Meeting deadlines
I’m sorry September’s installment is coming a bit late, but the reason is also my topic. If you read my last post, you know that in August, I paused work on The Source (my 20+ year opus) and threw myself into a book on the Pussyfooters, the all-female dance and community service krewe I’ve been a member of since 2013.
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I had given myself a deadline of finishing The Source before heading out for a trip to Egypt that would afford me the opportunity to experience some of the things I’ve been writing and researching about for decades. But if the Pussyfooters book was going to happen at all, it would have to happen by holiday gift season – this year!
Hard deadlines versus finish lines
I always give myself a deadline when I’m writing, even if there’s no one waiting for the draft but me. Most of my deadlines have been dictated by publishing demands. If a book needs to be ready for bookshelves by January 1st, 2027, I use that as an anchoring date and work backward. How much time will I need for publishing, editing, writing, prep, etc.?
Sometimes you have more than enough time to accomplish everything on the journey from idea to bookshelves. Sometimes it turns out that when you finish counting backward – you’re already past the date needed to get everything done. I started the Pussyfooter book in August and the first draft was due to our editors by October 1. It meant figuring out bare minimums for time, and committing to meeting our goals. It meant putting a pause on The Source.
It hasn’t been easy, and there have been times I’ve questioned my priorities and choices. There have even been times when I asked – why I did this to myself? The answer is because I care about both projects.
Priorities
The first order of business is figuring out what matters. Passion can help pull you through a journey - no matter how difficult it becomes. I can’t say that the Pussyfooter book is more important than The Source – but I can say it’s more immediate.
The Pussyfooter book (possibly entitled Corsets & Combat Boots: How the Pussyfooters Changed Mardi Gras Culture) celebrates our organization’s first 25 years and the impact our “pink army” has had on Carnival. We may have been the first DIY adult dance krewe but we certainly weren’t the last. The explosion of mostly all-female adult dance groups has helped balance the formerly male-dominated parade culture. Dance krewes have also opened the experience of being part of the parades to people who can’t afford the dues and throws required to ride in a float. In short, the Pussyfooters have helped open the door to anyone willing and able to participate in parade culture.
Though The Source may be more important to me and my journey as a writer, the Pussyfooters’ story deserves to be told in time for our 25th anniversary of dancing in the streets. And in time for holiday gift giving.
MAKE the time
I didn’t have the time to write Corsets & Combat Boots by October 1. Only a fool would have even made the attempt. So how did I finish a draft in two months?
I scheduled time to work on the book every single day. If my schedule was fairly open, I might get up to 12 hours of work done. Busier days brought my attention to the project down to a couple hours or less.
When I wanted a break, I took one. Then I went back to work again. Some people call that discipline. I call it survival.
There are many occasions in life when time is limited. Whether you’re cramming for a test, or trying to catch a flight – there are some moments when the only thing that can’t be changed is a deadline. When I’m packing for a trip, there’s always a chance I’ll forget something (though I do have a checklist I always use to make things easier and more predictable). You can always buy a razor when your plane lands, but once that flight takes off – you’re either on it, or you’re not. The holiday gift season is coming whether I finish Corsets & Combat Boots or not.
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Get organized
If you’ve read my ebook, Writing Unblocked, you already know that I always know what I’ll be writing before I sit down and start typing. Organizing my thoughts insures that I never run into the panic of the blank page with a blinking cursor.
You don’t have to use my methods, but if you want to meet a pressing deadline, you don’t have time for confusion. Organize your thoughts in advance. Give yourself a roadmap with a beginning, middle, and end.
Clear the path
If a deadline is looming, all other projects might need to wait. The Source is not the only thing I put on hold to make my deadlines for Corsets & Combat Boots. As you already know, I put my newsletters on hold. I put off vacuuming, groceries, and other household tasks. I spent minimal time on social media. I took showers instead of baths.
I spent less time on my acting career, and took on no new coaching clients or extra sessions with current clients. In short, I cut corners in almost every other aspect of my life. I passed up on fun, money, and pretty much anything that didn’t move me closer to my goal.
Delegate
No one could help me with the interviews and actual writing that has gone into Corsets & Combat Boots. That said, there’s plenty of tasks that others could take on. Members of the Pussyfooters submitted quotes and photos for potential usage. A small team of members has helped with collecting and organizing decades of photos for the book from Pussyfooters and professional photographers, as well as obtaining release forms for each photo and quote we plan to use. One member of our team is creating the layout while others have handled administrative tasks. Another set of members is handling proofreading.
The Pussyfooters is a volunteer organization and the book is a group effort so we’re all in this endeavor together, but what if you don’t have a book group or staff of any kind?
Build your own team
When I work on my non-Pussyfooter-related books, I don’t have a team of willing volunteers built into the process – so I’ve created one.
Other than the evolving nature of Google, I don’t use AI tools, but there are plenty out there that can help with everything from research and organization to marketing and promotion.
After meeting them at a bookstore over a decade ago, two booksellers have been reading my work as I write and giving me notes.
Many writing groups trade works in progress to get each other’s feedback.
The same women proofing the Pussyfooters book have provided me with their editor’s eyes for years in exchange for the meal of their choice and a credit in my books.
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Some self-publishing companies offer services like cover design, editing, and formatting. Sites like Upwork and Fiverr can link you with people willing to take on aspects of proofing and publishing.
Find help and delegate tasks that are better done by someone else – so you can focus on telling your story.
No excuses
There have been many days in August and September when I wanted to do ANYTHING other than work on the Pussyfooter book. Giving myself no days off meant going through a gamut of emotions, but failure was not an option. I’d committed to writing the book, and the deadline was set.
On days when I wanted to give up, I took breaks. I reached out to people for positive feedback and encouragement. I reminded myself that the project would eventually get finished and be put behind me. I worked on other aspects of the book that didn’t include writing. But I never stopped moving forward.
Rewards
I don’t like writing fast. I prefer to give my thoughts time to process. I like to have time to change my mind and try new ideas. But, there is something satisfying and relaxing about finishing something on time. It feels good to be on schedule and fairly certain that everything is going well.
Every time I finish another project, it builds my confidence. Every time I meet an impossible schedule and wrestle it into submission, it builds my strength to tackle big goals in the future.
For my paid subscribers, download my Scheduling PDF below for help working backward from a deadline.
Thanks for reading! I hope this inspired you to dare to live your calling.
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