My fellow Dames have already pointed out the importance of deadlines to a writer, so I thought I’d post about something similar, but twist it a little.
You see, I hate deadlines.
In fact, I suck at them, so the name is somewhat ironic when it comes to me.
Yeah, yeah, deadlines are a fact of a writer’s life, and there’s so damn many of them it can make your head spin, but that doesn’t change the facts.
I loathe them. Totally.
You see, my muse is a twisted little soul. Give her free rein and let her go where she wants, and she’ll play along happily. And yes, happily does mean waking me in the middle of the night with a brilliant idea, or finding the perfect solution to a problem scene when you’re driving on a freeway doing 110 kilometers an hour with no pen to hand and no hope of pulling over.
But try to impose a deadline on her, and she just crosses her arms and stomps off. I’ve come to think of my muse as a perpetual teenager (and those of you who have teenagers will know exactly what I mean!)
I actually think she’s been more than a little spoilt. You see, I’ve written most of my life–from the age of twelve, in fact. But for a good part of those years, there was no serious intention behind it. I just loved to write, to create fantastic worlds and female characters who did the rescuing rather than having to be rescued all the time (When I was going up, heroines were next to damn useless, and I can’t tell you how frustrating that was!) Then, after my daughter was born, I decided to get serious about my writing. Of course, deciding to get serious was all fine and dandy, but anyone who has actually tried getting into this business knows it’s a whole lot tougher than anyone ever presumes. As a result, there were many more years in which in the muse could basically do what she wanted, go where she wanted.
Then I landed the first of what turned out to be many contracted books with ImaJinn. The muse frowned a little but got on with the business of writing, mainly because she could set her own deadlines and write exactly what she wanted.
See, I told you she was spoilt.
Then she came up with the whole Riley idea. Wrote the first two books at record speed, which landed me a fabbo agent (whom we both adore) and who went on to sell said books at speed.
After which, the shite hit the fan for the spoilt brat in my life.
Because as Rachel has already noted, major publishing houses are a whole lot more formal in what they want and when they want it than a small press.
The dreaded deadlines came into play. In fact, there wasn’t just one, but lots of them. The muse did a lot of foot stomping and it didn’t help. Deadlines were now a fact of life. We had to cope.
And I can tell you, it wasn’t easy.
So, what did I do?
I resorted to trickery. And bribery. What works for teenagers has to work for recalcitrant muses, right?
I set myself daily page targets, after which the muse could play where she wanted. I set myself monthly targets and book-end targets which always gave me maneuvering room when it came to the actual deadline. I gave myself a little treat whenever I hit those targets.
And then I did the one thing I never thought I’d do–I began to plan books ahead of time.
I know, it’s shocking. Me, the long time pantser, actually plotting.
But it became a necessity. The muse still often refuses to play, so I catch her at the beginning of the book–when everything is new and fresh and exciting, and the deadlines are still a distant threat on the horizon–and we plot. And when the deadlines finally come into play and the muse turns up her pretty little nose, I have something to fall back onto. It works. I still have trouble with deadlines, but most of the time we get there (well, except for those occasions when life blows up in your face, and really, there’s no way around things like that)
Of course, having a plot to follow and actually following it are two entirely different matters–but that’s another blog post entirely J
So, to celebrate the opening of the Deadline Dames site and me meeting (barely!) my own deadline of finishing Bound to Shadows (Riley 8), I’m giving away two signed ARC’s of Deadly Desire (Riley 7) and I’ll throw in a packet of Tim Tams with each.
That’s right, two lucky readers will not only win an ARC, but also a packet of Australia’s national food, the Tim Tam (Well, okay, it’s not, but it should be because there isn’t a better biscuit–cookie to those in the US–in the world. Just ask the Dames who I’ve addicted 
) All you have to do is leave a comment here telling me about deadlines you hate and how you cope with them when all you want to do is forget them. It doesn’t have to be writing related–any deadline will do.
Everyone who posts by midnight Pacific Standard Time Friday, the 23rd, goes into the drawing, and the winners will be announced on Saturday January 24th, 3:00 pm Pacific Standard Time.
Good luck!
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Tags: Contests, Keri Arthur
I love/hate it when i have mulitple rush orders in my business hehehe, love it cuz it means I’ll have some pocket money, but hate it because there is less time to do other fun stuff. how do i cope… grit my teeth and think of the money, and learn how to do things faster.
and then… in summer…. I’ve been avoiding my sewing room for days at a time as it’s just too hot, and those are the days i sometimes wish i’d be smarter about accepting deadlined orders hehehe.
Great post, Keri! I wish I was eligible to enter… *craves the Tim Tams*
We have deadlines occasionally at work and we all pitch in to help with them if need be. I try not to dwell on the task for days or I will go crazy. I keep myself calm and just do it.
