Deadline Dates and Planning Ahead

 

Were you one of those students in high school and college who procrastinated until the last minute? You got your assignment done and handed in, then breathed a sigh of relief. Some of our writers today operate in the same way. 

If they're writing for a contest, there is a deadline. Writing for specific anthologies or magazines, again there is usually a deadline. They know way ahead what the date for the submission is, and they think about it, but two days prior to the date, they finally write the first draft. Which leaves little to no time to let that first draft sit and simmer, edit and revise. 

Consequently, what these writers submit will probably not be their best writing. When those end dates grow close, we want to write something but tend to hurry, Hurrying through the process isn't your best choice.

Changing your ways is a difficult process because procrastination becomes a habit. It's like people who are always late when they are invited to a dinner party. It's not that they want to create a problem for others; instead, it's a habit. Even so, habits can be broken. Time and determination are needed. 

Give yourself enough time for a writing project to get through the process of writing the first draft, letting it sit, then more time for revisions, and some final editing. Do that, and you'll be able to feel confident about what you submit.

Writers Who Procrastinate

Procrastination! One word that carries heavy baggage. Is there anyone among us who has not practiced this great art at some time or another? If so, it would only be a handful. Putting things off seems to be a part of our human nature, but some of us suffer more from this trait than others. 

I find that if I do something as soon as I know it should be addressed, it gets done. If I tell myself I'll do it later, then later and later it goes. Jump on it! That's the best way to stop procrastinating.

And yes, we writers are masters of procrastination. We do it when:

• we are unsure of what we are writing
• are afraid what we've written is not very good
• we fear to put our work out in the world for others to see
• we aren't familiar with the submission process
• we don't want to finish a project; too hard to see it end
• we can't solve a problem with whatever we're writing
• we don't know how to end a story
• new projects call us away from an unfinished one
• we're afraid of rejection if we submit
• it's easier to do than to actually write
• need an excuse for not writing
• fear asking for a critique from other writers
• there are more interesting things to do instead of writing
• have little confidence in our writing ability

If you have put off finishing several writing projects, the only way to finish is to tackle them one at a time. If you complete one, you're certainly going to be encouraged to go on to another, aren't you? Don't pick the project that has given the most trouble to start. Begin with one that is more easily fixed. 

There are times when we don't finish a story or essay or poem because, even though we've edited, proofread, and revised myriad times, we still cannot see what the problem is. If we can't identify the problem area, there is no way we can fix it. Haven't you written something that just does not satisfy you? One that you know could be better but you don't know how to fix it? That's when you need to ask for other eyes to look at it. I find that, when I sub to my online critique group, the writers who offer a critique usually see the problem immediately. So why didn't I? Probably because I'm too immersed in the topic to find the best way to present it, and because I read my own work with subjective eyes while someone else can be completely objective. 

If you've got a folder filled with unfinished writing, spend some time going through it. Select one to work on. Ask another writer for help if it is overwhelming As the poster says, if you wait, all you'll get is 'older.' The easy way is to continue procrastinating, but if you want to be a published writer, you've got to find a way to overcome that disastrous practice.  Don't wait. Do it now!

A Pep Talk For You and Me

Most writers have ideas for writing projects. Family members give serious thought to writing their family stories. Some writers dream of writing a novel or a memoir. They have the entire thing mapped out in their heads. As long as these projects are merely thoughts, they are never going to come to fruition. 

What's holding you back? Why do you think about entering your best personal essay in a contest but simply never get around to doing it? What makes you dream about creating a large book of family stories that you can present to family members as a fabulous gift, but it never happens? Why do you think about joining a writing group but can't seem to get it accomplished? Why do you see a book about writing in a bookstore, look at the frontispiece, give thought to reading it but slip it back on the shelf? 

We've talked about fear, doubt and lack of confidence being the culprits. A post from several days ago addresses all three. If you missed it, read it here. I'm not going to go into detail on those problems in today's post.

What I do want to bring to your attention is that it is entirely up to you to 'unleash your inner awesome' as our poster tells us. If you only think about writing projects, you know they will never see the light of day. If you know you are capable of writing, then get started. Afraid it might not come out well? So what? Get that first draft written. Consider the first draft as the springboard to a finished product. 

A mountain climber will never reach the summit unless he/she takes the first step, the second and third and keeps going. Sitting at the bottom of the mountain thinking about the climb gets him/her nowhere. The only thing it does is delay what he/she had come to do. It wastes precious time. Wait too long and he/she will gather their gear and head home. Maybe tomorrow, they think. Not so different from the writer who can't take that first step in writing a novel or a special poem. 

Time for true confessions. I have delayed and delayed submitting to my state writing contest. This 'pep talk' post is as much for me as it is for any other writer who finds himself/herself postponing a writing project or submitting work to a contest or for publication. I know it's time for me to get with it and work on polishing a few pieces I've thought about entering. I'm having difficulty choosing what to send. Maybe the answer is to send all that I feel good about. The deadline is only a month away, so I need to get moving. 

How about taking that first step and unleashing what is swirling around inside your head? Let it come forth. An old adage comes to mind:  Once begun, you're almost done. With a writing project that might not hold true as we can take weeks or months from start to end. Even so, once begun, you're on your way to the finish line. 

Writers--Do It Now!

Procrastination is so easy when we have a project in mind but are not sure where to begin. That writing course we wanted to take still waits for us to register and get started. We have finished essays and stories which we want to submit for publication but they remain in our files.

We wait all too often and, when we do, nothing much happens. The project is still only a thought. The writing course is not doing us any good if we aren't participation. The stories will never be published if we don't take that first step of submitting.

Why do we wait? Why do we put off things we really would like to accomplish? Why oh why?

One reason is fear of failure. It is pretty easy to figure out that, if we don't do something, we aren't going to fail. If you try something and it doesn't work, what is the worst that will happen? Nothing earth-shaking. And, as the poster says, you will get older. Nothing else.

Another reason is what we talked about yesterday--self-doubt. Read yesterday's post for more on that.

I hate to even list this third reason but it's necessary. Sometimes we wait too long because we are lazy. Pursuing any of the things mentioned in the first paragraph here means work on your part. Maybe there are times when you just do not want to work at it. That's fine but it won't get you published or make you grow as a writer.

If you're guilty of any of the above, start out correcting it by setting small goals. Note that I said small. Accomplish one and move on to the next. Don't take on a huge project or you'll be so overwhelmed you'll give up quickly. Work on believing that you can do these projects or can market your work.

Waiting in one spot gets you nowhere in a hurry. Don't let that happen to you.