Yesterday evening, the editing deal went through. I now have an advance payment, a manuscript, I’ve agreed to an NDA, I’ve been briefed on publisher and author expectations (along with the themes and marketing angles planned for the book), and I have a deadline. In an earlier post, I identified deadlines (with something at stake) as a “something that works” (for me).
This is only the second time I’ve been under a professional deadline. It worked great the first time, but will it work again? Even as I type, I feel the constant gravity of my situation. That gravity is doing its job, because I’ve already gotten a jumpstart on the project. I’m confident it’ll not only be done on time, but done well.
Still, a deadline looms just a few weeks away. The stakes are the other half of the payment … along with not burning bridges with my colleagues in the writing industry. I’ve been trusted to do this, and I’ll keep you in the loop, letting you know how well it goes (while keeping to the NDA, of course).
What’s more, this is the first money I’ve ever been paid as a writer! I was just paid to do my hobby. And I must say, it felt pretty good.
Nick Enlowe 