My most hated deadlines are year-end evaluations. I homeschool my oldest son (he’s six now) and at the end of our year, we have to do an evaluation. I dread them.
I’ve dealt with them similarly to the way you’ve dealt with your muse. Every day we work on one new school thing and review one old thing. We have a list that we cross things off of as he learns them. With luck, we’ll feel less unprepared at this year’s evaluation!
Ah, now this sounds like the reaction I’d have to deadlines! No. You can’t make me. *neener neener neener*
Deadlines are not fun. I work for a Judge as a Bailiff for the Superior Court and we have deadlines all the time with Motions and paperwork that come in for parties. We get them done though! I just keep telling myself that the deadlines wont eat me alive!
I wish I could say I hate deadlines but I kind of love them. I am a sports journalist so my deadlines are usually a few hours after a game and I love sitting down after a game and cranking out my story. I actually hate longer running feature stories because there isn’t the immediacy of a deadline. I know, I’m a little weird.
I’m a twisted soul, I guess. I actually like having deadlines. I’d get a lot less done without them. The only ones that bug me are the ones that pop up out of nowhere. (Editor: I’ve got a sales conference tomorrow on [unfinished book]. Can you write up a synopsis for me and get it to me tomorrow morning? Me: AAAAHHHHH!)
And speaking as one of the Dames our dear Dame Keri has gotten hooked on Tim Tams, yes, they are worth playing for! (Even if they didn’t come with ARCs.)
Terrific post, Keri!
How do I meet deadlines? Huh. It sounds crazy, but I just **do.** It has to be done, so it gets done. I wind up sacrificing sleep, and other projects get shifted down to “not a priority.”
Actually, I think that’s important: the way I meet deadlines is reminding myself that I’m not a superhero and it’s OK not to do everything — just the important things.
Deadline is a four-letter word. Well…eight, but you know what I mean. That said, I work better under pressure. Knowing that evil creature is lurking out there in the future puts the spurs to my Muse. Not always in a good way, but she gallops off on a creative spurt like a Thoroughbred out of the starting gate…
Kentucky Derby. Mint juleps. Mayhem. Murder…… Is that a new plot?
*wanders off* Deadline? On the current book? Oh. Yes. I have one of those hiding around here somewhere…
I actually adore deadlines. I don’t think I’d get a thing done if I didn’t set little personal deadlines for everything. At work I make my coworkers assign priorities to projects whether or not they have one just so I know which order I should work in. Not that I don’t think independently, I’m just way too linear to do it another way.
I love/hate deadlines. I do work better under pressure… but only because without pressure, I do no work at all. My least favorite are papers for school. I always wait until the night before (or, you know, the night of for history papers), stay up until past midnight, plan to get up early the next morning to check over it, get up late after pressing my snooze button twenty times, run to class, turn it in, and wait for my grade… which, knowing my teachers, probably won’t depend on the quality of the paper. Fun, isn’t it?
Deadlines are a necessary evil for work but on a personal level tax deadlines are the worst. Always post at midnight on the deadline day.
I hate my end-of-fiscal-year sales deadline. I know for A YEAR that it’s out there, but the sheer terror, panic, and anxiety that ensue in the six weeks or so leading up to that last final day! And so much rests on meeting the goal by the deadline. Serious pressure.
In an ideal world, I’d start crazy early and be done in no time. In reality…when, sleep is like a suggestion, right? All-nighters. That’s how. *shudders*
I am the queen of procrastination. So I understand your hate of deadlines. I recognize the necessity, but I hate then none the less.
I’m in college, so everyday seems to have it’s own deadline. My least favorite is Math. I’ve found the best way to deal with math is do it immediately and forget about it. But when it comes to other things… I seem to wait until the very last minute and then when I’m in freak out mode, come up with something amazing, stay up all night, and turn it in, just in the nick of time. I may look like a zombie but I get A’s! Lol. Not the best strategy, but it works.
As a college student the worst of the deadlines I have to work with are for homework and essays. As an aspiring writer, even these are difficult to write without the muse’s cooperation. So I just let her fiddle about until the deadline practically chokes me in my sleep and I coax her to spin it out in a day or two. However, she too is a fickle little thing. She only works when she wants to, and only for fun–heaven forbid we stick to a plot. No, she works on her own things when she wants to.
I’m still trying to find ways for the two of us to work together in harmony…but she’s not easily fooled.
I find quiet, early mornings work best for me. Add a few cups of coffee and she’s in too.
The deadline I hate the most is the one I have to impose on other people. In my job, I am the organizer, so when a deadline looms I’m the one who has to chase after all the others to hand in their bits and pieces so that I can meld them into a (hopefully) comprehensive whole. I am considering changing jobs to cat herder instead, ’cause I think that’d be easier.
I’m terrible with deadlines, partly due to poor health and partly my own stubborn muse. It torpedoed my college career because I never got my homework done on time. For now I make sure I have ample time and plenty of chocolate.
