"Don't Panic!" Has been my mantra for the last week. I have two deadlines set for this month. On February 21st Stopover at the Backworlds Edge 's third and highly polished draft is supposed to go to its editor. On February 29th, The Backworlds 's third and highly polished draft is supposed to go to its editor.
At the moment, I'm questioning my sanity. Because, of course, other bits of life came crashing in on top of my demanding schedule. I could be a wimp and tell both editors I need two more weeks, but I decided not to. At least not yet. There's nothing more motivating than deadlines.
And I'm blessed with some really great critique partners blasting through the second drafts of both WIPs to give me a hand in making the best polished 3rd draft of each possible. Thanks to my local partners--Mike Rettig, Ella Zane and Trudy Schoenborn who volunteered to read through the last 70 pages of Stopover. Thanks to Misha and Tony for working hard on The Backworlds. I owe you all beers.
Anyway, I'm taking a page from Leda, the main character in Semper Audacia, and I'm being bold. To do what we do, fellow writers, we must often be bold. Semper Audacia means always bold in Latin. Leda would not cower in a corner and say, "It's too much." Nope. She'd say, "Shut up and do it."
So my mantra this week has changed to, "I can do it," and, "Be bold." I will do it. I will. Then I will plan a day off sometime in March as a reward. With a beer. Woot!
Thanks to Loretta [the great artist who did a beautiful illustration for Stopover] for creating this great word bubble so I could play with Paint with a project less obsessive than a new book cover [sort of a stress release for me]. OK, I have to include the beautiful illustration:
Get your own bubble to fill with your word of choice by right clicking and saving the image below. Choose something to motivate you and keep you on track.
Thanks to Alex J. Cavanaugh for IWSG--Insecure Writers Support Group. It's not too late to sign up and join your fellow insecure writers on the first Wednesday of the month.
35 comments:
not the point I know---but what i needed today.
DO NOT PANIC :) about life.
I really like the word BOLD!
I recently made an apron with the words from Shakespeare: "Boldness... be my friend."
I'm impressed with how well you use Paint. There were a lot of curves and crevices on that doodle. You have a lot of control!
Thanks for joining in the fun. :-)
Loretta
That's great you have awesome people reading for you.
I'm sure the hard work will pay off.
Great post,I really like your article
Don't panic, you have done it before and can do it again and again.
That a impressive use of paint.
The word I would use is Search.
I would out the word PASSION in. Just seeing the word ignites a fire inside me. That's my word.
Awesome word bubble. Of COURSE you can do it! You WILL do it, and that beer in March will be extra delicious. ;)
Good Luck, Mary! Be Bold, is a great motto!
I'm filling in the bubble with OUTWARDBOUND. Well, I'm fudging a bit with my word, but that's part of its meaning, right? I'm not going to follow all of those rules this year. I'm going to make up some stuff and keep moving forward and out and up.
I'll check out the space telescope post. Sounds cool!
Panic, yeah, me too. I made the mistake of telling my readers that I'd finished the rough draft for my next book, and now they think it'll be out soon. Alas that editing stuff takes quite a while! I'm shooting for April though. ;)
I love Leda, and I'm going to think of her saying "shut up and do it" whenever I start to panic. Which is quite often, I have to admit. Good luck with the deadlines, and just keep thinking about toasting yourself with that beer in March!
Heading off to Stephen's now.
You can do it, Mary!
And at the moment I'd put the word relax in that picture.
Let's get our towels ready, Carla :)
That's a great quote, Loretta. Boldness be my friend. Thanks for the fun art project and for the beautiful art for Stopover.
It takes time to groom crit partners, Tonja. My local group has been meeting almost 3 years now...oh goodness, actually 4. Wow. Time flies. My online partners...it's been over a year.
Search is a great word, Rek, with deep meaning.
Another great word, Stephen.
I can taste it already, Nicki.
Thank you, Sammy. 3rd draft is well under way for Stopover now. Backworlds 2nd draft will be done this before the weekend is over.
Not following all the rules is a great idea, C. Lee. I think the rules [strict adherence] can rob a writer of style and voice.
