follow it through to the end and you give it your all. I wasn’t sure if I had enough topics on writing, but I have to admit it’s been fun, and there are a few things about blogging that surprised me…

Blogging Surprises

1) Exercise that writing muscle. Stuck on your WIP? Write a 500 word blog and just get your words out there. Don’t focus on the number of hits. Focus on the craft of words, make it your very best, then go back and tackle that 100,000 word novel.

2) Develop your “write brain” and your “idea eye”. You’ll begin to see ideas for posts everywhere, and eventually conversations, sights, sounds, tastes will give you more ideas for blogs, articles, stories, characters, settings. The overload is wonderful.

3) Deadline looming, means you must get something written no matter what or you’ll let your critique partners down. They’re just as busy as you are, and they don’t want to hear excuses.  Just do it.  You’ll turn into dedicated writer who can consistently produce new material and meet a deadline.

3) Creative people are inspiring, and it’s fun to be involved in a group effort.

4) People are nice. I’ve made wonderful connections on Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest. And vice versa, I’ve discovered a lot of talented writers and their books through social media. There’s a whole world out there of interesting people. Learning about the things they are passionate about is interesting, and being part of a vibrant community is fun and stimulating.

5) Focus, Focus, Focus. If you’ll notice, the most popular blogs are based around a common theme whether that be cooking, marketing, history, home decor, modern mommy’s, politics, etc. Writing a complete novel works in much the same way. You must have that common theme running throughout which ties your plot and characters together.  Establish your blog around a common theme rather than random posts, and when you post, make it the best. The most popular blogs have built that huge audience over a long time through quality and consistent posts.

Thank you for following us at WordsmithSix!

by Natalie Bright

http://www.nataliebright.com

 

Battling Guilt and New Ideas

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Battling Guilt and New Ideas

By Natalie Bright

Deadlines loom, whether self-imposed or not, on our writing. The fact is, you must have loads of self-discipline because writing doesn’t come easy. Distractions assault you from a multitude of sources.

This past year, I found myself being more and more consumed by new story ideas. I had been focusing on a series of middle grade westerns featuring a feisty eleven year old by the name of Silver Belle. Her adventures wake me up at night. However, the urge to finish an inspirational book about the loss of our baby tugged at my heart. That project is now an eBook. GONE NEVER FORGOTTEN is available on Smashwords.

Time to tackle Silver Belle’s second adventure? No way. The story about a frontier kid and a Comanche brave who form a friendship at a Texas Fort continues to pester my brain. Good grief; more research.

Guilt: for missing two contest deadlines, for abandoning Silver Belle in mid-adventure, and for feeding my family take out every night for a week. Even so, thank goodness I agreed to volunteer at the Scholastic Book Fair at my son’s school where I discovered a lovely book by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, EMILY’S FORTUNE.

While learning more about her work, I found this on the Houghton Mifflin Reading site:

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor says the hardest part of being a writer is focusing only on the book she is currently writing. She constantly comes up with new ideas and characters. Every time she gets a new book idea, she puts the title of the book on a three-ring binder. As she thinks up characters and scenes for that book, she jots them down in the notebook. She usually has about ten of these idea notebooks on her shelf while she is writing a book.

Isn’t that the best inspiration ever?!!!  I do keep an idea notebook. For every story idea noted, there’s at least one ignored with the thought that I’d never have time to research and write it.

In the coming New Year, I promise myself to never abandon new ideas and to joyfully write in my idea notebook, guilt free!

Have you started your idea notebook yet?

Sending wishes that you have a blessed and productive New Year in 2012!

Natalie Bright