Comments on: 9 by 99 in 2009 Update http://www.routinesforwriters.com/2009/07/20/9-by-99-in-2009-update/ helping writers write more Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:10:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stephanie’s Musings » Blog Archive » 9 by 99 in 2009 update http://www.routinesforwriters.com/2009/07/20/9-by-99-in-2009-update/comment-page-1/#comment-1033 Stephanie’s Musings » Blog Archive » 9 by 99 in 2009 update Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:27:07 +0000 http://www.routinesforwriters.com/?p=1356#comment-1033 [...]         This week on Routines For Writers I posted an update of my 9 x 99 in 2009 project. I’m behind, but I’m getting things done. I don’t want to give the same update here, as this [...] [...]         This week on Routines For Writers I posted an update of my 9 x 99 in 2009 project. I’m behind, but I’m getting things done. I don’t want to give the same update here, as this [...]

]]> By: Stephanie Shackelford http://www.routinesforwriters.com/2009/07/20/9-by-99-in-2009-update/comment-page-1/#comment-1030 Stephanie Shackelford Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:48:21 +0000 http://www.routinesforwriters.com/?p=1356#comment-1030 Maybe. That's actually a lesson I've been learning all my life. I regularly think I can do more than can actually fit in a given time span. I've gotten better at estimating the time I need to finish things, though, so that's only part of the issue. I think a bigger part of the reason these projects are lagging is because I "set them in stone" so to speak. I said I couldn't change projects until the end of the 99 days. Right after committing to that, several things happened that took my time away from these tasks. Appropriate things, such as a mission opportunity and a cousin moving in to take over the Lodge, but things that left little room for my stated committed goals. Lesson? Leave some "flex" room in my plans. Maybe. That’s actually a lesson I’ve been learning all my life. I regularly think I can do more than can actually fit in a given time span. I’ve gotten better at estimating the time I need to finish things, though, so that’s only part of the issue.

I think a bigger part of the reason these projects are lagging is because I “set them in stone” so to speak. I said I couldn’t change projects until the end of the 99 days. Right after committing to that, several things happened that took my time away from these tasks. Appropriate things, such as a mission opportunity and a cousin moving in to take over the Lodge, but things that left little room for my stated committed goals.

Lesson? Leave some “flex” room in my plans.

]]> By: Kitty Bucholtz http://www.routinesforwriters.com/2009/07/20/9-by-99-in-2009-update/comment-page-1/#comment-1028 Kitty Bucholtz Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:29:27 +0000 http://www.routinesforwriters.com/?p=1356#comment-1028 It seems to me, Steph, that one of the other things you're learning by default is how much time things take and how much of your own work you can do in a certain period of time (outside of your family and other responsibilities). One of the biggest issues for a writer is to figure out a schedule - we often don't really know how long it's going to take us to finish a book, but editors and agents are going to hold us to the times we say we can produce a finished work. I'm finding that I can't do as many different things during one time (99 days or a weekend or whatever) as I think I can. Good to know as I prepare to go back to school - I won't be able to do much else but schoolwork and writing. No horse time, no musical commitments, no church commitments. It's difficult to say no to things, but better than disappointing people. And far better than risking your reputation by not turning in a book on deadline. What do you think? Are you seeing the same thing, that you can't do as much as you thought you could in 99 days? It seems to me, Steph, that one of the other things you’re learning by default is how much time things take and how much of your own work you can do in a certain period of time (outside of your family and other responsibilities). One of the biggest issues for a writer is to figure out a schedule – we often don’t really know how long it’s going to take us to finish a book, but editors and agents are going to hold us to the times we say we can produce a finished work.

I’m finding that I can’t do as many different things during one time (99 days or a weekend or whatever) as I think I can. Good to know as I prepare to go back to school – I won’t be able to do much else but schoolwork and writing. No horse time, no musical commitments, no church commitments. It’s difficult to say no to things, but better than disappointing people. And far better than risking your reputation by not turning in a book on deadline.

What do you think? Are you seeing the same thing, that you can’t do as much as you thought you could in 99 days?

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