Holy bonus, Batman.

Something strange has happened. I’m about to call the EPA and have them check my water. I can’t think of any other explanation.

Here’s the thing: I’m ahead.

I’m not just caught up with my work, I have things done before they’re due – as in, in advance of their deadline. It’s not that I’m a slacker usually, it’s just that I love the thrill of the deadline, so I usually push each one to the limit. But this week, I’ve been like a machine. Can I tell you how many times I checked my calendar this week to verify that it was actually only Monday, then only Tuesday, then only Wednesday? A lot.

The Blank Page Route

I have a good friend that is going through a major life change. She’s at a crossroads with her relationship, business and geographic location. When we talked about what was going on with her, there was an invitation to discuss the horridness of the situation, to moan and groan and bellyache about it. But we didn’t. Instead we took the blank page route. Instead of desolation, there was nothing but open road and opportunity:

• If she could live anywhere, where would it be?
• If she could be with or without a relationship, which would she prefer?
• If she could be with anyone, what would s/he be like?
• If she could change anything about her business, what would it be?

What a glorious time we had creating and sucking.

The Bonus List

Today, Silas decided to leave our house and take some free time for himself. He was gone for four hours. I have no idea how he amused himself except that he rolled in something dead. The evidence is all over him. That doesn’t sound like fun to me, go figure, but it was his bliss.

When I realized how far ahead I was in my work today, there was an urge to pile more work on or, in a moment of pure insanity, search for the things that I’d forgotten to do and thus, send a wave of disappointment and reality upon myself as I realized that I wasn’t even close to being ahead.

But, I didn’t do that. Do you know what I did?

I made a list, I followed my blissful urges – the ones that felt good to just me. I played my own version of the Blank Page. Though I wasn’t at a crossroads, I was standing in front of an opportunity. What do I want to do with this unexpected open time? I asked myself.

• Write (whatever I want to write)
• Work on my new site The Daily Norm (which is soon to feature a fat interview with John Grogan (of Marley and Me fame any second now, so you might want to sign up for email alerts)
• Take an afternoon off and hang with my family
• Stand outside with my arms open waiting for the following things to drop into my arms: a book deal, a fat ghostwriting book project, a syndication opportunity for this blog, a lifetime supply of either guacamole or George Clooney
• Make a list of my ideal blog writing clients and go after them
• Write some more (of whatever I want to write)

I’m working through this list…with glee. And I’m curious to know what’s on yours.

Image credit: Fonzie’s Cousin

Check out the latest interview on The Daily Norm with The Bloggess, Blogger, Mother, Humorist.

Filed under Blogging, How To, Myth or Reality, The Business, Writing | Tags: blank page, blog ghostwriting, blog writing, Blogging, book deal, book ghostwriter, deadlines, ghostwriting, time management, Writing | Comments (3)

are deadlines important?

Um, yeah, they only make the world go ’round.

Classic Julie Roads scenario:

1. I get a new project.
2. It’s due in 2 weeks.
3. I tell myself that I’ll get it done early – how great that will be!
4. I do everything else on my to-do list for the next two weeks.
5. I bang out the finished project with moments to spare – fueled by adrenaline.

Now, before you get all ‘ooooh, she’s irresponsible and organizationally-disabled’ on me…it’s actually nothing of the sort. In some sick and twisted way, I think that my chemical make-up in this area is partially responsible for bringing me to copywriting in the first place. I love the thrill of the deadline.

Also…my inner muse just knows that the assignment isn’t due – I can not fool it, no matter what I do. I’ve been this way since high school: give me 4 weeks to write a paper, I’ll take 4 weeks; give me 1 hour, I’ll take 1 hour – same paper, same result, no kidding.

So imagine my chagrin when one of my lovely clients hires me for a huge website re-write and, when I inquire about the deadline, he says, ‘no rush, whenever you can do it.’

Thankfully, I’m no fool. I told him that just wouldn’t do and that his project would get buried. I told him he had to give me a hard deadline.  He laughed at me for a bit, and then gave me until Friday.

If I was Homer Simpson, I believe the correct response would be ‘Doh!’ But, I’m decidedly NOT Homer Simpson…so I’m off to work on this project and convince my muse that it’s due in 1 hour.

Some tips for dealing with deadlines:

• Make sure you have the ability to get the job done in the allotted time.
• Factor in some ‘who knows what might happen today’ leeway.
• Put all deadlines instantly into your calendar.
• Put milestones and/or reminders for the project every day (or every other day) from now to the deadline in order to keep the project on your radar and hopefully to chip away at the work. (If it’s a big project, you have no choice but to work progressively.)
• If you get blocked (or feel that you are cracking under the pressure) take a break and accomplish some easy tasks to set your ego back on track. You can do this, you are very smart and extraordinarily successful.
• Misery loves company. Isn’t this why Twitter was created? If you need someone to yell at you, “Get to Work!” or you just want to commiserate, Tweet about it…your followers are there to help you.
• Feed the beast! What’s your poison? Mine is popcorn with a lot of butter and sea salt, popped in coconut oil in my WhirlyPop (yes, exactly like that).
• Remember that you have always gotten it done…and you’ll do it this time too.

Filed under Critical Copywriting | Tags: copywriter, copywriting, deadlines, freelance writer, Julie Roads, marketing writer, procrastination, scheduling, Writing Roads | Comments (10)