Writing in Overdrive
I’m in writing overdrive. Working feverishly right now on a book with John Assaraf (of The Secret fame) and his partner Murray Smith. It’s not due to hit the bookstores till next spring, but my deadline for handing in the manuscript was, um, this Monday. That’s in, oh, 36 hours. It’s sixteen chapters. Right now I’m working on Chapter 10. Argh.
So I take a brief pause in my writing to browse my favorite blogs and make a post for my own . . . and find that Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite writers, has just taken a brief pause in his writing to browse his favorite blogs and make a post for his own. Wait, did I just repeat myself? Hang on, it gets weirder. From Neil’s latest post:
I’m in Chapter Five of ODD [Gaiman is writing a book entitled Odd and the Frost Giants] . . . . I think this is good, although I have just realised I have no idea what happens next and that the plot I thought I was writing isn’t the plot at all, and that everything’s different. This wouldn’t be a problem, but the book is meant to be handed in on Monday. Argh.
I think I know just how he feels. And that I may have taken this whole role model thing a little too far.
October 14th, 2007 at 12:26 am
Two writers taking a pause, in spite of terrific deadlines, show that you love yourselves, you will now fly through to the end and love every minute of the next 36 hours.
October 14th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Worldly Word Wizard Writers Willingly Write Whatever Wholesome Wonderful Wit Will Work.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:56 am
You DO continue to be a role model! Acknowledging your struggle with meeting deadlines…
“It’s not due to hit the bookstores till next spring, but my deadline for handing in the manuscript was, um, this Monday.” really caught my eye.
You, John David Mann, admitting so openly this real struggle with your work makes you more real to me and helps me to focus on that fact. I am not a writer, but I too have a giant deadline looming before me that sometimes causes me to panic. In focusing on your humanity, I am also brought back to focusing on the Biblical Giants and the awesomeness of totality within the scriptures. The weaknesses of giants like Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph being exposed to our eyes makes our weaknesses easier to turn over to God and then just do what has to be done.
Thank you, for helping me refocus which in turns makes it not only possible but almost easy to turn my former panic into confidence in that having called me to accomplish this task, my God will most assuredly also provide me with everything (and everyone) I need to accomplish it.
October 20th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
[...] Gaiman’s still working on Odd, and I’m still working on the John Assaraf book. We got a fifteen-day reprieve (now ten days and counting) from the publisher (the same folks who [...]