That pretty much sums up the state of my current work-in-progress!
0-50,000 words and I'm happily frolicking through the world of possibilities and ideas and running down rabbit trails of scenes as my characters take off in unexpected directions. Then from 50,000-75,000 words I am hurting. Characters that won't co-operate, scenes that have no point and go nowhere but feel like they have a place somewhere, big gaping holes in the story, the list goes on.
I am now at 66,000 words. Right in the middle of a world of pain. It works this way for every single manuscript I've ever written. Every single time I think that next time will be better. And every single time my characters laugh at me for being so foolish. I love Jackson and Allie, but honestly, they're being so difficult right now that they have about equal odds of dying in a fiery car crash as they do of falling in love.
In five weeks I need to have this difficult, uncooperative, stubborn baby to my agent. The first draft isn't even finished and usually I allow at least a month for rewriting and polishing.
So jammed in between the juggling of a toddler and a three month old I am writing like a crazy woman. And a few things are falling by the wayside. Like this...
So let's talk deadlines, writing or otherwise. What are the first things that slip in your house when you have a deadline to meet?
Represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc. she writes contemporary romance with sass. She loves connecting with people on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Writer and Twitter @KaraIsaac
Deadlines both keep me motivated and add that familiar terror as well! I try to be reasonable in what I take on, but live does keep going. I've really tried to make family my priority. They are in this with me, so if we have pancakes for dinner one night, that's okay. If they need to take on some extra work around the house. . .that's okay (with me anyway) I've learned to try not to panic and just take one day at a time while breaking things up in manageable bites.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Lisa. I just had to turn down a possible opportunity because, as much as I wanted to pitch for it, I knew there was just no way I could get together what would be needed this month. At the moment with two littlies I'm very much a mum first and a writer second (or third or fourth!)
DeleteLook at it this way, Kara. You are blessed that you have a deadline to keep! Ah, forget things that can be tidied when you get free enough.
ReplyDeleteI have an older son whose room sometimes looks like this, so I shut the door.
When I expect a deadline is heading my way, I cook up three times as much for each meal and pop the rest into the freezer. (Men are always happy when well fed.)
That is true, Rita! I am blessed :) And we do have freezer meals. In fact one is defrosting as I type this ;-)
DeleteFiner touches of housework and peace of mind are often the first to go. Thanks for sharing that photo, Kara. I love it. It reminds us that we aren't alone in juggling deadlines with other responsibilities, and we aren't super heroes.
ReplyDeleteVery true. No super heroes in this house, though my toddler definitely thinks he's one!
DeleteI think the thing that disappears for me, Kara, is a bit of self-care. I just keep going to get it all done and forget to look after myself in the process. So take care of yourself as well as those littlies! Good to see you recently here in Oz too, although I only caught a glimpse of you in the distance. God bless!
ReplyDeleteLovely to see you from a distance too :) And you're right. That's definitely something that goes for me too. You've reminded me I have an appointment I desperately need to make before I have a monobrow ;-)
DeleteI know what you're talking about, Kara. I call it the tepid soup stage. Nothing has a shape or place and you think you'll never manage it. But you do, and then you start another project.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly the right description for it, Jan. Tepid soup! I know that eventually it will all come together because it always does but that's exactly what it is right now.
DeleteHi Kara
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain, I'm in a similar bind but my characters just want to go on holiday and stay there. I'll be praying for you as you tackle this next 5 weeks and may hubby and others help with all the other stuff!
Bless,