First draft to second is a lot of revising & editing, Lindsay. I've been writing a simultaneous 1st & 2nd draft with Backworlds. While editing Stopover. Sometimes I forget which one I'm working on. Gah.
Aww, Leda love. Thanks, Julie. I have a tendency to panic, too. Perhaps why I tend to write bold characters. Role models for myself. lol
Thank you, Alex. Relax is a great word. I'm thinking of replacing 'bold' with a picture of a beer.
BOLD, eh?
ok! and thanks for telling me the meaning of semper audacia! (i knew semper fi meant never surrender or something...)
i love deadlines, just the thing i need to keep on track!
(i can comment on one more blog before i have to make dinner =)
Sounds like you have a handle on the editing. I copied the word bubble thingy. I've never used Paint but I think I'll give it a try.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. LOL. I don't remember much about the 80's!
I love 'be bold'. I approach too many things with a conservative layer of caution that doesn't always mesh with writing. I think the quote is a good one to go above the computer!
~Kate
Hi Tara! Semper fi is actually short for Semper Fidelis, which means always faithful or always loyal. I have daily deadlines, too, so I can get to some cyber interaction.
Have fun, Belle. I'm doing my best getting these 3rd drafts done.
Hi Beth. I remember enough. lol
Hi Kate. I need to tape it to my forehead.
How fortunate to have great critique partners. You will do it and we'll all celebrate your success.
Ugh. It never rains. It pours, right?!
I saw a bookmark at B&N the other day that said:
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.
SO applicable to my life! I have to remind myself that being a basket case and crying my eyes out won't get anything done. Unfortunately. Haha ( :
Good luck getting everything together!
"Don't Panic" is an excellent motto to have :)
My word .... would be ... hmm. That's a toughie.
It'd either be "knowledge" or "challenge" since that's what motivates me above all else.
Always a pleasure to read your work. :-)
I'd say my word is Focus. My life suddenly exploded with activity, so it's a little hard to fit get everything done.
I feeling the pressure too. I really need to get a few things approved and fast.
Not easy on my nerves.
Either omg or wtf would do nicely these days!
That counts as a word, right?
Of COURSE it does!
Ugh, I dislike when life gets in the way of writing. There should be a way to hold life back while we write. :D Or maybe freeze it so we don't miss anything.
Space telescopes are cool. I've never looked through one, but would like to.
I am fortunate, Isis. It takes some time to settle in together.
That's a great motto, Julie. Keep calm and carry on. Hugs to you.
Both of those are great words and motivations, Jamie.
No, it's not easy on ones nerves, Damian. Hope you get what you need to done.
lol Yes, those count as words, Anne.
I wish life would stay out of the way, too, Darke.
Sounds like you have a busy month. Deadlines keep me motivated as well.
The word I would use now is HOPE.
To borrow a phrase from another well-known science-fiction series (not Douglas Adams)..."to boldly go where no one has gone before..."
So yes...be bold. "Bold" is required in any science-fiction writer's arsenal if they are striving for greatness.
But panicking is so much fun! It's good for cardio too when I get to run around in circles ;)
When I read your name on Stephen's blog, I didn't put two and two together about who you are. Of course I know who M. Pax is! Duh!
Your mantra "Be bold!" is speaking to me right now. I'm chickening out about participating in a query contest. I'm such a baby.
BOLD is a great word. :)
That's a wonderful illustration! I love the whimsical feel.
'I could be a wimp and tell both editors I need two more weeks, but I decided not to. At least not yet. There's nothing more motivating than deadlines.'
Very true, M. I hope you do get your down time after all of this challenging work. I know you're more than up to the task between now and then, though.
Good luck with your deadlines! You can do it! :)
Also, thanks for sharing these beautiful illustrations. I definitely need to be BOLD as well and buckle down and get my work done!
Good for you for taking bold action! You might as well give it all you got and take your break later and I am sure you'll get it done. Cheers!
I love your attitude! Especially when it seems to be so inspiring to many others.
Post a Comment