Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The value of a deadline



Ever wonder where "deadline" comes from? As a person who lives for deadlines, the first definition cracks. me. up. In this publishing thing that we do, just about every day is a deadline for something. To my knowledge, no one's been shot for missing one but that was before I knew it was acceptable behavior. I've been called a slave driver, maybe prison guard is more accurate.

To everyone who works for me, any prison comments better be good and funny. That's all I'm sayin'.

dead·line (-līn′)

noun

1. ☆ Historical-a line around a prison beyond which a prisoner could go only at the risk of being shot by a guard
2. ☆ a boundary which it is forbidden to cross
3. ☆ the latest time by which something must be done or completed a deadline for payment, publication, etc.


I started all this to say that I was forced to turn in my entries for the writer's contest sponsored by the small Christian writers group that I've been visiting. Forced to because I wasn't quite ready. That's where the deadline kicks in and it's a good thing. I could agonize over the same 2,000 words of fiction for years or I could call it "good enough" in view of the deadline and let it rip. Thank you, deadline! Even though I am firmly convinced that those 2,000 words were not good enough to let out into the world with my name attached, at least they're gone. And as this is the first fiction I've allowed out into the world with my name attached, I'm curious to see how they fly. The nonfiction, that I'm a little more sure of. It still may not measure up, but I release nonfiction into the world daily. I have another chance to get it right. And no one shoots me for posting a little late. Thank goodness!

1 comment:

Mundane Jane said...

They may not let YOU shoot anyone, but you, my dear, are far from safe.

Get a helmet, and watch your calendar.

Send me your fiction. I wanna see. I won't be mean--I don't even try fiction anymore.