Chapter 7: 5 Myths about Keeping a Deadline

There’s something strangely intimidating about the word “deadline.”  I mean, after all, the first four letters spell out “dead.”  Then, there’s the fact that most indie authors are such (rather than choosing the traditional publishing route) because of the independence that comes along with the choice.

This is all well and good, except for the fact that it can lead to laziness.  With no agent/editor/publisher demanding you finish so much by a certain day, it’s easy to decide writing a certain amount each day isn’t that important.  The inspiration will hit when it hits, so to speak.  Here are ten myths about keeping a deadline as an indie author:

 

Myth #1: There’s no consequence to missing a self-imposed deadline.  To put this into perspective, simply because your parents can no longer ground you for a poor report card in college doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have adverse effects.  Companies still look at your GPA and base you on such; you just see this fact much later.  In writing terms, I’d like to bring up a fact I did in an earlier post: certain websites have algorithms set to do free marketing on your eBooks based on the dates published.  You waiting too long to publish a sequel in a series could hurt what I like to call the Mountain Effect (your first book sales will increase again upon the publication of a second book and so on).

Myth #2: Editors will drop what they’re doing to work on your novel upon demand.  Believe it or not, editors are just as busy as authors.  They have a client list, and your book will be put into a waiting list upon contact.  You should be prepared for the wait.  Email them early on, requesting a spot in November (for example).  This will give you your own timeline to meet, and will force you to write more accordingly.

Myth #3: Sales aren’t affected by publication date, so you can simply publish the book whenever it’s complete.  As said in my last Tuesday’s post, the best time to publish is very dependent on the genre.  Why would people want to read your romance book in August, as opposed to the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day?  What about your adventure book in February, as opposed to the summer months when they’re most likely on vacation in their own sort of adventure?  Timing is everything.

Myth #4: It’s better to write no words at all than write when you’re not feeling inspired.  In truth, an author spends more time re-writing than writing.  With that being said, the initial draft is obviously the hardest, as it requires the most creative juices.  What’s easier?  Piecing together an already complete puzzle, or designing the puzzle itself?  It’s true that you might rework the plot later based on a burst of inspiration, but at the end of the day it’s easier to do so when there’s more of the story already written down.

Myth #5: Schedules are always changing, so it’s pointless to set a deadline when you know you won’t be able to keep it.  This is best explained to be false with a common cliché:  Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.  It’s important to note here that your deadline should be reasonable.  That’s actually one of the pros to it being self-imposed.  With that said, even if life gets in the way and you honestly can’t complete it in time, still work like you’re trying to.  Don’t just give up simply because you’re a few weeks off schedule.  No matter what, you’ll be in a better position if you work to keep up with the deadline.

 

These myths seem obvious, and we often believe them when we’re going through a spout of depression (ironically usually about missing a deadline).  People often forget that being an author is really like being an entrepreneur.  That means treating your work like a business.  Enjoy the creativity of the job, and don’t rush the art.  (Again, deadlines aren’t meant to be stressful.  Set it to be reasonable.)  In short: eat, sleep, write, repeat.

Chapter 2: Master of Time or Victim of Patience?

Today I’ve been thinking over the biggest misconception of becoming an author: the post-writing stage.  There’s probably two possible reactions to hearing those words: (1) You’re confused.  You weren’t aware that there was much work to be done once the novel’s finished.   (2)  Your skin’s crawling, and you just completely lost your appetite.  Yes, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

I think it’s safe to say every author’s pet peeve is someone trying to read your first draft.  As my writing’s developed, my first drafts have gotten better relative to one another, but they’re still complete trash when compared to the final product.  Most of creating a book is actually rewriting.  Some aspiring authors come in with the misconception that they’ll write their book in one go and it’ll come out a masterpiece.

Personally, I go through at least four drafts before I even let my beta readers take a look.  (Quick side note: if you don’t have any beta readers to give you a fresh set of eyes, find one or more ASAP.)  I have three, so there adds even more drafts.  Then, I take a step back for a bit before delving into the story one last time.  The first novel I completed took roughly nine months to complete – appropriate since I considered it my baby.

Once you’re completely happy with your novel, you’re still far from the end of the road.  This is the part that all authors dread.  In the story of our lives, it’s the chapter we wish we could skip, but is sadly so terribly crucial.

I would always suggest to aspiring authors to first try the traditional route of publishing.  First and foremost, agents are a blessing.  Get one.  (I have to add in a disclaimer that you should check their legitimacy.  A good rule of thumb is that if they charge you money for submission, it’s a scam.)  You want someone who not only has shown strong success in the past, but also who shares the same vision.  Having an agent isn’t a guarantee of publishing, but it’s definitely a hugely beneficial asset to have.

Now the elephant in the room: how do you get an agent?  Here’s the word that’ll send dread to your very core: querying.  Writing a query is possibly the most annoying but important step when marketing your book.  I’ll go more into tips and suggestions in a later blog, but right now I just want to emphasize: don’t summarize your book.  That’s a rejection waiting to happen.  Think of the themes and emotions in your story, and use that to drive the query.

The final step that I’ve found myself at is the waiting period.  Agents already have clients and have a lot on their plate in addition to looking for new authors.  What does that mean for us?  We’re at the back of the list.  We have no “author resume,” so we have to prove ourselves entirely on quality of work.  I always waited about one hundred days, with some exceptions.

If you’re like me, you’re going to be checking your email on your phone every five minutes for the first couple weeks.  In order to not torture myself, I started putting a reminder in my phone around the time that the agent is known to respond on average.  Querytracker.net is an excellent source to plan out how you’re going to go about it.  I personally liked to send my queries out in clumps of 4 or 5 agents at a time.

Right now, though, here’s the message I want to really hit home.  I was heavily guilty of ranting in this post, and you know why?  Because, it’s a lengthy process.  Each step becomes its own monster on your To-Do List.  A lot of it involves sitting around with the jitters, impatiently waiting to hear back so that you know what you can do next.

So, here’s my advice: don’t rush.  Word count goals are fine; a common one is 2,000 words a day.  For me, that doesn’t work, but that’s not to say I don’t think it’s a good idea.  I have to schedule my oh-so-very-busy schedule around it, but you do have to make the time.  “Free time” is a nice idea, but so rarely exists in reality.  You have to account for it in your planner.   Don’t be afraid for your draft count to go into the double digits.  This might seem silly, but let the novel fully mature into the masterpiece that it has the potential to become.  Take time with your query; you want it to provoke emotion and curiosity when the agent reads it.  Finally, patience is a virtue you need to work on developing.  And, the best way to wait for a reply?  Write some more.