Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Shameless Plea and a Contest!

My own deadline for the 2nd draft of HIS RELUCTANT WITNESS is Tuesday, June 2nd. I chose that day because I wanted the draft to be done before school got out and school's out June 3rd. And well, I'll be out celebrating on June 3rd, so it HAS to be done before then.

HOWEVER, I am a master procrastinator and I haven't really worked on it much since Saturday. Yet, I still have 50-70 pages to write and revise. So, I'm buckling down now. No, seriously. I need to be able to do a 3rd draft before I go to Mexico and that is coming up fast. (June 20th!)

So, I'm asking and offering here. I'm asking for positive vibes, comments, thoughts (or even a serious virtual ass-kicking) for the next week. If you comment with some kind of encouragement, prodding or question about my progress, you will be in a drawing that ends Tuesday, June 2nd at 11:59 pm! And what is the prize you ask?

Two books by my friend and awesome writer, Tracy Wolff! I have her latest erotic suspense, Tease Me, and her last Harlequin Super Romance, From Friend to Father. If you visit her blog and comment there, let me know and you'll get a bonus entry into the contest for the books!

19 comments:

Natalie Murphy said...

You can do it! 50-70 pages is nothing if you set your mind to it! Just think, once you're done you get to go to MEXICO!

*so jealous*

Lexi said...

Wow, at the rate I'm going I won't finish the book and Natalie, you'll end up being the winner since no one else is leaving comments!

Debra Sanders said...

Natalie is right...50-70 pages is nothing. Ten pages a day and you're done in a week. If you make short term goals, its not so intimidating. Give yourself a little reward at the end of each day for meeting your goal, even if its something as simple as sitting down and watching two hours of TiVoed shows. Guilt free, of course, because it IS your reward! You can do this, Lexi.

Maeve Greyson said...

Stop blogging and get busy, young lady! 50-70 pages is nothing for a talented author such as you. Now get that muse into over-drive and hut-hut-hut! :)

Jackie H said...

Go Lexi! Just think... only one more week of teacher who writes... and then you're a full time writer (at least for awhile, right?)! So get your bun in the chair and your hands on the keyboard and prove that this is who you ARE! I'll even challenge you. I'm working on a 2nd draft of Angel of Air and Earth. Wanna see who gets the next 60ish pages done first?? I know you're working and I'm not, but I'll be out of town for the first 5 days of the next week, so time-wise we should be pretty balanced (unless you kick ass fast - I'll be zipping through my 60 starting Tuesday) Race you to June 3...

Nicole North said...

I'm cheering you on, Lexi!! I know you can accomplish anything you set out to. Like someone else said, set short term goals of x number of pages to revise or add per day. Don't stop until you get those done for the day, then reward yourself. No cleaning out closets and such time wasters allowed. :) Best of luck! And enjoy Mexico!

Anonymous said...

Your frustration is what is keeping you from finishing. Relax, and put the deadline out of your mind, and let the words flow. I'm in a similar situation, I need a 5 page synopsis for our contest by June 1. Put on some soft music, some beach sounds and type away. Mexico is the prize. Good Luck.

April said...

You can do it, Lexi! At the end of each writing day (session?) make a few notes for yourself for where you will pick up in the morning (or next session).

Reward yourself for work done.

When you need to get up and take a break, move around, do a few simple chores and go back to writing.

If all else fails, 15 minutes writing, 5 minute break, over and over can make a huge difference. The pages do add up plus at some point you may go into the zone without even realizing it.

Go Lexi!!!

Anita Clenney said...

Come on, Lexi. you can do it. I'm a procrastinator and the only way I can get moving is to get excited. So think about what made you want to write this story in the first place and recapture that spark. Sometimes it helps me to change something in the story, add an exciting element and that gets me all revved up.

Unknown said...

You can do it, Lexi! Set small goals each day and you won't feel overwhelmed. Write until you're finished and then go have fun in Mexico!

Eliza Knight said...

Get to work woman!!!! I wanna see you pitching that completed manuscript in Orlando! Printed, even a little dusty from sitting on your desk since the 2nd of June and ready to hand it over to the ready and eager agent/editor!

Katie said...

As one procrastinator to another, I know you can do it! I'm one of those who, no matter how many goals I set, I always miss them, but I somehow manage to squeak it out in the end when the drop-dead moment arrives. Just think of each day as that "drop-dead" moment, and it should motivate you, even if thoughts of Mexico don't!

Paisley Kirkpatrick said...

Sounds to me that you have plenty of motivation - those hunks on the beach in Mexico. Ten pages a day doesn't sound impossible and think of how relieved you're going to be relaxing on your holiday with finishing the story behind you.

Good luck, Lexi!!

Gossip Cowgirl said...

I do love week-long motivational experiences! :-) Or month-long.

I will definitely keep stoppying by and giving you encouragement.

You can do this. And I'm here to cheer you on!! :-)

Oh, and I just sent your Walker's, so you'll soon have some cookies to spur your creativity. :-)

Anonymous said...

Write...Write....Write...You know it's the most fun you'll have all week!

Lexi said...

Thanks, everybody! I don't feel so lonely anymore and I'm happy to report I've been writing! I've still got a lot of work ahead of me for the 2nd draft, but I've got a 3-day weekend with nothing to do except write, relax and try to get rid of this cold/allergy thing that's been with me for a week now! I'll let you know how it goes.

Sherry Thomas said...

Hi Lexi,

Here's my foot, and here's my bootprint on your backside. :-)

Good job so far but no resting on your laurels. Get thee to your keyboard, writer!

(And you don't have to put me in the contest. I already have Tracy's books.)

Jane Sevier said...

Come on, girl! I know you, and I know you can do it.

I had a couple of June 1 deadlines, and I knocked one of them out yesterday. Na na na na! I'll race you for the other one.

Kristen L said...

Thank you for the opportunity to procrastinate my own writing to help you stop procrastinating your own! Now that's friendship. Or is it co-dependency? Whatever. Wow - look what happens when you just sit down to write and stop thinking about writing. I've already written more here than I have on my own manuscript today. . .thank you for the inspiration. I'm going to go start writing. Now. Bye. I'm going. Really. I'm gone. Seriously. I'm outta here. . .