For some strange reason I’m STILL responsible for my adult kids’ stuff. Well… Just a FEW things that we stupidly co-signed on. The due date will come… Said kids haven’t paid. The dreaded “meet this deadline or we’ll screw your credit” comes and I’m scrambling to either lay down the law on my kids or scramble for quarters under the sofa cushions. Blah!
Excellent post. My muse is pouting right now at one set of revisions, and I just threw a new batch at her. Maybe she can go sulk with your muse sometime while you and I both get to work.
Crossing fingers and toes for the Tim Tams and ARCs!
I have deadlines constantly in my profession (I’m a copy editor). I do my best to meet the deadlines, trying to work out a reasonable working schedule to do so. If I miss a deadline, I’m tempted to hide under a pillow but I just slog through as best I can until the work is done.
It’s been awhile since I’ve had a deadline, and I believe I barely made it with a day to spare. Like Jenita I work better under pressure! I crank out some awesome stuff in the wee hours of the AM.
Right now I’m in that “let my muse play around” stage, and he is taking advantage of it.
Well, thank the Creator (or your choice of deity) that I’m not alone. LOL
I am a procrastinator when it comes to deadlines, but work really well (and will sacrifice considerably) to meet them when it gets down to it. On the other hand, of course, I do my best work when I’m just letting the juices flow. I have a lot more “Eureka” moments.
And, funny, I sat down to write one book, one story that had been going around in my head for several weeks and, suddenly, I have the plot outlines for four with maybe a fifth that would take the series in a whole new direction (because “he” just refused to be one of the guys).
then I started to sweat it a little because that is setting a gigantic goal to write four or five books off the top when the original goal was to write one.
Now, if I can only fool my muse into believing that this is all her idea so it’s all good….
I’ve determined that, just because I wrote the plot lines down, it doesn’t mean I HAVE to write those other books (they aren’t promised or anything). Just finish this one. I’m hoping that will do the trick and psyche my muse (whom I’ve already started calling Moros- greek goddess of impending doom) out.
The deadlines I hate are school deadlines. I cope because i really want to graduate so I can have more time to write
I love deadlines. Especially those foisted upon me by others. I’m terrible at following personal deadlines as I always find some (seemingly legitimate) excuse to ignore them. Hard deadlines force me to work and get my act together. Between taking an overloaded class schedule, writing my thesis, taking on too many extracurricular activities and having a chronic illness that makes me feel poorly, it’s easy for me to say “I’ll get it done another day.” Having a firm deadline makes it an obligation (that I enjoy) and as a perfectionist I’m programmed to fulfill all my obligations. How I wish I had an outside force telling me to get my writing done.
*Crossing my fingers for the ARCs!*
Of all the deadlines I hate, it’s the one where you have to wait for the deadline before you can actually start working on it. Sounds weird, but I’m talking about those jobs where you can’t start the project until a certain date and then you still have a short deadline to get it done. Granted, the one I currently have is just an order, but if I want to take advantage of the paperwork promotion for new PC consultants, than I have to have my order in during my first 60 days, and I want to order my Spring products/paperwork for Pampered Chef, but it doesn’t become available until the 23rd and my 60 days end on the 29th. So I have 6 days to do it, but I could easily forget about it and I’m not excited about that. I hate those type of deadlines.
The only deadlines I truly hate are the ones for my state’s supervised homeschooling oversight testing. My 7 y/o daughter has a 3 hour adaptive online test that is due on the 23rd, and I haven’t sat her down to do it yet…and the 23rd is tomorrow. We’ll do it tomorrow at the last minute, I’m sure
I used to hate doing my expense statements and always, always missed my deadlines of the end of the month. I’d wait until my husband asked where my expense money was before I’d do them–not exactly coping.
Deadlines now? Not so many that I’m a SAHM. But I pretty much deal with them in the same way–avoid them until my stomach is in knots and I can avoid them no longer and then, and only then, do the task. Seriously? Don’t anyone use this as an example.
I hate deadlines! I they make me crazy at times. Now having said that, I have to tell you that I work better having one that’s approaching soon. When the pressure’s on I work like a mad woman and get things done. I cuss a blue streak at myself for waiting until the last minute, but usually the work I produce is the best I’ve ever done. Granted I start off with good intentions of getting the work/project done, but by the second or third week I’ve slacked off on the work a bit and the whole thing goes from there until the deadline is about a week or so away and I become manic. LOL! I don’t recommend my method to anyone.
My dreaded deadline is the weekly work deadline at 6pm on Thursdays. Such an odd time to have all the week’s work done so I tend to wait until the last possible time and get it all finished right before 6pm! ~
The only deadlines I have to meet are paying my bills on time.
