Hi friends,
Always happy to spend this time with you. I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend. We had family time early on and then I spent the remainder of the three-day weekend writing. Yep. It’s that time again. My eleventh novel, The Crushing Depths, released on June 30th and my deadline for book 3 is in two weeks. This equates to crazy time. Literally. Trying to juggle the two is an art form—one I have yet to master.
So the last two weeks before deadline, I enter my Writing Cave. What’s a Writing Cave you ask? Great question. It means I have all my writing stuff set up the night before so when I get up in the morning (after Bible time), I can dive right into the story. I shut down my email, keep all windows closed—the only exception is Google for when I need to double-check a research fact—and I write until dinner. Then I take a short break to spend time on social media connecting with my phenomenal readers. God has blessed me with the most encouraging, supportive, and prayerful group.
After dinner and my short break, I’m back at it until bed. I do have a special way for my family to reach me anytime even with things off but honestly, they know to steer clear of deadline mom. Yep. I’ve actually been dubbed ‘Deadline Mom’ and I don’t think it’s a compliment.
My younger daughter can tell how deep in the story world I’m in or how panicked I am based on my hair. Not kidding. Here’s a shot of deadline hair probably two weeks before due date so you can only imagine how bad it must really get.
However, my family (while avoiding me like the plague) is super supportive. Kayla brings me Starbucks and surprises me with a nice cup of tea and some Dove dark chocolate. Ty goes for physical items to boost my morale. Like this cup and notepad. And, my husband cheers me on. Again, I’m very blessed.
Question: If you’re a writer how do you handle deadline time? If not a writer, what kinds of hobbies or projects do you work hard to complete?
Blessings,
Dani
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I am just an amateurish writer and I don’t have deadlines. Sometimes I don’t write for ages simply because I don’t feel like it or I find it hard to go on in my story. Sometimes I write for a long time without stopping because of some sudden inspiration. Same as reading novels, I can go on non-stop for a long time or stop for a long time. I also write as a freelance for a newspaper. When I receive instructions of coming projects, what I have to do is to decide to ‘fight or flight’. To work for the project or leave it for someone else. I don’t normally need to fight deadlines because the time allowance is quite generous. But I have to decide whether to do it and reply promptly if I want to.
It’s nice that you get to decide on which to do and which to pass on. Sounds like you’re an all-in or all-out person. That’s a smart way to go.
Loved your description of your writing cave and the support you receive from your family. Deadline hair – so funny, but I’m sure it must be true.
I am not a writer, but I am in awe of all writers. I’m a retired teacher (5th grade for 23 years) who used to teach writing to my students. How could that be? Lots of writing workshops, using new techniques, catchy phrases and formulas to get kids motivated and interested. Not easy, but I enjoyed it.
Thank you and all writers for the dedication you put forth so avid readers like me can enjoy fabulous books!
Wow. I applaud you for the years you spent teaching kids. That’s such an admirable and important job!
Congrats on the new release and best wishes on the deadline! I had to laugh. That reminds me of when my children were younger. My office (writing cave) was in the dining room along one wall. At the time, I wrote curriculum for preschoolers. There were many ongoing deadlines. With 3 other people in the house, asking mom for (snacks, clothes, phone, whatever) anything was too easy, so you can imagine how many times my thought train was interrupted! Finally, one day, I had enough (frustration and pressure). “The door to my office is closed! No one can talk to me. It’s closed!” (There was no actual door.) Surprisingly, once I announced my door was closed (the imaginary door set in an imaginary wall), no one talked to me! I would hear whisperings and distant house events, but not one person, not even my husband, opened the door to ask questions. I guess we all had good imaginations!
I love that! Just saying the door was closed worked 🙂 I don’t have a door on my office either but we are putting in french doors this summer so I can finally shut myself in. LOL!
That’s cool you wrote curriculum for little guys. My grandsons love their workbooks and I homeschooled my girls all the way through so I can only imagine the hard work that went into writing that curriculum.
You’ve got this! Praying for the words to flow!
Thanks, Cara! I really appreciate it.
Go, Dani, go! I’m sending encouragement and prayers to your writing cave! 🙂
Thanks, sweet friend! I so treasure your prayers and our friendship.
I love the way your family supports their “deadline mom.” I wish I were as disciplined and focused as you are. However, deadlines do have a way of getting my focus, which makes it hard to write anything that doesn’t have a deadline.
Yep. I can’t imagine how long I’d spend on a story if I had no deadline.
There’s a reason the word “dead” is in deadline, my hubby always says. 🙂 This all sounds so familiar (except your deadline hair looks way cuter than mine ever does!) I have a very supportive family too. But deadlines are tough on them! Praying all goes well and that you’re celebrating writing “THE END” soon!
Thanks so much, Deb. I appreciate your prayers.
I love your hubby’s comment about “dead.” Lol!
Yep deadlines are a family thing and I know not easy on them. Glad you have such a supportive family too.