I chew my fingernails.
I hog the bed.
You don’t want to know when my driver’s license expired.
I drink way too much coffee.
I gave up sugar for a full year, and then gave up giving up sugar.
I lock up when I’m in a crowd of people.
Talking on the phone is really, really hard for me. Seriously. If you call me, and I actually answer, it’s a small miracle, and you should probably go buy a lottery ticket.
Issues, people. I have issues.
Right now, the issue that is staring me in the face, that is keeping me up at night, that is following me around like a shadow, is this one:
I did not set an unrealistic deadline for myself. I just flat-out couldn’t make the words come in time. So they stacked up, and stacked up and stacked up and now…well, you can see for yourself. I’m a turtle writer, not a jackrabbit, and there’s NO WAY I could ever, in my wildest dreams, finish this book on time. Now I’m looking at the necessity of having to push this deadline – and the release – of this book back. Ack-ack-ack-ack-ack. Cue Billy Joel song:
I’ve given myself an extra month. That puts my daily word count at a do-able level, which immediately takes my stress level down a notch. Now if I can kick this feeling of failure to the curb and just get on with it, I’ll be in business.
Thanks for hanging in my corner, and cheering me on…even in the failures. Big ol’ fatty hugs for all of you.
Myndi Shafer 
Thought #1: Goals are good, but one of the joys of being self-published is that we don’t have to accept the crap our brains produce when the muse is not in the mood, just because we have a deadline.
Thought #2: You have more on your plate than any five people I know combined. I’m amazed that you can find the time and mental energy to write at all!
Ease up on yourself there, babe! {{{HUGS}}}
Kass
*hugs* Miss Kass. I totally needed to hear that. *doublehugs*
😀 P.S. I love the Billy Joel song!
It’s a good-un.
I can totally understand where you’re coming from. But you’ll get’er done. I hope you don’t have to do what I did and push the deadline out two months.
OHMYGOSH, Angela, I bet that was so tough for you to do! *hugs* Crazy how life sometimes has it’s own ideas about time and goals…
You’re doing great. S***, you’ve written two novels. You have so much stuff going for you that I take notes.
Thanks, Tim! ❤
Oh buddy, it happens! Just keep on going and it will get done. The fact that you’re even setting deadlines is awesome! Keep it up!
Oh, man – I’d never complete ANYTHING if I didn’t set deadlines. I just skip through life half-way finished with everything. ❤
Given that you’re raising young kids, I think you’re doing fabulous, Myndi.
I hate deadlines. Especially the self-imposed ones that I announce to the world…and then miss. I have you beat on missing them though. The fourth book in my series was due out in July. Then August. Then September. Now I’m pushing for late October. Between a stubborn and completely mute muse and getting some thyroid issues under control, it just wasn’t happening. In fact, it’s barely happening now.
I’m back to telling myself I’ll never set a public deadline again. But I will. And I’ll probably miss 90% of them. But that’s okay. The writing will get done faster than if I’d not had a plan…and in the end, that’s why we set them. So I hereby set the goal for my next book for December 1st…2035. Okay, that was a joke, Muse. A joke. 🙂
LOL Be careful what you put out there in the universe, Kristy!
LOL…that’s why I reminded the Muse that I was joking. My next goal is December 2013. Fortunately that’s about a third of the way done. 🙂
Rootin’ for ya, Kristy! *waves pom-poms*
Hey, Kristy! My next goal is mid December, too. I may begin stalking you to see how you’re doing.
Myndi! Be kind to yourself. You failed to meet THAT deadline, that doesn’t make you a failure. Good grief! My progress is slow, and I have no cutie-patooties running about wanting to be fed, dressed, bathed, taught, and bathed. You’re a rock star!
You’ll get it done.
*hugs* Thanks, Miss Gloria! Love you!
Thanks, Myndi! Gloria…stalking me may be a waste of valuable time. I can’t tell you how many things I’ve found to do tonight…except write. But I’m on it now. Well, after I straighten my desk, scrub the toilet, sweep down cobwebs, and wax the van… 😀
Stalking, when done with vigor and dedication, is never a waste of time. *giggle, snort*
I am sending you positive energy….grab it and keep it in progressive motion 🙂 Hey, sometimes making progress is defined by taking steps backwards. Keep up the good work! I’m cheering for you!
I’ll take the good vibes – thanks!
Don’t be too hard on yourself. I’m there right now as well. Work deadlines and life prevented me from getting as far ahead on my book as I wanted. It’s written but the edits are coming so slowly I want to cry. But I’ll get there and so will you, and in the long run, it won’t matter if we were a little slower about it 🙂
Aw, hang in there Marcy! It’s so tough when life – the parts that we have no control over – get in the way. It’s like griping about the weather – you can’t do a dang thing to change it, but sometimes it makes progress and/or coping pretty tough. I’m in your corner, though, girl, if you are ever in need of a cheerleader. ❤
Try to acknowledge all you DID accomplish. I know it’s a lot because we ‘see’ you on FB, Missy!! Now see if you can find the areas where you are spinning your wheels, doing a lot, feeling stressed, and not getting much done. Can you eliminate that from your life, or change it to be more productive. Honor your writing self and your word count daily … Like it’s a healthy you need to keep going.
**see ginger copying this advice and emailing to herself.**
Together??? Don’t make me call you. 😉
*grin* That’s a phone call I’d be cool taking. Well, cool-ish. I’d probably giggle my ass off.
Try to acknowledge all you DID accomplish. I know it’s a lot because we ‘see’ you on FB, Missy!! Now see if you can find the areas where you are spinning your wheels, doing a lot, feeling stressed, and not getting much done. Can you eliminate that from your life, or change it to be more productive. Honor your writing self and your word count daily … Like it’s a healthy you need to keep going.
**see ginger copying this advice and emailing to herself.**
Together??? Don’t make me call you. 😉
Left off ‘meal’ … Like a healthy MEAL. We don’t skip those, do we? 😉
Ummmm…
No, never. We NEVER skip meals.
*ducks head in shame*
Hang in there! I know those moments are so frustrating. I’ve missed deadlines too, and I tend to throw a short pity party before regrouping and marching on. Hope those words come to you! Best wishes, Myndi, for your release…whenever it comes.
Thanks Julie. I think those mini-pity parties can be cathartic. Like a tiny little funeral where you can acknowledge all those yucky feelings, and then leave them behind when it’s all over. I know I’m feeling much better after having vented a little, and now that I’ve regrouped and am facing a feasible task, I’m much more optimistic. 🙂
I love the way you put this (You must be a writer! teehee) The pity parties are basically acknowledging the feelings so you can let them go. Definitely psychologically valid, my dear!!
How brave of you Myndi to put your feelings out there. Really girl, I am in awe. This is the reason why I decided to name the theme of my blog, “Life Happens.” Cuz it does. You cannot beat yourself up about this. Let’s be thankful girl at what you have already accomplished. Wow, your a great Mom and wife. You’re writing fantastic books with one on the way. There’s only twenty-four hours in a day Myndi and we can’t change that for nothing. So don’t take the joy out of what you’re doing! Enjoy every moment with those babies and your characters. It will happen when it happens and the story will be all the better for it. Smile, you’re doing great! 🙂
Thanks for the sweet encouragement, Karen! *hugs*
I am with you on the phone thing. I don’t know why, but it intimidates me. Which is opposite of how I was in high school and practically was tied to the darn thing.
And though I don’t drink coffee, I drink WAY too much Diet Coke.
Don’t beat yourself up about your deadline. Though we are all very anxious to read your next book, we also know that you have FOUR children and I know how busy days can be with littles running around and into everything. 🙂