Just Keep Swimmin’, Swimmin’, Swimmin’

If you remember from a previous blog, I’ve been working like a madwoman with several deadlines converging all at the same time.

And while I try to keep my days fairly even in terms of hours spent writing, I must admit to having a few killer days (14 hours was my longest) as of late.

There is, however, an end in sight.

I’ve met the first three deadlines…

**Book # 3 in my Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series. Writing this series is an absolute joy. The characters have become real people in my head and I love getting to spend time with them whenever possible.

**A 10,000 word on-line serial for Harlequin which will run on their website every day (for twenty week days in a row) starting December 7th. There were so many things I loved about this project. 1) The company came to me—which is always very exciting. 2) It runs in December and will help gain some visibility for the book I have releasing with them in January (my first ever romance—LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book). 3) It was a fun challenge to write a complete story in 10,000 words with a distinctive hook at the end of each 750-word chapter.

**I had to plug details of my second romance into the company’s computer system. This is a super cool program where you get to showcase your characters and your overall story in a format that will help the art department create your cover, and the sales department sell you (hopefully) to markets overseas.

Now that those are behind me, I’m working on revisions for the second romance (release date: July 2010). This, too, is a challenge because it requires getting out of the heads of the various characters I’ve been writing and into ones I haven’t looked at since June. The revision work isn’t major (TG), but it’s still work…

Which means only one thing.

Come next Tuesday, I’ll be in full-blown post-deadline party mode. And I don’t know about you, but I feel a celebratory contest coming on… So be sure to put on your best detective hat when you stop by next week (you’re gonna need it) for a chance to win something!

In the meantime, if you’ve got some fun questions (writing or non-writing related) for me today, fire away.

Hugs,

~Laura

10 Responses to “Just Keep Swimmin’, Swimmin’, Swimmin’”

1. Wow, Laura, it’s 1AM and you’ve got your post up! Your organizational skills are really impressive (and as I mentioned before, scary). Congrats on meeting those goals, and the rest which I know you’ll power through.

   No questions from me right now, ’cause I really need to get to sleep. Maybe later today, when it’s light outside.

   by Kate Hathway on November 10th, 2009 at 1:07 am
   
   

2. After our goal setting talk last night, I told my husband, I had a little word goal which I didn’t meet. Laura had finish a book, which she did meet. I agree with Kate, you’re scary good on goals.

   I’ve been having a discussion about plotting (with another writer, who else). He mentioned that he wrote out bullet points then moved them around until he had his book plotted. Kind of storyboarding. Do you use any plotting technique?

   by Lynn on November 10th, 2009 at 6:30 am
   
   

3. Congrats on meeting two of your deadline. I’m sure the third will be met before you know it.

   My question: Do you find your best work while under pressure or when the project is due several months later?

   by Dru on November 10th, 2009 at 6:59 am
   
   

4. Hey Kate, aren’t you quite the night owl? Getting our posts up is easy. I write it the day before and time stamp it to run at 1 a.m. It works.

   Lynn, I don’t always meet goals as you well know, but setting some is always motivating. As for plotting, I tend to bullet point out by a few chapters. Those bullet points serve as guides more than anything else. Sometimes they get pushed back, sometimes pushed out. But they help keep me on track (when I am disciplined enough to do them).

   Dru, good question. I do my best work under pressure. Always have. I *think* that’s a tribute to my days as a reporter because you have to move fast and produce every day. But, that said, it’s probably not a smart way to operate when you’ve got MS. Soooo, one of the goals I set with Lynn last night was to start a true routine (and stick to it–that’s the hard part) come Dec. 7th that will have me writing every day. So maybe I can have a several-week cushion on things. We’ll see how it goes.

   by Laura on November 10th, 2009 at 7:34 am
   
   

5. Congrats on meeting your goals, Laura. You obviously work well under pressure. And that serial sounds like fun. Be sure to tell us where we can find it, OK? I want to read it.

   by Jennie/Bente on November 10th, 2009 at 8:55 am
   
   

6. Does Laura work best under pressure??? BaHa BaHa!! Yes! I’ve witnessed it first hand and it is a mighty impressive thing!

   Glad you’re hitting those goals, Laura!

   by Sara on November 10th, 2009 at 8:58 am
   
   

7. It’s hard to write every day; life has a way of intruding. I was going gangbusters on NaNoWriMo, and then went out of town for three days, driving over 1,000 miles while I was gone, and that took the wind out of my sails. However, a little time off did give me some perspective on my story. I hope.

   But honestly, I don’t know how you do this, Laura, and still have a life. Wait. You do have one, right? I hope so.

   When I was writing a 65,000-word book in six weeks and my kids were still small, I had to go into the cave and not poke my head out except for meals. Fortunately I had a husband to cook them for everyone. And fortunately there was no plot to manage, or who knows where the story would have meandered. I’m super impressed that you have your story firmly fixed in your mind, even before you started writing.

   Count me in for the party. Because I have every faith that you will deserve one.

   by Karen in Ohio on November 10th, 2009 at 9:16 am
   
   

8. Jennie, I will let you know.

   Sara, anything is doable with chocolate.

   Karen, it is VERY hard to get back in the swing if you miss a few days. I’ve noticed that when I get sidetracked by another committment (doc, another job, kids, travel) it is VERY hard to jump back in. Good luck getting back on track with the NaNoWriMO thing.

   by Laura on November 10th, 2009 at 10:15 am
   
   

9. Damn, girl. I’m scared of you.

   by J.D. Rhoades on November 10th, 2009 at 11:33 am
   
   

10. LOL. I know how hard you work, Dusty. You’ve got nothing to be scared of.

    by Laura on November 10th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
    
    

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