Deadline Day

As you can see, today is March 31. As you may also see, Conventions is not out today. However, I knew a few weeks ago that the deadline was going to have to give – by a few days or weeks.

I had set “March 31” as publication day in my head sometime late last summer. If I may offer one piece of writing advice based on my own experience, it is this: you must give yourself a deadline that you take seriously. It focuses you on finishing the work. Without one, I assure you that you will drift – and may never finish your book.

Screen shot of Kindle site.

If you discipline yourself, you can write between 75,000-95,000 words (about 250-350 pages) within 18 months. Indeed, you can probably do it quicker than that. Regardless, going at it with a solid timescale in mind keeps you thinking realistically.

If you follow that type of discipline, by the end of those “18 months” you can truly shout to all around you: “I have a novel!”

I targeted March 31 also knowing there would probably be “hitches” at the last minute. The novel is with my “editor” and is essentially finished, but one reason for the delay is I’m still awaiting a paperback proof copy. (It was supposed to be here earlier in the week.) Until I see how a “real” copy looks – the cover especially – I never consider a novel completed and ready for readers. Once the proof turns up, I’ll need at least a few days scribbling through that as well, and probably making some last minute corrections.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSLStIyAI3B/?taken-by=rjnello

This may be most interesting to my (underground society of) writer pal followers who use Kindle, too. You know who you are. When I opened KDP for the first time the other day to upload the e-version of the novel, I hadn’t been inside the site in probably a year and a half.

I was shocked. My first thought: they’ve moved the furniture around! I felt like I had last looked at it back during the “Stone Age” … in 2015.

But it feels improved. It’s easier, I think, to use, more ordered and organized. Some things tech-wise DO get better!😂

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Have a good weekend, wherever you are in the world.😊