I have several clients who are in the middle of writing books under deadline for the first time. If you’ve been laboring for years on your own, hoping for that publishing contract, be aware that with the contract comes new pressures! I thought you might be interested in this email correspondence I had with a client.
Dear Rachelle,
I am in need of your prayer. I’d love nothing better than to say that everything is hunky-dory and wonderful and that I’m enjoying this publishing experience to the fullest. However, I’m finding myself bogged down with tons of stuff, my attention everywhere but on the second book, and now that I’m two months from deadline, I’ve decided to admit I’m not perfect and that I need help.
Please pray for me that I get and stay focused on my project and that I’m able to meet my deadline, and not only that, but that I am able to turn in better than mediocre work. At this point in the game, I’m a bit worried about it all, and as I’ve mentioned, everything is pulling on my attention, so the devil is hard at work on me.
Sincerely,
Frazzled Author
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Dear Frazzled Author,
Oh how WELL I know that place. When you have a tough deadline, everything seems to conspire to keep you from meeting it. Sometimes it feels like climbing Mt. Everest.
Yes, I’ll pray for you. Just be aware that every writer deals with this; not to mention that this is your first “under deadline” book so it’s bound to be MUCH more of a challenge. This is normal!
If there’s any piece of advice I can offer, its “take your own words to heart.” You said, “I can’t do it myself” and that is the truth. Now’s the time to consider various ways to call in the reinforcements. Get more help with cooking, grocery shopping, housecleaning if possible (delegate!) Set up a schedule for each week (it can be different each week, just as long as you make one) where you have protected writing times. Sit your family down if necessary and let them know: “The next 60 days may be tough on you but I really need you to step up to the plate!” It might be hard on them but that’s okay; this is a learning curve for your whole family. They need to learn that when you’re on deadline, there is always going to be a period of time when they’re pretty much on their own. Behind every successful writer is a supportive family who mobilizes to pick up the slack when necessary.
I had a period of time last year when I simply couldn’t handle everything. For those few months I had a housecleaning service and I utilized some local dinner-preparation services. Our family really came together to handle it all, and nobody was the worse for wear! When my kids were younger, I had a neighborhood pre-teen come in and be a “mother’s helper” so I could write.
It takes intentional preparation to make this work. Get your family and even friends involved, and get whatever help you can.
Also, prayer really helps! (And I submit that it’s not always the devil out to get you, it’s just the normal course of life.)
Sincerely,
Your Always-Full-of-Advice Agent
Experienced writers out there: Give us your ideas for getting through those last few weeks before deadline. What are your practical tips for making sure you have the time you need? What advice do you have for dealing with the mental & emotional strain?
Julie Jarnagin
I’ve been there! The first book on deadline can be brutal. My advice for “Frazzled Author” would be to pray for confidence and don’t spend too much time worrying that the book won’t be “good enough.” That just bogs you down and makes it more difficult to finish the book. Focus on taking it one page at a time.
Stephanie M.
Julie- I haven’t seen my publishing contract, yet, do you know how long is the usual deadline? Like a year?
Cynthia Ruchti
Even writing deadlines vary. What doesn’t in this industry? You may have as much as a year, but you may have a hot topic that demands a quicker turn-around. Or there may be troubles at a publishing house that delay the actual contract but not the deadlines. 🙂 The published author is also working under the pressures of simultaneously marketing other books already on the shelves, creating new proposals (thinking two years out), researching, editing, critiquing for others, studying the market and the craft…and there go all nine days of the week. Oh? You only have seven? Six, with a Sabbath rest? Three, with your day job? All of a sudden, a year doesn’t seem so long anymore. And inevitably, those last two months will be stressful no matter what. To directly answer your question, there is no standard practice. A year is comfortable for most writers. But multi-published authors are often working on a tighter timetable than that. And publishers carefully “place” books where they feel they’ll best fit their publishing schedule and the subject matter of the book will have its strongest impact. If a Christmas novella is purchased in July, it may be due by February in time for a September release. Does that help?
Julie Jarnagin
My first book on deadline was a shorter romance (45,000 – 50,0000 words). I had five months to finish it. The final book was due four months after that. But Cynthia’s answer is true. It depends what you’re writing and the needs of the editor.
