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Two Down, Two To Go
 By Delilah Devlin Novellas, that is. I completed Hot Blooded for the Tempting the Cowboy anthology yesterday. Took a break from writing today to clean house since I’d neglected it while I wrote like an insane person. Now my desk is shiny, my office smells fresh—I’m ready to tackle the next project, which is the final two novellas in my single-author anthology called Texas Men—also for Kensington. Most of the writers I know work like I do—in a frenzied rush to make a deadline. We whine and dream and whine some more, but at the end, we have a book. I’ve had many careers in my life—was an officer in the Army, a comptroller at a large car dealership, a project planner in an IT department for a financial corporation—and while I often found myself having to produce under the influence of adrenaline, nothing compares to the “writer’s rush.” We live in fear that we won’t make that deadline, or that the book sucks, or that readers don’t connect with our covers and pass it on the bookshelf. Any of these can quickly tank a career. We prefer to live in our dreams and write when we’re inspired, but frankly, sometimes we have to write when we don’t have the muse whispering in our ears. My sister Myla Jackson has a mantra she repeats whenever she hears me whine about not being able to write at peak every day that I sit down at the computer—”I can’t revise a blank page; I can revise crap”—or something like that, and she’s so right. I like to think I write a perfect first draft every time, but that isn’t true. So, while I get my mind wrapped around the next writing marathon does anyone have a new mantra or advice that will keep me plugging away? 21 Responses to “Two Down, Two To Go” |
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August 8th, 2008 at 9:06 am
You need a new mantra? Just keep saying - my readers love me, my readers love me!!
August 8th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Debra!
That one just might work! LOL
August 8th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Another one is “they love my books!”
August 8th, 2008 at 9:43 am
More cowboys! Love cowboys! Here is a great quote about writing. :mrgreen:
The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous feeling of the words being there, written in invisible ink and clamoring to become visible. ~Vladimir Nabakov
August 8th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Debra’s will work for you, for sure! But if you don’t believe that, you can borrow Ann Lamott’s immortal words: “shi**y first draft” (_Bird by Bird_, one of my favorite books on writing). I took it as an order not to write a perfect first draft, and it liberated me!
August 8th, 2008 at 11:09 am
You could also use, “if I don’t write, my readers will hound me to death”
August 8th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Enjoyed reading the comments.. I was interested in knowing that your sister is also a writer. I have read books by both of you..
August 8th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Eva!
Thanks for the mantra!!
Amy!
Ooh! That gives me a wild idea for a short story!
Masha!
That is good. I think sis was trying to be more polite.
Renee!
Ain’t that the truth!!
Joye!
Yup–my sis has a split personality. She writes the sexy stuff as Myla Jackson and the sweeter suspense as Elle James.
August 8th, 2008 at 11:38 am
Here is a modified version of what I tell my hubby who also rights. Just write words, any damn words, if it doesn’t work you can revise it. Just write the damn words. Of course this is after he’s gone on about it for four hours straight and I’ m done listening. :razz:
August 8th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Hi,Delilah,first I wanted to say that I love your books, next is sometimes,if I am focusing
to hard on a problem,I have to back up,take a few moments & just breath,clear my head of it,just 5 minutes of deep breathing,then when I go back to it,I can see it from a fresh perspective. I hope this helps.
Cindy
August 8th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Sarah!
Sounds like great advice!
Cindy!
It’s always good to breathe! :mrgreen:
August 8th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
DD, well, I’m just quoting another writer. Can’t misquote now, can I??
August 8th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Mash!
TeeHee! Especially when it’s blunt and goes straight to the point!!
August 8th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
You know your brain is just full of the story, just think about whats happening and start writing. Write as you imagine it. I’m so waiting on that book about cowboys. I need to find one of my own!
August 8th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
You need a new mantra? Just keep saying - my readers love me, my readers love my stories !!You know your brain is just full of the story, just think about whats happening and start writing. Write as you imagine it. I’m so waiting on that book about cowboys. I need to find one of my own! Writing is all about imagination. It is a work of creativity and you are very creative.
August 8th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Advice on how to keep hammering away is actually something I can use not advice on. Nigella Lawson, who is a great cook and writer always said that she would anything to get away just for a sew minutes from deadlines, even iron shirt :grin:
And as long as you have doubts that you are doing things right believe me it means that you are
As long as you keep producing those great books its an indication for sure that whatever you are doing is working
August 8th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Yea DD, can’t wait to read Hot Blooded. I can hear my mom’s mantra whispering in my ear to inspire me, “Those who hesitate are lost”. Always keep the forward motion, even if it’s baby steps, and your goals will be one day closer.
August 8th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Lisa!
Thanks! I hope you like my cowboys!!
Rasha!
Always lovely to “see” you! Thanks for the vote of confidence.
Cathy!
Your mama’s mantra sounds like the pseudo-Confucian saying, “You snooze-you lose.”
August 8th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Hi sis! Just finished my March Harlequin Intrigue (pen name Elle James). Now I want to finish another one for Elloras Cave before I move on to my next Intrigue. Write! Write! Write!
August 9th, 2008 at 8:32 am
Writiners!
Thanks for encouraging me!
Sis!
Can’t have you being more productive than me! Sibling rivalry works!
August 12th, 2008 at 2:37 am
I’ll be borrowing that mantra this month. :)