I have to make my boss (attorney) meet the deadlines without:
1. Quitting;
2. Being fired;
3. Crying; and
4. Dropping the computer out of the window (see 2 and 3).
After having this being a common issue over the past several years, I find that usually food bribes work wonders (always bringing in double to accommodate my own food needs). Where the hips don’t appreciate it, my sanity does.
The deadline that I always have to make is, at the end of the week on friday. Every Monday my teachers give me my work for the week. And about every other week I get a writing assignment. This week I have to do Persuasive! writing, which I hate. I never meet my deadline which is sad when you think about it, because it isn’t that much work. :-/
Great post, and cool contest! I’m an editor at an e-pub as well as a writer, and it seems that no matter how far away a deadline seems when I start working on a MS, within no time it’s upon me. The way I cope with them to give myself little rewards when I’ve met my goals. It works, though I still procrastinate too much.
You ladies are making me feel gulity for missing my review deadline last week. i did get an extension so it’s not to bad but i am late. I’ll go now and be a good little reviewer and read my books
Great post.
I hate deadlines. I am a born procrastinator. I have quite a few work deadlines and I always plan to take care of them a couple days early but then it becomes that day and my inner voice says hey dont do it now, you have 2 more days. I always end up doing it the last day.
Thanks!!
I LOVE this new site! Found you through twitter. Keep up the good work!
I like deadlines. I like knowing something has to be done by a certain date. Although on certain projects, like most people I’m guilty of procratinating and leaving things to the last minute.
I have such a love-hate relationship with deadlines… I hate the pressure, yet it somehow makes me turn out my best stuff. If there’s nothing looming on the horizon then I’ll just dilly dally and not put my heart into it. This is mainly referring to school-related projects or presentations. I’ve learned to cope with weekly exams by studying with a friend because she actually helps me focus. I must have exam-induced ADD or something because put some pharmacotherapeutics info in front of me and my brain just checks out at the door.
And as for deadlines for writing (for fun), anything I write has a self-imposed deadline. A bit like your muse as she was in her spoiled stage. My muse is still free to play as she pleases… so long as all the school stuff gets done first.
The deadline I hate the most is writing my weekly lab reports for my engineering class. It drives me up the wall. I cope with them by starting early and getting 1/4 of it done and also by listening to music while writing. It seems that by listening to music, it ease my mind.
Since it’s coming up soon, the big one I’m thinking of is for the accountant appointment to prepare for income taxes. All the paperwork I’ve managed to ignore, can be put off no longer!
I dread the yearly taxes deadline!!!! The quarterly taxes are not as bad as when I have to make sure everything matches up at the end of the year. Well if I were more organized, I must remember to try organization this year.
I HATE deadlines for work, mainly because I know that right before the deadline, SOMEONE is going to change the project. It helps that I truly adore my coworkers, and by pulling together we always get things done on time.
Being in college, I have many many deadlines, especially for papers. T_T … Throughout the term I like to procrastinate, but I always end up drafting my papers beforehand so when it’s almost time I have everything I need to write my papers, and if not I pray like crazy that I will finish on time and pull several all-nighters. That’s been working for me so far =) Hopefully it continues.
When it comes to deadlines, I usually wait till the last minute. I suck at them. lol
I hate deadlines, especially year end. I keep the books for my job and also for my husbands business so at year end there is me frantically trying to close out both years and get everyone to turn into me what I need to actually do that…
Well, I need deadlines if I want to get anything done. When I have lots and lots of time and no deadline on the horizont… I do nothing.
I hate university administration deadlines. You slog your guts out and twist your brain into knots to get it all done for their rediculous deadline. You send it off in time (just about). Then? Then they lose it and don’t tell you! At the absolute deadline when you’re wondering where your info packets and payment forms are you call them up and the conversation goes something like this: “Nah, don’t have ‘em.” “I sent it registered delivery! You signed for it!” “Oh.” Long silence. “We’ll send you another. Don’t matter anyhow, don’t get done til next week.” *seething anger kept behind clenched teeth because you know the conversation is being recorded*
So, yeah. I hate university admin deadlines. *grin*
I hate deadlines that involve stuff for my kids. My oldest son is a freshmen in college this year and he nearly ran me crazy last year for the deadlines applying for colleges and loans and scholarships. I had a calender and wrote each deadline out so I didn’t forget any. I was so worried about letting him down!
Deadlines are fine. As long as no one actually expects me to meet them
). Give me a deadline and then a few more days and I’m good.
I’m usually just fine with deadlines; until the day of the deadline arrives and I’m left looking at my calender in utter disbelief. How did it get here already, there’s no way *insert allotted amount of time here* passed already? Then it’s a frenzy of activity where I’m usually lucky I don’t end up with a floor full of hair from where I’ve pulled it out!
Deadline I hate, hum, anything that involves getting a 3 year old and an 8 month old out the door before 9am. It’s just not possible.
