I’m literally in the last hours of a race toward deadline on my next book. God willing and the creek don’t rise, I’ll turn it in tomorrow.
If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, you’ll occasionally see posts from authors about going dark, so that got me thinking…how can readers encourage writers in those drudgery days of little sleep, blocked creativity, and panic-induced, wild-eyed mania?
Here are a few thoughts:
Send copious amounts of snacks. Many writers swear by chocolate. I don’t have much of a defined sweet tooth, but some good Lindt truffles are nirvana to this soul. A treat for a job well done, or stubbornly done. Send me cheese and crackers. A few slices of salami. A bag of peppermint M&Ms with a note that I can do this.
- Which leads me to: messages of affirmation. Writers are a neurotic bunch. Even the most self assured of us hit moments of absolute, abject terror, where we are convinced we are writing dreck. Nobody will ever want to read it. It’s truly terrible. Now in a few weeks when I come back to it, I might switch to the “Wow-I-Really-Wrote-This?” side of the pendulum. But for now, it’s dreck. So remind us of how much you’ve loved other books and that you can’t wait to read the next. Some days that truly is what keeps me writing. (And if you didn’t like it, that’s okay. Just don’t let me know when I’m at the end of a deadline, okay?).
Coffee. Or Dr Pepper by the case. I literally got this little beauty a couple weeks ago. It’s been perfect. Who needs a coffee shop when the coffee shop is literally in my house! And I can tell by the toothy grin and wide eyes that I am in serious need of copious amounts of caffeine to keep going.
- Prayer. Please pray for us. As writers we’re trying to partner with God to write stories that matter for eternity. This one I’m currently working on has a spiritual thread that’s more subtle than some of my books. But I can already tell one of these heroines is on a salvation journey. Each book, each character is different, but my goal is that same: to illustrate some concept about God through a story you can’t put down. That requires God and the Holy Spirit to partner with me. Your prayers are immeasurably meaningful to me on this journey.
So those are a few ideas, some silly, some very serious. I’ll see you on the other side of this deadline!
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An award-winning author of more than 40 books, Cara is a Clinical Associate Professor in business law and ehtics to graduate and undergraduate students at Purdue University. She lives with her husband, four children, a perfect cat, and a sweet yet rambunctious shelter puppy in Indiana.
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I think it’ll support a blogger ANYTIME too! Not only on a deadline! =) I need some of it all!
So true. This is pretty good advice for all life’s pressures. 🙂
Love this blog post!! Hope you are enjoying a wonderful day. 🙂
Thanks, Melissa. it’s a good one. Trying to get the family fed so I can dive in for the last writing marathon on this book. 🙂
Sending good thoughts oif chocolate and coffee your way! You can do this! Praying that you will finish in time. Lots of prayer coming your way.
Ah, thanks! Appreciate the prayers, Nancy!
Love this post, Cara. I agree all of this would be so helpful! (I’m glad to see that even you hit the neurotic part of the writing cycle, too! I hate it!) A couple of times, friends have even delivered meals to my family while I was on deadline. I’ve never flat-out requested this, but it was just so heavenly. I put those friends in the acknowledgments of the book. 🙂
I have had friends step up as well. That community of support is key!