A Sweet Victory or A Photo Finish

     As the Holidays progress, time gets tighter and my writing focus gets blurred by all the lights and tinsel.  I am very close to completing the draft and preparing it for editing/binding.  In these final stages I will focus and work hard each night on writing and editing (This seems like a good time to have “Coach” give an inspiring locker room speech).  The following are notes about the deadlines for the final stages in completing the Kids’ Christmas Book.

     I’ve always been a man with ideas and dreams, often to the dereliction of other duties.  It was the minutia of details that would pose tripping points and stall projects until they faded from memory.  I always seemed to find a way to kick in the clutch while working on writing projects, papers in college or assignments at work with just enough time left to slide right in under the deadline.  That process is not conducive to a quality and productivity (Even now, I'm writing this draft at 12:02 A.M. 12/6/11 - I should be in bed!) 
     It’s easy to make lists and declare to the world; “I’m going to make it, I really am!”  It is quiet another to go against my nature, buckle down and force myself in to a spot that I can’t just walk away.  In an effort to keep my eye on the prize I created a set of deadlines for final steps in the process of this Kids’ Christmas Book.  Here is that short list of deadlines; they should see me through to the completion of the book/draft and finally sliding it over the transom.

• Complete Draft – 12/10
• Edit/Proof Draft – 12/14
• Finalize Manuscript – 12/17
• Weekly Blog Post Deadline: Tuesday 10:00 A.M (PST) – Starting: 1/3/2012
• Reevaluate d20 Adventure Deadline – 1/1/2012

     I included a specific weekly deadline for blog posts to make it more consistent for readers and hold myself to a weekly production guideline.  I will begin debuting new sections on this blog to keep sharp for weekly writing and then follow it wherever it may lead.  It won’t be anything too far off the beaten path; music or movie reviews, more script ideas or possibly some writing prompts to involve readers.
     I will also reevaluate the deadline I set for the d20 Adventure; I may have been a little too ambitious with that goal.  I have not kept up on the rules for d20 gaming and have much research to do for the game mechanics.  The storyline is fairly set in outline form, but the encounters and scenes need to be made game-ready.  It might be difficult to complete a quality Adventure with the short time frame.  On the plus side, I do have a great character name that was created by a friend back in High School… but that will come later.
     The following is a quote I found in one of Timothy Ferriss’ books.  He quoted Niccolò Machiavelli’s The Prince and I found it to be an epiphany of sorts.  I found these words comforting, in that even when I struggle and the desk (ok – the house) is littered with notebooks and various books, it is still better to strive for something.  Here is the quote:

“Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth.”

     Thanks again for checking out this blog.  Take a moment to check out some of the links to my friends’ blogs, the featured item (shamelessly plugged again!), the various ads or leave a comment.  I would really love to hear how your writing, your Christmas season or even how your day is going.  Thanks~