Deadline Drama
Moderators: Celeste Stewart, Ed
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Elizabeth Ann West
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Deadline Drama
Anyone have interesting or unique ideas on how they force themselves to meet deadlines. ATM I am overwhelmed with the work I need to do, and as a result I have a tendency to talk myself out of just starting. What do you guys do to jump start the writing process?
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Celeste Stewart
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Re: Deadline Drama
I break everything up into smaller chunks when overwhelmed. If I have an assignment of 15 articles due in a week's time, I'll do three a day. If I have a ten chapter course to write, I break it down by chapter or word count per day. Baby steps - one foot after another - eventually get you there. Plus, once started, it's not so overwhelming.
I also prioritize customers and make sure that I don't keep putting off the smaller ones. For example, I have one customer who I write for every day almost without fail but I also have other regular customers who need prompt attention. What I do is this. CUstomer 1 gets the first few hours of my day. Customer 2 and Customer 3 get the next couple of hours on alternating days. So, Monday I would work on Customer 1 and Customer 2; Tuesday I would work on Customer 1 and Customer 3; Wednesday I would work on Customer 1 and Customer 2; etc... This allows scheduled time in my work week for other customers to get the attention that they need. This is all flexible of course as the workload and deadlines fluctuate.
Also, if something comes in that I can do quickly, I'll usually just do it and get it out of the way rather than add it to a growing list.
I also prioritize customers and make sure that I don't keep putting off the smaller ones. For example, I have one customer who I write for every day almost without fail but I also have other regular customers who need prompt attention. What I do is this. CUstomer 1 gets the first few hours of my day. Customer 2 and Customer 3 get the next couple of hours on alternating days. So, Monday I would work on Customer 1 and Customer 2; Tuesday I would work on Customer 1 and Customer 3; Wednesday I would work on Customer 1 and Customer 2; etc... This allows scheduled time in my work week for other customers to get the attention that they need. This is all flexible of course as the workload and deadlines fluctuate.
Also, if something comes in that I can do quickly, I'll usually just do it and get it out of the way rather than add it to a growing list.
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HayleyWriter
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Re: Deadline Drama
Hi
I used to be a journalist, so I know how hard it is to reach a deadline sometimes. There were only three of us working on three community newspapers a week! The best thing I used to do was imagine the newspaper coming out with a blank space where my article should be. That was often enough to kickstart the brain and fingers again! I guess writing for clients and constant content works the same way. If we don't offer content constantly, (sorry ed, I just couldn't resist!), we won't get paid. Imagining blank websites or pages in magazines is good - imagining a zero balance in my bank account is even more motivation! Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
HayleyWriter
I used to be a journalist, so I know how hard it is to reach a deadline sometimes. There were only three of us working on three community newspapers a week! The best thing I used to do was imagine the newspaper coming out with a blank space where my article should be. That was often enough to kickstart the brain and fingers again! I guess writing for clients and constant content works the same way. If we don't offer content constantly, (sorry ed, I just couldn't resist!), we won't get paid. Imagining blank websites or pages in magazines is good - imagining a zero balance in my bank account is even more motivation! Hope this helps.
Kind regards,
HayleyWriter
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Celeste Stewart
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Re: Deadline Drama
I like that! I have a project that I'm dragging my feet on and it definitely won't fly with hundreds of blank pages. Must get started on page #1. . .Tomorrow. I like the idea of the customer publishing the website or publication with or without your content. It won't take long for the customer to object to blank pages. If it's not a blank page and it's not YOUR content, then it's SOMEONE ELSE's content, right? Okay, I'm tackling page #1 tomorrow for sure!
Re: Deadline Drama
I'm a terrible procrastinator, but I've found that if I do one or two of the smaller projects first, and finish them, it gets me motivated and moving to where I can start a larger one. I agree on taking the large project in pieces, put it aside, and knock out a quickie project. It will make you feel better and get you back on track.