Summoning My Accountability Buddies: Because Sometimes Writers Need Deadlines, ep 360

Jess here. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I know how my brain works, which is to say it doesn’t, unless a hard and fast deadline looms large in my calendar. I’ve been known to tell my agent or editor to expect chapters on a given day, or I plan to have a completed book proposal to her by X date three weeks hence, but this spring, I’ve decided to call in my writer reinforcements.

I summoned KJ and Sarina to a study room in the Howe Library in Hanover, NH on a very rainy day in late April because I needed their help. I needed them to hold me to dates and words and pages, and without being prompted, they pulled out their planners and dutifully asked me what dates to circle in brightly colored ink.

I now have deadlines, and actual human beings to bug me about them, for various stages of my novel-in-progress, and I will not - can not - let them down.

This, dear listeners, is what accountability buddies are for.

Come along for the ride and, as a bonus, learn about all kinds of Scrivener tools and tricks I plan to employ along the way.

“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” - Terry Pratchett

Links:

Scrivener, in case you are one of the unconverted.

#AmReading

Jess: Sarina Bowen’s Brooklyn Bruisers series (and Jess’ comfort reads)

Underland by Robert Macfarlane

A review of Underland by Robert Macfarlane (by Terry Tempest Williams) in the New York Times.

Sarina: Happy Place by Emily Henry

KJ: The Candid Life of Meena Dave by Namrata Patel

Sarina’s progress trees:

Jess’ Accountability Bunny:

Accountability buddies:

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