The Knight’s Dream – Antonio de Pereda |
I must confess that I don’t really like deadlines. I wrote two novels without a deadline, I wrote them pretty quickly, and while I understand they work for some people, deadlines mostly serve to stress me out.
But I may be a rare bird. Do you like deadlines? Do you need deadlines? Do you work better when you have one?
February Grace says
You know what Douglas said about deadlines…
I usually don't need them- I've been the kid who got their homework done ahead of time all my life. But lately it doesn't matter who sets the deadline, my brain seems to have other plans. Am working through it.
In the meantime, I'm enjoying the 'whooshing' noise, and smirking, thinking of Douglas.
Rock on, Jedi Master, I hope your holiday season is shaping up to be bright.
jenniecoughlin says
After 15 years in print journalism, I find I have difficulty working without a deadline. Otherwise I fall prey to too many BSOs (Big, shiny…ooooh!) instead of actually working. I do, however, adjust my self-imposed ones as needed when work or something else blows up and makes keeping the original ones I set impossible.
Debbie Ouellet says
Absolutely. Deadlines are my friends.
I have a lazy muse, so deadlines give her the kick in the butt she needs to keep me going.
Debbie
Krista V. says
I'm enough of a self-starter that I don't really need deadlines to motivate me. So I imagine that, if I ever have them someday, they'll only serve to make me nervous.
Michelle Gardner says
"The ultimate inspiration is the deadline" is inscribed on a paperweight that sits next to my keyboard. While I don't wait until absolute deadline to get started on a project, having one does help me focus better on the piece.
Daniel McNeet says
Nathan,
Stress will kill you and deadlines are stressful, particularly if your cup is empty or filling slowly. I am fortunate. I have deadlines which are easy to meet which makes my publisher and me happy and responsible.
Kristin Laughtin says
I do like having deadlines, as long as they are reasonable. Without them, it can be a bit hard for me to get started on big writing projects and similar things. Of course, so far all of my writing deadlines have been self-imposed. But even with school or work, I've thrived with deadlines, so I'm hoping that will transfer over to publisher deadlines someday, too,
Sean F. Roney says
Deadlines are helpful in all stages of a book's production. Most people will put things off, even those who aren't hardcore procrastinators, so tight deadlines are needed. I know I do better with tight deadlines.
Anonymous says
If I'm under a lot of stress, then I can't write – like, at all.
To get into a good rhythm, I need boredom almost. The less I have going on, the easier it is for me to write.
I said to another writer guy one time: in order to speed up, one needs to slow down.
He had no idea what I was talking about. Par for the course, really.
How's the Wonderbar series going, Nate? Are you a billionaire yet? Me, I'm about to finish my fifth novel, so I might be a millionaire soon. Do ever get called that – Nate? You don't mind if I call you Nate, do you?
Alex Beecroft says
I prefer not to have deadlines as they stress me out. If I do have a deadline, I'll drop everything else and work on the piece with a deadline exclusively, aiming to get it finished months in advance so that I can relax again. So having a deadline throws everything else in my life out of whack.
Nathan Jendrick says
I absolutely hate deadlines, but they do work quite well for me. I don't "need" them, exactly, but because I'm insistent on not needing extensions, I do well to stick to them.
Colt_x_45 says
I'm procrastinating right now, even with a deadline. Unless i'm right up against it i get distracted by the simplest of things. I tried to set self imposed deadlines but they never seem to work. 🙁 idk what it is about me but i like the pressure of being right against the wall.