Work deadlines. I work at a bookstore in sales so when the holidays hit or sometimes in the summer the orders roll in and some time there are far too many to handle and you really get behind. I really hate seeing the dates they should be out on them.
Also, book conference deadlines. I mean it turns everything upside down at work for weeks and no matter how hard or frequently you work on getting everything done for the conference… you are always rushing around to meet the deadlines for it.
*ah* Good to vent a little.
Well, deadlines are a love/hate relationship for me.
I hate them but they work for me.
Now, let me explain this. I work great under pressure and if it weren’t for deadlines I wouldn’t get much done.
The closer to a deadline I get the harder I work!!
I am the leader for my daughter’s Girl Scout group, and I have to have my weekly meeting plans to our regional director at the first of the month. I always leave each meeting with the girls full of ideas and great plans for things to do, and while I know I should write them down right then, I am always so sure that I would never forget such a fantastic idea. So I am always stuck at the end of the month, trying to recall all of my fantastic ideas. Staring at a blank computer screen at 1am, knowing I have to send something.
Deadlines are like dead-baby-cabbage-heads to me. I know they are good for me and if I just hold my nose and gulp them down with a huge swig of milk, I’ll somehow live… But really, lists are what help me. Especially when a project just seems too big/overwhelming. I break it down into smaller goals and getting thru those smaller goals make it seem less scary and more do-able.
an idea that i came up with for when you have an idea and no paper (like driving in traffic), is using the voice record function on my cell phone. or you could use one of those mini cassette players. i talk myself thru dialogue, plot ideas, character development, or just interesting thoughts. Then I can put that aside till later when I have a chance to actually write it all down.
I guess my deadlines revolve around the kids and their activities. You know the simple things that really don’t have deadlines but they feel like they do; laundry (no running out of clothes, dinner before scouts two days a week, dishes and homework.) I stay at home with my youngest still so that’s about it for me.
HA! Cope with deadlines! That would not be me the huge procrastinator. Well I do try to make the deadlines. Its usually for art or large school projects. Basically what I do is I write down the due date everywhere so I always see it and I leave the project where I can always see it. I always get things done just not weeks before the due date. Usually the night of. Which I’m sure is impossible when it comes to writing books! I’m with you 100% on deadlines. Theres a reason the word dead is in it lol
I’ve always hated the deadlines on papers or school projects and the way I’ve always coped with them (not to mention did my best on them) was to put them off until a day before it they were due. I know not very responsible, but I always get them done
Work deadlines blah, always jobs to be completed and I can be such a procrastinator. Tried to set a deadline for home in dwindling down my pile of to-be-read books, but it keeps growing. All my fave authors keep releasing new books, they must be making their deadlines..some chocolate might help
I hate dealing with deadlines at work. Although I must admit I work better and faster if I know I have to get a project done by a certain time.
I am not sure if I don’t like deadlines or not. I mean yes they are hard to sometimes get to. I have to push myself to actually do it sometimes. I mean people can ride us hard to get things done. But it makes me feel as if I accomplished something which makes me feel good.
I loathe deadlines. In college I was up until 4 am doing papers because no matter how I researched and outlined the deadline crept up and then I HAD to write the stupid thing. Of course I prefer to think I do my best writing that way. *G*
Now that I’m writing, deadlines have the same meaning. I prefer to get stuff done ahead of time, which rarely happens.
I dread deadlines. It seems that as soon as I receive the deadline my mind turns to mush. I reward myself with chocolate and starbucks for each deadline I make, since they are the elixor of life I make my deadlines.
hmmm I don’t have any set deadlines, but I hate having a deadline period lol I am such a procrastinator. I want to do things on my time lol
My most awful deadlines are the ones which come around like clock work every month…no relief from them. I know they coming…they know they coming, but that doesn’t make them any more welcome.
I hate all deadlines and try to avoid them at all cost. I don’t like being told what to do and deadlines seem to be just that for me. I guess i still a rebellious kid at heart.
Procrastination is my middle name so deadlines kick me in gear but it is a love/hate thing. I usually end up packing at the last minute driving everyone around me crazy but hey I get it done even if I am not the most pleasant person to be around
have a great day!
I have to admit, I kind of thrive on deadlines. I just get organised down the last hair and get working!
The only way for me to deal with deadlines is chocolate and caffeine. And breaks for reading. Of course, it depends on the deadline. Some of them I don’t mind, and I don’t stress out about them. But other ones…Lots and lots of chocolate is all I can say! LOL
I am a master at procrastination and I do my best work at the last minute. Its how I get things done. Caffeine always helps.
Deadlines work wonders for me. I wrote 50,000 words in one month, but without that cool little internet forum, updater site, and people pressuring me to catch up or write more…it took six months for me to finish the following 30k.
For the unpublished, deadlines are a dream to some of us. A reason to push ourselves to finishing that project.
They gave me one week to write a script for the church play. I’m on Scene three, and I have three days to go. AHHHH!!!!!!!!!
