Deadlines

One of the joys of being a full-time writer, something given to very few people, is that for the better part of the year, there’s no pressure on you. Sure, as a deadline approaches when you’ve promised to hand in your book to a publisher, there are time constraints. But for most of us, our time is our own. It wasn’t that way when we were involved in another profession, was it. Back then, we had to turn up to work at 8.30 and didn’t leave until 6.00.

PRESSURE AND DEADLINES CAN BE CRIPPLING

The pressure is off when you’re a writer, or trying to write your first book at night after a full day’s work, but without the discipline of a deadline, it can lead to delays and procrastination. So it’s always advisable to set yourself a deadline to work against. Not a yearly or monthly deadline, but a daily or weekly deadline. Ensure that you’ve written a certain minimum number of words at the end of your writing session; make sure that at the end of a week, you’ve finished the chapter you’re working on. And make certain that the deadline is a serious one, and that you stick to it. If you are able and if your timetable permits you should try getting up in the morning, head straight to your desk or work space and start writing while you are in a relaxed and un-frazzled state.

Perhaps a cup of coffee to

kick-start the writing frenzy?

You might find that you get your best work done before the logical part of your brain starts listing all your ‘must do’s’ and ‘should do’s’ and before you get interrupted by your partner or children. You will be surprised that a simple daily routine such as this will help you progress with your book. If you find a better time where you can get an hour or two in then stick to that routine and make it happen. Few people on earth are better at spending their writing time staring out of a window, than novelists. Don’t become that writer.