One of the biggest things I have seen is the constant change of editors and agents. This year, Greyhaus authors saw a huge change in editorial guidance for their authors. For some, it was their first editorial change. For others, this was number ???? (we've lost count). But in each change, the authors' flexibility made the transitions from one editor to another very smooth.
Now, does this mean that being flexible means using this as a means to justify not getting something accomplished? Absolutely not! We know life will get in the way, but we find a way to overcome that obstacle and move on. We know that our computer may crash, so we borrow our kids and we keep moving. Do not make those sudden changes in plan a reason for not meeting deadlines, or getting your work done.
I have really admired one of my current authors. I will see a post from Amy Ruttan about being sick or some family crisis, and then, in the next day or two, she has jumped back to the computer, made up for lost time and charged ahead. This is how you are flexible.
Another author, Bronwyn Scott, lives an amazingly busy schedule. And yet, when she starts falling behind on a current work in progress, I will often get a FB Message post from her telling me she is starting a weekend of "doubles". In this case, she is taking care of 2 chapters a day to play catch up.
So what do you do to stay flexible? No Yoga doesn't count, although one of the trainers at my gym wants me to get to her Mixfit and Zumba classes to take care of my flexibilty (ummmmm, no). My
mental flexibility is more like Patrick Swayze but my physical flexibility is more like Chris Farley.
In any case, find a way to get flexible with your writing and take Patrick's image with you as a guide.
No comments:
Post a Comment