Making sure I have enough money to buy my family birthday and Christmas presents. Especially when I need to buy more than one in a month. Involves careful budgeting, so I end up not buying any books for myself for several months at a time sometimes.
Have a lovely day!
The only way I know to cope with deadlines is to give myself a wonderful reward when I do them!
The ones I hate the most are the ones I give myself for cleaing!
My least favorite deadline – EVER – was the due date my obstetrician set for one of my children. I had decided on a date, but the doctor’s date was an entire month later than mine. Unfortunately the doctor turned out to be more accurate at guessing than I did, but mentally I was ready to give birth 2 months early. Needless to say, those last 2 months were hell for everyone involved with the blessed event, and I have never really forgiven that doctor.
On a day to day basis, I don’t do really well with deadlines, though I try not to be so crabby about it. I get the bulk of my work done by setting a time limit (30 minutes for housework today – how much can I get done?) and then work like crazy for those 30 minutes. After that it’s time to do something fun. If necessary, I can do that 3 or 4 times during the day, but dang, that almost feels like work!
I’ve always wondered how authors handle a deadline. it has to make it hard sometimes to put out a good story.
I quilt. And I participate in block swaps. Sometimes, I just don’t want to work on blocks some days and it makes it hard to meet the monthly deadline.
My worst type of deadline is paying bills. Esp when I know I don’t have the money to pay them. (so not good!) So I just kinda ‘hide’ the bill notice on my desk that I don’t really use. And pay only certain ones most the time. *sigh* I don’t care for the poor college student thing anymore, gimme money! lol.
As a professional procrastinator, I loathe deadlines. That being said, I generally do very well under pressure and I *almost always* manage to get everything done in time. My favorite avoidance technique is reading.
Hey Keri! I’m so glad to hear your done another Riley book, I’m literally counting down the days till book 7 comes out. I have lots of dead lines since I’m in university. I always plan to do them ahead of time, but seeing as that never works I try to multi-task them. I’ll work on a few at once so that I dont get fustrated with one of them and throw it across the room. lol
Oooh, Tim Tams! I am intrigued by your cookie bribery.
I mostly hate deadlines that sneak up on me. I have one gig that’s a great little gig and doesn’t take a lot of time–but my editor e-mails me on Wednesday or Thursday to let me know if she has an assignment, which is due the following Monday. I pretty much always take them, because they’re quick copyediting work that’s pretty fun, but since I’m not sure what weeks they’re coming, I have to do a little deadline juggling to make sure nothing else falls behind!
Ugh. Deadlines. I hate it when I have to do my year-end assessment. My company makes us write up our own accomplishments, and I completely, totally, suck at it. I inevitably wait till the day before it’s due, upon which I freak out & cobble something together. And I will have edits after meeting with my manager. Always. At least I don’t have to worry about it for another 11 months now… =P
Thanks for the giveaway! Let me win so I can try Australia’s national food. =D
I fully admit I’m a chronic procrastinator.
I’ll choose to do anything besides what I’m supposed to do, despite immediate deadlines.
One of my strategies to meeting deadlines is to make it difficult to do anything that I might choose over my work, like covering any books I want to read with post-its, ordering myself to get back to work or turning off my cell phone when I’m on a *really* tight deadline.
It’s as amusing as it is annoying and it keeps me on track.
Ok call me a gluten for punishment but I don’t mind deadlines too much..except for when they all come at once!! Nothing worse then being at work and having to deal with 4 different things at once that all have to be done before I can come home… Anything that keeps me away from home and I become a very unhappy girl
Otherwise I can deal with them for the most part…
it’s easy “Oh it’s already done and in the mail”
I hate having the 1/31 deadline for mailing out w-2′s. our compnay does well over 5000 of them a year and with everyone calling and asking when we are sending them out. I haven’t much time to actually do them. but I am done as of today whoohoo. I would love to win this prize. I not read any of your books though most of them are in my tbr pile lol. also never tried timtams have ate vegamite but would love to try something from down under I don’t need to acquire a taste for lol.
Deadlines are a necessary evil. *I’d* piddle my way through everything like the failed perfectionist that I am. I’m terribly flawed – a perfectionist 90 percenter! I do really great work right up to the end – then I need someone (or a deadline) to kick my you-know-what into finishing flaws and all!
Deadllines are a way of life for an accountant. There is always one just around the corner depending on the type of work you do. If it wasn’t for deadlines nothing would ever get done becuase lets face it who likes to do their taxes.
I work well under pressure. Ha Ha Ha Ha
I wait until the last minute before turning something in at a deadline.
If it wasn’t for deadlines at my job, I would not turn anything in!
I se my own deadlines at home with laundry and cleaning and stuff like that.
I try to be ontime.
Thanks for a chance to win a Riley ARC!
