It makes me rush and produce half-quality works. My inspiration works at it's own pace. It comes and it goes when it pleases. I work by its bidding, now my own or my schedule's.
I came across an interesting quote from Sherwood Anderson the other day: "Writing is not an occupation. When it becomes and occupation a certain amateur spirit is gone out of it. Who wants to lose that?" The quote was cited in an essay called "Writing as a Profession" by E. B. White, who adds: "What Mr. Anderson says is pretty well true. Some of the best writings of writers, it seems to us, were done before they actually thought of themselves as engaged in producing literature. Some of the best humor of humorists was produced before ever they heard the distant laughter of their multitudes. Probably what Mr. Anderson means, more specifically, is that life is apt to be translated most accurately by a person who sees it break through the mist at unexpected moments -- a person who experiences sudden clear images." The trouble arises, he says, when a writer grasps to find these unexpected moments, even when they're not there. He concludes with "No figure is more pitiful to contemplate than a novelist with a thousand-dollar advance from a publishing house and a date when the manuscript is due. He knows he must invite his soul, but he is compelled to add: 'And don't be late, soul!'" There's a lot of truth there. When it comes to creative writing (as opposed to technical writing) I can't write to a deadline to save my life, Many years ago, I tried to do that, but I found that I was foisting off crap in order to fill a column or meet a deadline. Now I am retired and no longer under the gun, and I can afford to wait until inspiration strikes, and spend as much time in shaping the end product as I like. I would wager that most of the contributors to this forum are similarly unencumbered by deadlines. Is this something that other folks have experienced and, if so, how do you deal with it?
I hear you. I beat myself up sometimes over leaving something I've started. The chief reasons for this are: I've been on a roll and that roll's unfortunately taken me away from my plot outline and come to a stop in some corner...or I'm simply not enjoying the come down after realising a great beginning won't be matched by its ensuing middle and end. I've discovered though that if I return these kind of semi-abandonements for a refresh from time to time, they become embedded and idle in my subconscious. Then, at the oddest times, I can be struck, Eureka style, with both the solutions and the inspiration to crack back on with them. So I guess that, for me, consciously revisiting dormant projects is my way giving them a chance of resurrection.
I can't function without deadlines, whether they be self imposed or otherwise. I'm not sure if I can call myself a professional or not. I used to. I used to make more money. Novels are a new path for me, though.
These are very true points listed. I used to have deadlines when I was studying poetry in arts and humanities. That wasn't the problem but it was stressful to say the least. Nowadays I'm writing literary fiction and I have to go through several edits just to feel satisfied that I actually got something done for the night. I can't imagine doing that under a deadline, let alone a novel!
