Deadlines

I read somewhere that it's always a good idea to write under a deadline because it forces you to create and develop the habits that lead to disciplined writing. This sounds great in theory, but if you're a thirty somethingish person living in a two income home and not relying on the written word to pay your bills, is there really such a thing as a deadline? I'm not going to starve if I miss it.

I can't tell my self something to be true in the hopes that I'll believe it. Besides, I have no illusions about my writing paying the bills one day. Getting published is the only thing on the agenda for now and if that means getting a crisp Jackson to stick in my wallet or just seeing my name in print then I'm all for it. Say what you will about Andrew Jackson, he set the precedent for many things to come in the Executive Branch and his whole windmill tilting attempt at destroying the Federal Bank is a classic example of "Unintended Consequences." But I digress...

I've given myself two deadlines, one which ends October 31st and another for November 30th... not including NaNoWriMo which I'm strongly leaning towards. If I'm getting involved in NaNo then technically both of the deadlines are now moved up to the end of October so I can go into November with a clear plate.

It's not as dire as it may sound dear reader, so please step back from the ledge. I have one story complete that needs a big fat edit in the middle and she's ready to submit, and I started another this weekend, reached 1500 words and the climax. I will most likely finish it in the next couple of days and then revise the heck out of it.

Meanwhile my quarter finished novel glowers at me... It's a delicate line because most writers suggest concentrating on the novel until it's done and the common belief is that short stories and novels are different animals altogether. Writing one doesn't make you any better at writing the other. As a reader, I expect different things from both formats.

What do you do when the story's there though? Do you just ignore it and plow on with the other works or take a breather and hammer the short out then get back to the grindstone? I'm trying to do what feels right and if that means spreading myself so thin that I'm transparent than I'm willing to give it a shot.

Maybe by taking on multiple projects of different scope I'll find discipline. Really though, the only thing that matters for me, right now, is finishing the things that I start which I think in the end will make me a better writer.