The Deadline Blues
It's amazing what having deadlines does to people. I mean, what it does to me, because I can hardly pretend to speak for people in general. (Well, actually I can, because I am very good at having everyone else's opinion and expressing it for them, but let's just move on, shall we?)
I have recently signed on as a contributing writer to a local newspaper, and I have an article due tomorrow. Ask me what I've done on it so far. No, don't. It's better for both of us if we leave certain things to the imagination. For instance, you may imagine that I am a paragon of energy and responsibility, and that I am writing feverishly into the night, so that I will be able to send in the article not only on time, but in fact ahead of my deadline, while I may imagine that you are right, and that I am not, in fact, avoiding writing the article by, say, writing this blog.
Perhaps later I will imagine that I can cook! Why, anything is possible!
Well, most things.
In addition to my deadline on Friday, I have another one on Saturday, for a short-story writing contest. I have actually written the story, so that is something. And it is pretty good, which is something else. But it is not great, and that means I should be revising it, and that means it's time to play the imagination game again. (You are going to be very good at it by the end of this post, I promise.)
Finally, I have a deadline on Tuesday for another newspaper article, and I have several phone calls still to make to get various quotes. The hardest part of being a writer, for me, is talking to other people. I am shyer than most people think, and the thought of picking up the phone and calling a perfect stranger to get quotes gives me the shivers. I always agonize over it (will I ask the right questions? Will I sound professional? Will I be pestering them?), and then I agonize over the quotes I did, and didn't, get, and then when the story gets written it is all fine, of course, but it can be a traumatizing experience.
At any rate, it's obvious that I have my work cut out for me these next few days, so I'd better hurry up and get back to watching Pirates of the Caribbean...er, I mean writing my articles and stories. Yes, let's pretend that's what I meant.
I have recently signed on as a contributing writer to a local newspaper, and I have an article due tomorrow. Ask me what I've done on it so far. No, don't. It's better for both of us if we leave certain things to the imagination. For instance, you may imagine that I am a paragon of energy and responsibility, and that I am writing feverishly into the night, so that I will be able to send in the article not only on time, but in fact ahead of my deadline, while I may imagine that you are right, and that I am not, in fact, avoiding writing the article by, say, writing this blog.
Perhaps later I will imagine that I can cook! Why, anything is possible!
Well, most things.
In addition to my deadline on Friday, I have another one on Saturday, for a short-story writing contest. I have actually written the story, so that is something. And it is pretty good, which is something else. But it is not great, and that means I should be revising it, and that means it's time to play the imagination game again. (You are going to be very good at it by the end of this post, I promise.)
Finally, I have a deadline on Tuesday for another newspaper article, and I have several phone calls still to make to get various quotes. The hardest part of being a writer, for me, is talking to other people. I am shyer than most people think, and the thought of picking up the phone and calling a perfect stranger to get quotes gives me the shivers. I always agonize over it (will I ask the right questions? Will I sound professional? Will I be pestering them?), and then I agonize over the quotes I did, and didn't, get, and then when the story gets written it is all fine, of course, but it can be a traumatizing experience.
At any rate, it's obvious that I have my work cut out for me these next few days, so I'd better hurry up and get back to watching Pirates of the Caribbean...er, I mean writing my articles and stories. Yes, let's pretend that's what I meant.
posted by grackyfrogg @ 9:01 PM
2 Comments:
At 2:42 AM ,
BeautiPhil said...
That's okay Frogg, I always used to do the same for my writing class in college. Albeit I didn't have to call for quotes, but I never really did the whole finish early type of thing. It was usually more along the lines or BSing the paper the night/morning before it was due (depending on when I'd start, usually between 10pm-2am) and then I'd proceed to get A's on the paper. That kinda made it fun though ;-)
On the other hand, with my business of choice, webdesign, I like deadlines because they make me work and also mean something very important, I have work. Don't forget that this is money in your pocket... assuming you keep the job.
My friend says If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong...
At 1:17 PM ,
Caroline said...
With those phone calls, just imagine that you are acting! I have no deadlines or anything, but sometimes I have to act like I know way more than I really do. And that's where a little Sarah Bernhardt goes a long way!
Post a Comment
<< Home