Deadlines Changed My Writing Life

& A June Book Update

Hi everyone! It’s been a really exciting year and I’ve written SO much, which is part of what this update is going to be about — deadlines.

But first, can we talk about how everyone is saying that an em dash means something was written by AI? The English degree girlies like me are upset! We just like em dashes! They’re great! (I honestly have so many negative thoughts about AI that I need to write down at some point but it echoes everyone else’s sentiments — it sucks, big time).

Ok so let’s talk about deadlines and then I’ll give a book update near the end?

DEADLINES! Definitely turns out they’re my friend as an adult. It’s funny, because I went to a self paced high school where I dictated when and how to create my own deadlines which not only helped me in uni, but I also think it’s helping me immensely now.

I think a LOT of people struggle with being able to set their own deadlines and actually stick to them, but there’s nothing like having to “carry over” a class as a punishment that helped me actually believe my own deadlines. (Carrying over a class meant you didn’t submit all 20 units before the end of term and therefore had to take it again the next term to finish the course, at which point you’d just…have one less class?? or have been starting one late?? Idk I never carried anything over because I was an anxious, autistic girl whose entire personality was her intelligence).

So here’s the situation. I spent years trying to finish my first book, I didn’t impose deadlines and I let myself and my creativity flow. That’s what you’re supposed to do, I thought.

Wrong.

At least for me. I simply was not getting it done, and I realized one day that if I didn’t impose a deadline and take it seriously then it would never get done.

I should have remembered that I thrive in a gamified situation, and the moment I said “The Iron Hex needs to be done by X date,” was the day that I started powering through words and racing through chapters.

(As a caveat, I will say that this wouldn’t have been as effective if I hadn’t written a synopsis, but I’ll make another point about how I can’t live without a synopsis soon).

I found that it didn’t stunt my creativity, but helped it thrive. Giving myself a hard deadline (the punishment being letting myself down — the worst of all) meant that I could have focused creativity, which I’ve learned is the real way for me to create effectively.

When I didn’t have a self imposed deadline I was living in this world of creativity that only resulted in my coming up with new stories all the time and never finishing the ones I was working on.

I’m not saying deadlines work for everyone, but I am saying that they work exceptionally well for me and they’re the reason you are going to get THE IRON HEX next summer.

Speaking of which! Let’s talk updates!

I don’t have much for you right now. HAHAHA.

Big things are happening behind the scenes and I hate being the person that says, “Keep an eye out” but KEEP AN EYE OUT!

No idea when any of this is going to come down the pipeline, but as soon as I have pre-order links I’ll make sure I share them and I’m so excited to give you all details on release day (I know what it is but I’m not allowed to share and it’s KILLING me). There’s going to be a lot of exciting stuff happening in the next six months and then it’ll be half a year until summer and then you’ll have my book!!

Right now I’m waiting for edits from my editor back, so I’ll be in edit mode for THE IRON HEX very very soon. Thinking of running away to a cabin to crack down on edits and also because it’s summer. Also considering letting my parents take my dog for a handful of days so I can work without any interruption — I think I’ll know better once I get my eyes on the amount of edits that need to be made. Cabin sounds nice but also there are mosquitos at a cabin. And probably bears. But…a lake…much to think about.

For my secret project! No updates there yet. I’m finishing up the first 100 pages and then I’ll be pivoting to THE IRON HEX 2 (yes I have a name for it, no I’m not sharing the name). If anything happens with that I will absolutely let each and every one of you know.

I think….that’s it? It’s honestly so amazing and also so crazy that I get to use this substack as a method of sharing book updates now. Dream come true.

OH! I commissioned art for the 3 POV characters in THE IRON HEX so you can get a sense of what they look like. It’s not done yet (it’s not started tbf) but as soon as it is I’ll be sharing!!

Ok that’s all! See you all next time!

With love,
Vic