{"id":9751,"date":"2012-09-10T21:30:57","date_gmt":"2012-09-10T12:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/round-lake.dustinice.workers.dev:443\/http\/writeitsideways.com\/?p=9751"},"modified":"2016-01-10T09:19:09","modified_gmt":"2016-01-09T22:49:09","slug":"how-to-meet-your-writing-deadlines-every-time-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/round-lake.dustinice.workers.dev:443\/https\/writeitsideways.com\/how-to-meet-your-writing-deadlines-every-time-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Meet Your Writing Deadlines (Every Time)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today’s article is written by regular contributor Krissy Brady<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the biggest challenges writers face is striking a balance between work, writing, and personal life<\/a>.\u00a0Throw a writing deadline into an especially hectic time in your life, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed.<\/p>\n

Here are five simple steps to ensure you\u2019ll meet your writing deadlines no matter what life throws your way:<\/p>\n

1. Prioritize Your Writing Tasks<\/h2>\n

We all have calls for submissions and magazines we’d like to pitch our writing to. We also have personal deadlines we’re trying to meet, such as weekly word or page count goals for our novels\/screenplays.<\/p>\n

When all markets we submit to offer an equal amount of uncertainty, it’s hard to decide where to start. How do we decide which submissions hold the most potential?<\/p>\n

Don’t fret if you feel lost in this department. What matters is you’re in<\/em> this department, working toward a strategy that works best for your individual writing goals.<\/p>\n

Here’s my personal strategy, which you can use as a starting point for your own:<\/p>\n

I have magazines I’d like to submit pitches to, calls for submissions I’d like to submit literary pieces to, and two screenplays I’m working on to help me find an agent.<\/p>\n

When it’s time to write, and I’m beside myself with where to start, the question I always ask myself is:<\/p>\n

Which writing projects have the highest potential to earn my living?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In order to become a full-time writer, you need to make enough money to make the transition from your current job to your desired writing job. I always<\/em> work on my magazine pitches before anything else. These will help build my credentials, and will help me earn a living.<\/p>\n

Next I work on my passion projects. I start with the calls for submissions I’ve compiled with strict deadlines, then mosey on to my screenplays.<\/p>\n

My screenplays are last on the list, but they’re not last in my heart. I’m sure you feel the same way about your current work-in-progress. When it comes to your passion projects, let them take as much time as they naturally need to become fabulous.<\/p>\n

2. Be Realistic, Not Negative<\/h2>\n

Creating a realistic writing schedule isn’t an exact science (I’m still trying to get a grip on mine). No matter how hard we try, there are going to be unexpected setbacks that will cause delays with our writing projects.<\/p>\n

There will<\/em> be times we’ll be unable to meet a call for submissions deadline or one of our personal deadlines, and it’s important to not feel like a failure when this happens.<\/p>\n

What’s important is to be open to the learning experience and ask yourself why<\/em> and what<\/em>?<\/p>\n