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DEFYING DEADLINES
by
LORIANNE WATTS
Ninety-nine percent of the time deadlines approach us much more quickly
than we'd like. And with those deadlines comes more stress than any of
us need to encounter in a lifetime. Simply put, writing is perhaps one
of the most stressful jobs out there.
With National Novel Writing Month coming upon us quickly, one can't
help but wonder, "How exactly am I supposed to pull this off?"
Averaged, a person has to write about 1,666 words a day. But what
happens if we miss a day? We stress and attempt to double up to
maintain our daily word count goal.
In a perfect world, we would have twenty-four hours a day to write,
seven days a week, and we would not need sleep or anything else that
distracts us. We could write to our heart's content and have permanent
smiles on our faces.
Well, that will never happen. Instead, we have to learn how to deal
with eating, sleeping, working, and school. We must write around all of
these events in whatever hours we can squeeze in.
It would be ridiculous for me to offer advice on how to relax, for the
sheer reason that, when it comes to writing, I'm one of the most
neurotic people living on this planet. If I don't write, I get snappy,
and if I get behind...well, that's just an ugly sight. But the point is
that I can't relax until I'm ahead of my word count and satisfied with
my writing. This includes my daily goal of 1500 words! So instead of
relaxation pointers, let's check out some survival pointers-for both
big and small goals.
1) Write.
Being behind a goal is frustrating, and it's easy to call it quits and
give up. That's not the way to achieve a goal. As a matter of fact,
it's not the way to achieve much of anything. So sit down, and just
write, even if it's not on that novel that you've got two weeks to
finish. Just write. A poem, an article, a bunch of notes. Once your
mind is off the goal, it's easier to go back to it a few hours later.
2) Caffeine
is your friend. Yes, I'm just kidding. Slightly. Don't get so
stressed out that you vow not to eat, drink, or sleep until you finish
the deadline. Even thinking like that depletes your energy. I've been
known to pull this before, and I always passed out from exhaustion ten
to twenty minutes later. Go get some food. It will not only help you
physically, but it will also (more than likely) give your brain an
energy kick as well.
3) There
is no such thing as writer's block. There really isn't. There
will always be something to say at a certain point in time -- who cares
if it's complete crap? That's what revisions are for. In the meantime,
write to keep the story flowing. Eventually, after writing X amount of
crap, you'll be able to get back in and get the creative juices really
flowing. So don't stop out of frustration. Tell yourself that there is
no writer's block.
4) Push
yourself, but not to the point where it's overwhelming. I'm very
guilty of this. During Forward Motion's Labor of Love, for example, I
wouldn't allow myself to do anything but write, and it got to the point
where I got depressed because I thought I couldn't do it. True, I'm
still on cloud nine simply because I did finish, but looking back, I
know I should have never permitted myself to get so down and out of
sorts. I wouldn't talk to anyone and I wouldn't take any breaks until I
felt comfortable in my word count. (When you're doing nothing but
writing and you're still worrying your mother, yes, that's a problem.)
Never, ever tell yourself you can't do it. You can. Trust me. You're
writing, you can do it.
5) Celebrate,
but don't get lazy. Congratulate yourself. Brag. You definitely
deserve bragging rights. You accomplished a goal, and furthermore, you
did something that most people can't do. The best feeling in the world
is knowing you achieved something and overcame doubt. The relief and
exhilaration is amazing. However, don't stop writing! Keep working. If
nothing else, accomplishing more goals gives you more bragging rights.
(Please, only use that as a last-resort excuse for writing.)
As writers, we create things, we find ways of description, we create
people, we meet deadlines, and we (for the most part) are still sane
people. No matter what happens, you will always have the gift of
writing.
Got a deadline? Laugh at it and don't stress. The fact that you're
writing is a lot more than most people do. And also, turn to your
friends and family for support and encouragement. It meant a lot to me
just knowing that there were people out there striving for the same
goal, cheering me on. People who would listen to me when I was having
doubts, encourage me when I was down. Never underestimate the power of
positive reinforcement.
Goals and deadlines are always
going to be part of a writer's life. It's something we have to get used
to dealing with and overcoming. No matter what you write, what genre
you write, deadlines will be there. It's simply a matter of knowing how
to deal. And, luckily, you do. It's a process of learning, much like
writing itself. So enjoy it. It's a part of what you love to do, what
you're capable of doing. All you have to do is keep in mind that
deadlines are things to be laughed at and surpassed in expectations.
Copyright © Lorianne Watts,
2003. All rights reserved.
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