Angela K220
Wow, great post Keri. You know, you were the first paranormal romance I read. You turned me onto this whole thing. I was already writing, but to find something to read was wonderful!
For deadlines, I am still just putting them on myself, and I feel so bad when I have to extend them or if I don’t meet them.
I do love it when you guys all show us that this is fun for you, but it still is work. thank you. Not just to you Keri, but to all you ladies.
I’m currently a college student studying English. As you can imagine, that involves a lot of writing (more of the academic rather than the creative, though). Like many students around the world, I like to procrastinate… until I realize I have 20 pages of writing due in 3 days and I have yet to start the research. I tend to meet my deadline/due dates… barely.
I am not a big fan of deadlines…as I am a huge procrastinator (I hope this is the correct spelling).
The deadline that I am struggling to meet at the moment is my daughter’s science project which is due next week. So, I am really hoping that we meet it…plus science is not my favorite!
Congrats on meeting your deadline and on the great new blog!
When I was attending school at the tender young age of 48 (haha) I would have reports and papers due, but would put off doing them. I would even do house work before starting my papers (hate housework with a passion), then visit websites like Rachel Vincent’s, LKH lashouts, Jackie Kessler’s…. you get the idea. Then the night before the paper was due—crash writing. Until 2 a.m. I don’t know how, but I usually got a pretty good grade on the papers, then felt like I didn’t deserve the grade. That’s pretty much my M.O. for things with a deadline.
Good luck on all your future deadlines!
I hate deadlines and having time dictate to me, lol, though I do my best work last minute after procastinating. Now I just can’t resist that Arc and Tim-Tams! Love your books ever since I first discovered you at Imajinn, Keri. Have a niece with your name, spelled the same, but she’s a big planner and has no problems with deadlines.
The deadlines I loathe the most are kids’ school project deadlines! The kicker is that they’re not even my kids
but nieces so close enough 
Examples are the diaragma (spelling?) project of an animal of the kid’s choice. So what does miss niece pick….white tigers. What? No puppy, kitten or even a horse? Nope we had to first look up what a diaragma was and then all the info about white tigers then look for the supplies needed and create some magical project in a shoebox.
Project #2 was similar in research and building materials except this time it was a leprechaun trap for st patrick’s day. Most of the time with other things going on the projects are very shall we say “last minute” extravaganzas LOL Yes that would be us cutting paper 4 leaf clovers at 10pm and gluing green construction paper to another shoebox.
So with those deadlines, somehow we always end up working on them just before they’re due and so far we have survived! *hmm…not a great example to leave with the kids though is it?
I like to drift but i keep getting pulled into line by deadlines – I insited that the issue by date get written in every flight itinerary created for my company so i know when they are comming but I have to get approval from the managers before i can meet those deadlines and i often end up chasing for approvals.
I also get chased to supply paper work so that statements (business travel account and credit card) can get processed and paid – it all gets done eventually
Deadlines are much dreaded for me. I am quite the procrastinator and always wonder why I should do today what can easily be done tomorrow? My most recent deadline was samples, lots and lots of samples. Over 200 hundred of the, hand cut. Then they still had to have sample cards and labels attached. Due to other random projects popping up, it wasn’t me this time, I had three days to finish this. Can anyone say brain dead? Fortunately I am unaware of any new deadlines looming on the horizon and plan to remain ignorant till at least next week.
I’m usually glad to have a deadline. Keeps me from letting my perfectionism get in the way and cause procrastination.
I dread deadlines on collaborative projects. The lead person has the everlasting headache of trying to get the project items together. That person is usually me. I usually gets all assigned pieces from everyone a day before the project is due – no matter how much I prod the others before hand. Then spend the next 24 hours before deadline trying to pull it together. Ugh! But you have to smile when it is all said and done – because it is done!
Heh…I hate deadlines, but I like to eat. So I just keep reminding myself that making the deadline means cash in the pocket which means groceries…
~Jana
Well, I really like the pat on the back. That is what I give myself on the small task deadlines. I really like the praise, it makes me feel better and want to keep on going. On the bigger projects I like to reward myself with a purchase of something I like. Maybe a movie or clothing or jewlery, it all depends on what I want at the time.
Hi Keri. I love your books. I hate deadlines on projects at work when you have to wait for others to give you their part of the project and you wonder if you are going to get everything in by the deadline. My way to cope is to follow up with other project members to check on progress.
I set daily, weekly and monthly goals as well, forcing myself to work long hours in the start to “trick the system” and get ahed of the schedule, leaving me “surprisingly” much time when the deadline gets near and I want to do anything and everything else.
Ah deadlines something everyone has in I think every occupation. Now I have found out if you are trying to continue your schooling and handling a job.
With school they give you a nice little set of papers at the first class telling you about when everything is due. Usually for me this means when is the last possible time I can do it and still get it in on time. I have done basically the something you have found works, do a little every day so not everything is left at the last minute.
