Deadlines…the good, the bad and the ugly.

Folks ask me constantly. “How do you make yourself sit down and write all those books?” I say, in all honesty, “Three words. Legally binding contracts.” Yep, right in the middle of all that legal mumbo jumbo in the contract is a deadline. The term “deadline” as a matter of fact, is thought to have originated in Civil War prison camps where real or imaginary lines were drawn. Cross them, and it was lights out.

Deadlines are good because they keep the endless procrastination at bay. The problem I have found is that to be successful in this business, you need to have multiple deadlines (both self imposed and contractual ones) working at one time. If you write one book at a time, finish it, then start on the proposal for the next one, there will be too much of a time lag between projects. It’s just not feasible. For example, I have a full manuscript due to my publisher on Feb. 15th. I also have a self assigned deadline to have the next proposal (three chapters and a synopsis) more or less done at that same time so I can have that ready to submit while that full manuscript goes through the editing pipeline.  Now multiply that by three different publishers (at the moment, I’m writing for Love Inspired, Harlequin Heartwarming and Harvest House) and you see why DEADline is an apt description. I try to think of it this way. Each book is a blessing, and an opportunity, even if it sometimes doesn’t feel that way.

So what about you? Everyone has deadlines of some sort or another. Are yours imposed by a boss or yourself? How do you motivate yourself to meet your deadlines? Giving away a VISA gift card, a signed book and a February surprise this month.