Claudia Karabaic Sargent
With so many teenagers unable to find a summer job, Frazzled Writer has an opportunity not only to solve her own problem, but to help someone else. It’s very hard to delegate the things that are so close to home, like childcare, housekeeping, and food preparation. It’s ceding control, and distracting in its own way, especially if you tend to be a control freak.
But if Frazzled Writer can find a couple of trustworthy teens to tide her over, it might be an ideal solution.
Also important is creating a writing schedule and sticking to it. Whether its word count, page count, or chapters, outline a schedule, stake out your best writing times, and go to it.
It sounds like it’s easy to say, but I know where you are and it’s a tough place. You have two months before your deadline, so if you effectively deal with this now, and create a suitable reward for yourself once you deliver, you’ll get through.
Good luck and Godspeed!
Christine Dorman / @looneyfilberts
Great advice, Claudia.
BTW hi! It’s a pleasant surprise to see you here in addition to our usual place. 🙂
Stephanie Grace Whitson
Plan FAR ahead. Allow for distractions and weeks when you may not be able to write at all. When assigning your daily word count, take those things into account. Build in flexibility. And learn to say NO. If you have young children still at home, empower them to help you write by teaching them to do chores. Teens can learn to grocery shop and cook. You could even pay them as if it were a summer job if they haven’t found one. Once you are two months out and panicking, don’t let the panic take control. We have a mighty God who promises to help us, and I can attest to the fact that with Him, all things really ARE possible.
Sarah Sundin
Another great way to use unemployed teens (I have two in my house) – is as an administrative assistant. My kids address postcards, stuff envelopes, fill orders for bookmarks, and even deal with some emails and social media (like linking to my blog). Very helpful since my book deadlines have always been right around a book release! I look hard at my to-do list for anything that doesn’t need my personal touch and teach them to do it. This relieves some of my deadline pressure and keeps them out of trouble 🙂
Connie Almony
So glad you mentioned the “mother’s helper.” I’d totally forgotten about that. I have a large, helpful homeschool community that I know I could draw on. When the time comes, I may look into utilizing it.
Elissa
It might help some people to leave home to write. The library is often a good place, but anywhere you can write away from the house will work. The idea is to fix in your mind that you’re going to “the office”, like any “regular” job.
I realize this may not be possible with small children at home or other inescapable commitments. In that case, the above suggestions to hire outside help might allow you to get away for at least a few hours. Break the cycle that permits distractions, so that you can focus on writing.
Anna Moore
That’s great advice! There’s a preteen down the road from me, so I think I might enlist her help this summer while she’s out of school.
But what I’m wondering is – what kind of deadline would there be on a second book?? A year? Six months?
I am an unpublished author, and I started my first novel back in February of this year. I’ve already finished the first draft and am working on the edit before seeking representation. I’d say it would take me a full year – My personal deadline is February 2013(if not sooner).
Cynthia Ruchti
Love the chance to eat Chinese food while popping in here to join the discussion…while musing about a devotion that’s due today! For novels, from what I’ve learned through key educational sources like ACFW, it should be close to ready and certainly completed before submitting. Personal story. My debut novel was done and ready to go when an editor asked for a proposal. Because it was done, I hit SEND within ten minutes of her email request. Two hours later, she’d read the first few chapters and asked to see the full manuscript. Because it was done, I hit SEND within TWO minutes! Still shaking. Two weeks later, it went to editorial committee…and sold!
Cynthia Ruchti
Okay, one last practical comment, then I’m diving into stir fry.
Cut yourself some slack when under deadline. Say NO to everything that isn’t essential. Might have to refuse a speaking engagement invitation when under a tight deadline. Might have to ask your mother-in-law not to visit until after the deadline (wish I’d done that). Might have to guiltlessly close the bedroom door instead of making the bed, buying something at the deli for the church potluck, skip the potluck…but for your sanity’s sake, don’t skip worship, time alone with God, hugs from grandkids (just don’t volunteer to babysit in those last few weeks of a heavy deadline), and breathing. And realize that the sentence, “Oh, Lord! Help me!” is a cry He always answers. 🙂
Sarah Thomas
Eek. My first thought when I read the note was, “Well, that wouldn’t be me.” But then I remembered how I also thought I wouldn’t be the writer to jump the gun and pitch my work too soon. And I thought my first book would be awesome–who needs practice? And I thought an editor asking for a proposal meant publication was a done deal.
