www.andrewmackay.net: » Writing Tools http://www.andrewmackay.net in search of inspiration, laughs, and great reads Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Deadlines http://www.andrewmackay.net/2009/06/deadlines/ http://www.andrewmackay.net/2009/06/deadlines/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:00:52 +0000 andrew mackay http://andrewmackay.wordpress.com/?p=156 So, here I go on another writing help that sounds helpful. Let me offer this disclaimer: I am the kind of person that works best under pressure. What can I say, I produce when the pressure is on. I complain… a lot… hopefully mostly internally… but then, because of the pressure, I get stuff done. If you’re not that kind of person, this tip is useless. How’s that for a disclaimer? <End Disclaimer.>

Want to get somewhere when it comes to your writing goal? Get together with someone (if you happen to have a wife or husband, she or he will work quite well). Set a deadline. Say to the person helping you, “I will turn in X number of pages in three weeks.” Replace the Xs with a number of pages. Why three weeks? Simple… I listen to the Manager Tools podcast. They say that when you’re starting something new, you aim for three weeks out because you’re busy next week and maybe even two weeks out, but chances are you’re not booked three weeks from now.

How is this going to help? It gives you something to shoot for. If you can count on that person to actually follow up with you, read your pages, and give you feedback, you’ll not only produce, your writing will get sharper, too. Also, if my wife is reading this (I feel like Bob Saget at the end of the old America’s Funniest Home Videos… or Red Green at the end of the Red Green Show), we need to set a deadline. :-)

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