Michelle Styles:

My deadline of 1 November is fast approaching and I find that I keep forgetting things or absently answer my husband's question with a remark about my muddle.
Actually at the moment, I do have the story mapped out. I have figured things out which are starting to make sense. So huge relief here. But once my editor sees it, there will be REVISIONS. Editors are like that. And they do like to see that you have taken on board their concerns. Sometimes, you will make different mistakes. Sometimes their solutions are not your vision but their concerns are valid. If you can't use their solutions, find a better way! And sometimes you might not think the suggestion will work but it does make sense later on and you go -- oh, it will work!

On Friday 15 October along with other women's fiction authors, I shall be at the Haltwhistle library doing a reprise of our popular Girl's Night In panel. Last Thursday was Alnwick and several women asked when we were doing the next one. Personally they are very fun to do. We get to talk about writing and how each goes about drafting a novel. Seven different authors and guess what seven different approaches!
Apparently I am the one who does the most words. Unfortunately I had my daughter convinced that I was a slacker and all the other authors worked far harder...

The second chapters of the New Voices competition go up today and hopefully they will really develop the promise of the first chapters. It is all well and good to write a clever first chapter but it has to have a sustainable heart. And I am also hoping that a few people will get the submitting bug and will really work to hone their talent.  But the second phase of the contest is about to begin...

The manuscript is now sitting on my editor's desk. I had confirmation that it arrived. It has a lot of potential and it was the best I could make it. It will be much better AFTER I have had my editor's thoughts back. She has the knack of finding the weak spots and challenging me to make the story the best it can be. And it is all about trying to make the Story well told and a fantastic page turning read.

Last night I could have wept with exhaustion, but right now, I am on a sort of high -- a brain dead and I can't think any more high but a high nonetheless. In a few hours, I will begin to wonder at the plot holes etc.

Actually given the date of my next deadline 31 October, I do not have time to wonder. The house will get cleaned this weekend. The current index cards will come down and new faces will go up on the bulletin board.

But I made my deadline and that counts for something!

My deadline still looms.

But there again, deadlines always loom.It is part of the nature of the business, particularly when you are under contract.

Get several authors together and they will start mentioning deadlines stories. Sometimes, I get the feeling that these become a bit like -- you think that was bad, wait until you hear this...
Then you hear tales of all nighters, and being glued to the chair but in the end, they pulled off this fantastic best seller.

Normally at this point, I want to slink under the chair as I know pulling an all nighter is beyond me and it certainly will not produce much beyond gibberish. I salute each and every author who can pull this off, but it is not me. Just as getting no revisions is not me. It does not mean I am a worse writer. It simply means that I am different. And there is NO correct way to write a book.

Don't get me wrong. I hate, loathe and destest missing deadlines. I like being reliable. I think it stems from the fact that my father was always late.
I will move heaven and earth to make them, but I want to produce a quality product. So at the moment, I know this ms will be finished by the contracted deadline, but I want some time to edit and to bring it up to my standard.

And for every author, each deadline brings its own problems because each story is unique. Some write themselves and others seem to take time. This one is taking me longer for a variety of reasons. I am enjoying it and I do think in the end, it will be a fantastic read.

Ultimately editors want quality manuscripts. Editors tell tales of writers who were seventeen years late. Authors being late with delivery happens. Editors want to work with authors. They do not want them to suffer burnout.
I am currently waiting to hear back from my editor who has repeatedly said -- quality, Michelle. And deadlines are moveable feasts. Also there is a question of how late is late.

So we shall see.
And writing remains one of the best jobs in the world.