The Weirdness of Writing Under Deadline
Posted by annastan on July 6th, 2012. Filed under: Craft, Deadlines, Writing Process, Writing the Sequel.Now that I’ve experienced the process of writing a book under deadline, it’s interesting how different it is from the way I wrote my previous manuscripts. When I was working on My Very UnFairy Tale Life, I spent years drafting, getting feedback, revising, revising, and revising some more. It was a drawn-out process with a lot of lag time.
On the other hand, writing My Epic Fairy Tale Fail has zipped by. I outlined, I drafted, I revised and revised and revised, and very soon the book will be totally out of my hands. The whole process has lasted mere months instead of years. I won’t lie; it’s incredibly weird to think that a book I essentially just wrote will be out in the world in only a few months.
Is one method better than another? I’m not sure. The first feels more organic. The second feels more structured. Even though I’m not usually an outliner, I had no choice but to really plan out Book 2 before I started writing it. Then, when problems emerged, I spent more time brainstorming rather than actually playing around with the manuscript since I didn’t have time to risk going in the wrong direction.
Ultimately, the main difference is time. I’ve been lucky that in working on Book 2, the problems that arose were relatively minor and only required a few days to figure out. If a major problem came up, however, I think that would be incredibly stressful since I’ve definitely felt the deadline clock ticking in the background.
The main thing writing on deadline has done is reminded me of the importance of treating writing as a job; otherwise, that project probably isn’t going to get done. That’s a lesson I’m trying to carry over to my other manuscripts as well.
Has anyone else been writing under deadline? How did you feel about the experience?
July 6th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
I’ve been writing under my own self imposed deadline for Spy 2 and it is different. Where as before I’d spend months trying to get it perfect for querying – now it’s about confidence in the story and getting it done. Though I found book 2 easier in a lot of ways because I already knew the characters and the tone.
Yay for Fairytale 2!
July 6th, 2012 at 3:54 pm
When a neighbor sold her thriller (for adults) to a big publisher, the sale included a sequel with a short (one year) delivery date. She was flustered that it took her six years to write the first. John Grisham has said his first book is his favorite because he was not working on deadline.
But how fortunate to experience the process for both, Anna. Good going!
July 6th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
My pubbed writer friends always tell me to enjoy your time with the “pre-pub” book. It’s never quite the same once you sell your first “baby.”
I do believe this is true. However, I think writing under contract is not necessarily “bad” — it just may spur you to finish the book in a quicker fashion. Unlike the pre-pub book, which is open-ended.
July 6th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Laura, I feel the same way. Having a deadline means you have to trust in your ability to get the project done (and done right).
Mirka, I have to say that I don’t really have a preference. The process is so different that it’s hard to compare. Ultimately, if you get a book you like out of it, I’d say that’s a win.
Karen, I completely agree: I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s just a more focused type of writing. And knowing someone is waiting for your book is pretty motivating!
July 7th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
I’ve never written under a firm deadline that was not self-imposed, but I dearly hope I will one day have that experience. It will mean a publisher is eagerly awaiting my book! Congrats on finishing yours, Anna!
July 7th, 2012 at 8:51 pm
I know if I ever do this sort of thing again, I’m outlining. No more pantser stuff. And I’m writing in scenes, not chapters, and synopsizing every scene so I can see where it fits in the whole!