SO. Now I’m thinking I need to PAY ATTENTION. If I continue down this path I will likely be the frazzled author. Fair warning taken!
Becky Doughty
Rachelle – thanks for posting this today.
I’m not under “official” contract, but I have made up my own contract and set my own writing deadlines to stay disciplined. My immediate family is very understanding but NO ONE ELSE seems to be take my writing seriously. Why is that?
“You don’t work a real job, though. I mean, you can write any time, right?” (Yes, I’ve gotten this one more than once.) “I know you’re home, Becky. You can’t fool me.” “I know you’re busy but I need ___ (fill in the blank).”
I think it’s the bane of all writers – non-writers really do not have a realistic idea of what being a writer means. When I’m under a deadline I sometimes work 18 to 20-hr days, many of them in a row, until I drop from exhaustion (usually right after the teary meltdown that motivates me to send me to my own room), but people just don’t seem to think of it as “real work.”
My husband, my champion, fiercely protects my writing time for me. He’ll field callers that won’t leave me alone, he’ll explain to friends that I’m working under a deadline(he doesn’t dummy it down at all) and he’ll go do things with the kids to get them out of the house. He even goes grocery shopping with our 10-yr-old so that I can squeeze in a bonus hour at my computer.
I honestly don’t know how I’d do it without him – every writer needs a bodyguard like my Kevin. Besides, psychologically it benefits me, too. When he believes so much in me, it helps keep me believing in myself.
Blessings!
Christine Dorman / @looneyfilberts
Becky, I’m glad you have Kevin. You’re right. Every writer needs a Kevin–and some of us don’t have one. But I think all of us do have people who think that writing is just “playing.”
Bill Giovannetti
I think Sarah’s “Eek!” along with Becky’s “teary meltdown” sums it up for me. I love the wisdom offered both in your blog, Rachael, and in the comments. I’m taking notes… for a project due Oct 1.
I might just add: schedule in downtime, family time, and breaks as you calculate your daily page count. Even God rested on the seventh day.
And then be sure to reward yourself, and your patient family, with a special something when the agonizing’s over.
As a Christian husband and dad I don’t ever want my kids to resent me or God for my writing career.
Eek!
Jillian Kent
Oh frazzled I feel your pain. I’m just finishing up book 3 of my very first series and I thought book 2 would be the end of my career(it turned out to be a fabulous novel, but what price glory?). I’m listening attentively to all thoughts and advice here too.
I’ve learned that I need to give myself more time for everything and I use every timer I can get my hands on to help me complete a daily or weekly word count. I recently took a week off to go on a personal writing retreat that was very reasonable and helped me complete book 3. This was great because there was nothing else to do but get the book done.
My hubby and I both work full-time and I have an 87 year old mom at home with us and a special needs adult daughter. It’s not easy but they understand and do what they can do to help as well. It takes lots of planning and for a writer who is a pantser that’s challenging.:)
When I propose my next series you can bet I will rely heavily on Rachelle to help me make wise decisions, but I think we all just have to experience this to understand. It’s like someone trying to tell you what it’s like to give birth. 🙂 Bring on the epidural baby.
Michelle Lim
Thanks, Rachelle and everyone else for the helpful tips! I haven’t been on a fiction deadline yet, but have had a nonfiction deadline.
Sometimes it is just helpful to realize that you are not a super hero. Set yourself up for success by adding personal deadlines a bit earlier so that when you have something unpredictable arise, you aren’t always late. You will have planned ahead for that eventuality.
Cut yourself some slack and don’t allow guilt about other important parts of your life to eat away at your confidence. Those other priorities will get first rate attention as soon as the deadline has passed. If it helps, write that on a calendar and every time you feel guilty, look at it to remind yourself.
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