On top of school deadlines there are work deadlines, it is with these that I have figured out why they call them deadlines. You are dead if you go past the line, in this case a date and/or time. But the incentive here is if you get it done early it makes a great impression on your boss…usually leads to more deadlines but hey possible raise and/or promotion.
To deal with all the deadlines and not feel like I am going out of my mind, I set a side a day when everything I need done is done and then go do something that relaxes me. Basically rewarding myself for all the good work I have done up to that point.
I bribe myself. It mostly works and I get my stuff done on time. The little halloween sized chocolate bars help too if the deadline is getting a little too close.
I also use bribes when meeting deadlines. I set up mini goals for myself up until the deadline and then celebrate with a mini reward every time one of them is met.
Suzanne Rock
My deadline dread comes with signing up for classes. I always procrastinate since they’re online courses *perhaps just due to the pure loathing of the deadline*, and then end up having to take crazy classes like Russian 1 and DC Fundamentals. Don’t know what that is? Neither did I! Looks like I’m learning basic binary coding and computer circuitry! Ya~ay. But hey, better than ambulatory coding. (scary thing is i’m serious)
Now at least I can learn how to keep my computer healthy and curse in Russian when I accidentally delete some brilliant part of my novel. All pray to our Lady of the deadline procrastination! (one of the little voices in my head who tells me what-for on writing…)
Good Day.
Hey Keri, great post. I haven’t had deadlines since school. I always hated them and my little procrastinating self would wait until the last minute. But I seemed to almost always do my best work that way! Now I have been trying to write for a few years and can’t manage to complete anything and I think it’s because I have no deadline. And my friends and fellow writers “finish the darn book” deadlines don’t work…
See, I need the TimTams, LOL
My most dreaded deadline is the income tax prep that I schedule for every February. Tedious, boring, and always put off to the last minute.
I hate deadlines with projects so I trick myself by setting short goals. That when each is met beats the deadline of the original project.
As a graphic designer I am always dreading deadlines…. I usually have to work later than most because im a big ole procrastinator… pooooh
The deadlines I hate are the ones that get extended at the last minute. You’re stressed out but you think you’ll make the deadline – then the deadline gets extended. Great news except you have to go through the stress all over again.
As a brand new author, and I mean just, I received my “author packet” in the mail. Deadlines, oh Baby, starting 12 months out. And a website to build, needed yesterday, and on and on. I’m learning, fast. I’m excited, but still, I’m going to miss my type “B” personality, as I learn to “embrace” deadlines.
Thanks for the great post, Keri.
If being at the day job by the specified time is a deadline, that would be the worst one. Close second is anything involving the kids, because I always forget.
I hate the deadline for storytime at our public library. I only come up with my ideas the day of because I’m a procrastinator.
Deidre
deidre_durance at hotmail dot com
Congrats on meeting your deadline. Love to read this book, sounds wonderful.
Deadlines? I recently had a deadline to get a job before my severance pay ended. I was laid off Sep 5th. Severance ended Jan 16th. I got that job Jan 14th. Ha!
I’m Tom Gallier, and no one approved or edited this comment.
I’m usually a procrastinor. I recently graduated from college, so I can definitely say that I dreaded all of the papers and assignments that were due, and I’d usually wait until the last minute to finish them. On the other hand, doing Nanowrimo has really helped with my writing, so I like deadlines because they make me more productive. Except, I agree that self-directed ones don’t always work out too well.
I usually work well with deadlines. If I didn’t have deadlines, I probably wouldn’t get anything done! Great blog!
Deadlines at work are tough, but they help keep me organized and on my toes!
It’s random but one of the deadlines I hate is cleaing out my closet when the bug people are coming (someone was a genius and put the entrance to the attic in the top of my closet so I have to take everything out of half of it, clothes included)…I usually put it off too much but in the end I do end up with a much, much cleaner closet than necessary so it’s kind of good (not sure that’s how but I just suck it up I guess)…
-Lucile
Personally, I abhor deadlines. I’ve been working with a 5013C Non-Profit group since last August as their Music Librarian and as of January was elected as Funds Coordinator; I also have Fibromyalgia and Migraines which sometimes make every physical action difficult. Trying to organize 60-70 copies of up to 14 different pieces of music for our concerts as well as organizing the music database and file system takes a lot of energy. Add in the new deadlines to make sure we obtain the necessary grants to keep group singing, and this year’s deadlines just keep piling up. It makes me wish for a caffeine drip and more chocolate!
Thankfully, as part of the Tapestry Singers, we have a great group of women that volunteer so I have help meeting the deadlines when I need it. I still dread them especially when it involves me giving presentations!
Urgh, deadlines are evil, though i know without them i would never get my work done and that would mean i would fail my college course – not a good idea.
So though i hate them i need them, as twisted as it may sound.