Looming Deadlines

This post really reflects on some the issues Melissa faced in her Submissions: A Cautionary Tale post.

I had all the best intentions. I had planned to write a story for an upcoming anthology but the deadline snuck up on me, ninja-style. What I thought was late February and I could still flap a hand at and say, “I have time. I have time,” turned out to be very early February. The looming deadlines turned my palms sweaty. My relaxed story ponderings have come to a heart-lurching stop.

Can I still make the deadline? I have the idea. I have the narrative frame. I have the themes, the struggles, the character backgrounds.

I don’t have names. Time for revision. An inkling of a clue for how I will fit the story into the word count contraints.

I could still make it, right? A story in less than a week? With working full time. And various other commitments. Oh, and starting a creative writing class which may have challenges of its own.

Source.

*takes a deep breath*

I don’t have a decision, in the midst of my flailing and panic. I don’t know if the story will get written on time, delivered and submitted for consideration.

Other opportunities are still open for me, available for me to take my time in writing and submitting. It won’t be the end of the world, but the pressure of the frustration and expectant hope I have to submit to the market can be crippling…or it can spur me to get the words out, edits done, and story submitted.

We will see. In the meantime, a reminder to all of you, take a deep breath and keep writing.

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