I Missed All My Writing Deadlines Until I Did ONE Thing
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Hi Reader, A writer said to me the other day, "I don’t have much time to write, I have a lot going on at work and at home…and I don’t have much time.” If you’re struggling with this type of problem, consider this advice from NYT journalist David Brooks. He said: "Great creative minds think like artists but work like accountants.” Like an accountant preparing a tax return, effective writers use deadlines to finish things. I worked as a freelance journalist for a few years. I learned the hard way not to miss deadlines… After I missed a few deadlines while writing for a local newspaper, I almost got fired. Later, I lost a profitable magazine writing gig because I submitted my article on Monday morning, hours before it went to press. Editors don’t care if you’re busy or need more ideas. They want something to publish ON TIME. If a writer can’t deliver, they’ll hire someone else. So, I started pushing clients and editors on due dates before agreeing to write the proposed article. When an editor or a client said, “I need a 1,000-word article about the latest productivity apps.” or “Send me an 800-word article about the weird habits of entrepreneurs.” I’d ask them, “When do you need it for?” I put the date in Google Calendar. I also put in a second date, a few days before the actual deadline. I work towards meeting my imagined deadline. It was kind of like a safety net. If I got sick or procrastinated, I’d still have a small window to finish the article. I’d also have an article ready in case an editor or client came to me looking for something at the last minute to commission. I don’t write for newspapers, Irish magazines, or truculent editors anymore. However, I still set myself real and imagined deadlines for my writing business. Here are two examples:
Setting deadlines forces me to avoid anything distracting, like wasting time on X or Insta. I also keep track of the deadlines I hit and miss each week, real and imagined. So, if you’re struggling with deadlines, put two dates into your personal content calendar. The first real one is from a client, editor, boss, or for an important creative project. Now set a second imagined one, a few days earlier to allow. It’s your buffer for “The dog ate my homework” contingencies. Remember, readers will turn up if you publish consistently, and clients are more likely to hire you again if you submit on time. You don’t need more time or better ideas. You just need to press submit or publish. Setting two deadlines is one of the concepts I teach freelance writers. If you need help holding yourself freelancing, check out my course Freelance Writing Mastery. Write on, |