Welcome to
the second edition of IWSG for 2015. Yes, it's here already, and the
scary thought is I'll be introducing you to December's edition before
you know it.
But enough
of wishing the time away, instead I'd like to give you a quick
introduction to me. I was out of the bloggy loop for the end of 2014
and I missed the memo that asked us to say a few words about
ourselves in the New Year IWSG post. So, I'm doing it now instead,
better late than never, eh?
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My intro ...
I
live in England in rural Norfolk, and my regular day job is working
for a world-class scientific research facility in Norwich,
concentrating mainly on DNA sequencing.
I'm currently on maternity leave, having had my second daughter in June last year, to go with my six year old daughter. Two children is definitely enough, after all you only have two hands, right?
Writing is a hobby for me at the moment, but I'm doing more all the time and eventually I'd like to earn enough to give up the day job. I don't need to earn millions (although it'd be nice), just enough for what I need.
So, that's
me! It's been fun getting to know you all too, and long may it
continue.
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So,
recently I've been insecure about missing task deadlines. It used to
happen a lot, with the result that I felt like a failure, and the
effect is cumulative.
I start off
with great intentions (don't we all?), marking out in my diary
everything I need to get done and when I'm going to do it. I always
plan in advance, with plenty of time to draft and edit before
submission dates approach. A detailed diary plan is all very well, of
course, until something unexpected happens ...
I'm slowly
learning to be prepared for flexibility when it comes to these
things. If something happens to delay a task, then I need to just
reassess and re-jig the plans a little.
I realise
this is a straightforward and simple solution, but it just hasn't
occurred to me before for some reason. I know it's good to try and
get things planned out in advance, and then if I do look like missing
the deadline I can just adjust to fit it in elsewhere.
Just like
any other creature on this planet has to adapt to its new
environment, as a writer I need to learn to adapt my tasks to fit in
around every day life. At the moment, this feels like my new
environment.
I think
some of it, though, also has to do with my (supposed) OCD. I just
don't feel comfortable crossing things off without doing them, it
just doesn't seem natural. But I need to stop worrying about this
sort of ridiculous thing. After all, my diary isn't necessarily
messy, it's just a reflection of a working writers tool, right?
RIGHT?
For more information on the amazing entity that is the Insecure Writers Support Group, click on the link and head over. Here you will find the list of who's participating and it's well worth a browse to see what everyone's insecurities are. Trust me, you're not alone, there are plenty of us on the same wavelength.
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For more information on the amazing entity that is the Insecure Writers Support Group, click on the link and head over. Here you will find the list of who's participating and it's well worth a browse to see what everyone's insecurities are. Trust me, you're not alone, there are plenty of us on the same wavelength.
Happy IWSG Day!
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I have a timetable on my computer, kind of like a diary, that I put all of my tasks for the day in. Whenever I don't complete a task, I move it to the next day instead - no messy crossings out! It works for me, anyway :)
ReplyDeleteOoh, I may have to investigate this, a timetable to move things would be great! Thanks for the tip.
DeleteWe all have to adjust our schedules to match our unique personalities. For example, I just can't move on to the next chapter (during a first draft) until I've edited the previous chapter significantly. Everyone says not to do it, but I just can't help it. So I've learned to plan around it. Don't let missed tasks bog you down. You're still moving forward and that's all that counts.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, Ken. I'm getting better with it each week, and maybe one day I'll hit a deadline without having to shift it first.
DeleteI'd have a hard time crossing off something I hadn't done yet.
ReplyDeleteI tend to do things way in advance, just in case. I'm a natural procrastinator, so I try to counter that.
That's a habit I'm trying to get myself into, but it's proving harder than I first thought ...
DeleteCongrats on the new baby. I hate missing deadlines too. It is hard for me to move on when something is left undone.
ReplyDeleteActually...hitting my deadlines is one of my strong points. Doesn't mean I still don't procrastinate. :)
ReplyDeleteUnless it's day-job related, I give myself flexibility to my deadlines. Even if I don't reach them, I'm proud they were 1.) set and 2.) nearly reached. No one here is superhuman (step aside, Clark Kent) so be proud of what you're doing and don't come down too hard on yourself. Nice to meet you!
ReplyDelete