This has been my mantra this year. Well, one of them anyway. It's been a difficult year, personally, although excellent on a professional front. I've got a few books out and lots of more to write. I'm giving up my day job next week, which has been a dream and a goal for seven years. The trouble is that the personal stuff gets tangled with the professional and it's impossible to unravel the two. For me, on a tight writing schedule as well as juggling two jobs and a three year old, that's meant there've been more whooshing sounds than I'd like. And the problem is that deadlines love to whoosh: once one does it, they all get in on the fun and before you know it, there's more whoosh than a rave in an ecstasy factory. Even this blog post is late.
My editors have been fabulous, despite having little or no wiggle room in their schedules. And I know books sometimes are tricksy, writhing creatures that defy all your efforts to pin them down: they're often delivered late. The trouble is that I like to consider myself a professional and I hate failing to do a job by the agreed date, no matter what the circumstances. I've had to rely on the kindness of my publishers, admit that there's a problem and deal with the feelings of failure that has engendered, on top of everything else I've been going through. Grief is a bugger too; just when you think you've got it licked and you're back on track, it twists its sly fingers into your heart again and you realise it never really left.
I think it's important to acknowledge that writing isn't always easy. There's a tendency to pretend everything is fine, everything is SHINY and AMAZING when it might not be. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining in any way - I know I am very lucky to have deadlines and normally I thrive on them. I'm just looking forward to a time when I see them in my rear view mirror and can put my foot down before they whoosh by.
6 comments:
Things WILL change. Things always change. And grief has its own pace that cannot be sidestepped. Thank goodness for the writing, though, even when it's recalcitrant!
Thanks, Joan. The writing isn't recalcitrant, thankfully; it's there when I look for it. I just haven't had the time it needs and that means I've had to find my way back into the story each I've gone back to it. I know things will get better :)
An honest post which will resonate with many! I've had a scary deadline this year, which I wrote about on here in May, and am now working on something with no deadline, because no contract. I'd MUCH rather have the former, but that doesn't mean it wasn't without its stresses at the time, because it really was. Good luck with it all!
As long as you tell publishers you are going to miss a deadline (and for a good reason) that IS professional. Professionalism lies in dealing well when things go wrong as well as when everything goes smoothly. Hope things improve for you soon x
Thanks, Sheena! I remember your terrifying deadline and I also know the book you produced for it is amazing, so I am taking heart from your experience!
Thanks, Stroppy One. I can't bear the thought of my editors waiting around for me to deliver something that isn't coming - brings me out in cold shivers just thinking about that. So your comment does make me feel better - at least I'm doing something right! Xx
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