Creating a Deadline

Successful people set goals. In my day job as a teacher, I encourage perseverance in everything, as well as having a target for your efforts. In writing, giving yourself a deadline can motivate you to sit your behind in front of the computer and get the work done.

The writers' group I used to belong had a clever contest a couple of times per year. I don't recall the exact name but it fifty words for fifty days in a row. Now most of us type out more words when we take the time to write. The theory behind the fifty words is once you make yourself type at least that many, you're more than likely to keep going until the number is hundreds or even thousands of words. Going fifty days in a row helps form the habit of writing every day. Doing it all together offers lots of encouragement and signing on makes public your acceptance of the challenge. The prize was always something simple like a magnet.

Art work by
Gayle Bower

I've noticed many blog hops and blog fests that encourage similar things. Setting a goal or creating a deadline for yourself works. If you're working with a publisher, someone else will be setting a deadline for you. I have both types of deadlines. I still have a week to meet my last self-imposed deadline. During the next week, I'll be self publishing Beneath the Mountain, Book #3 in The Futhark Chronicles. 

Do you have deadlines or goals you've set for yourself? Do you meet your deadlines or do you need an outside entity like an editor to set it for you?