How to Organize Deadlines 😅
A newsletter about writing, art and living more creatively
I was recently speaking with a writer friend about how we work best under deadlines. Some people don't! Some of us love to procrastinate, others space their work out just perfectly!
I've got deadlines in my full-time job and my freelance work. But I also set my own sometimes when it comes to the memoir writing I'm working on and the pitches I want to send out.
Here are some tips I've found useful for staying on top of deadlines:
Use a physical planner: Not everyone loves this BUT I've found it useful. MOSTLY because I also include time I want to TAKE OFF. That way, when I hit a dealdine, and emphatically cross it off my list, I can see that I've alloted myself some time to unwind in the near future.
Use an excel sheet: Here's mine. I also use another section to keep track of lit mag submissions and when I expect to hear back — and where I've sent the same idea or piece (if I'm doing multiple submissions). The major template points comes from Women Who Submit.
Find an accountability buddy: A friend recently SET A REMINDER in her calendar to text me and ask if I finished edits I needed to get done. This was super helpful because it was a self-imposed deadline; I needed to get the edits done but it wasn't like a strict due date.
Set calendar reminders: I like to do this in my physical planner, too. Like "start working on artist profile story" or "edits on artist story" — days ahead of my actual deadline. So I create smaller deadlines along the way.
What do you use to keep you on track? Hope this helps!
In my own work, I recently wrote about ceramics studio POT LA and had my first non-fiction/memoir essay in the literary magazine PANK.
Your favorite small but feisty writer,
Eva
Banner design by Ludi Leiva ✨
What I'm Reading
Books:
🍕 The Best American Food Writing 2019 (essays) // Read if you're a foodie or if you love learning more about food history.
*I receive a small affiliate commission if you buy through these links via Bookshop, which donates 10% of sales to participating indie bookstores.
On the Web:
📷 Creating in Crisis: On Photography, Mayeli Villalba
🎬 Chinatownland
🎨 Painter Luchita Hurtado, Who Became an Art Star In Her Late 90s, Has Died at 99
Opportunities of the Month
UndoQ Lens Filmmakers Fellowship
Applications due Sept 9
More info here
Tusen Takk 2021 Artist Residency
Applications due Sept 15
More info here
SAFTA Writers Residency
LGBTQIA+ Literary Fellowship
Applications due Sept 15
More info here
MCAD–Jerome Foundation
Fellowships for Early Career Artists
Applications due Sept 18
More info here
NYFA Fiscal Sponsorship
(for artist projects)
Applications due Sept 30
More info here
Juniper Prize for Creative Non-Fiction Manuscripts
Submissions due Sept 30
More info here
Trestle Gallery
Visiting Artist Residency 2021
Applications due Sept 30
More info here
Quarterly West
Poetry and Prose Contests
Now accepting submissions
More info here
Santa Fe Art Institute
HARPO Emerging Artist Fellowship
Applications due Oct 1
More info here
Want to treat me to a ☕️ or 🍷 to help fuel this newsletter?
Venmo: @Eva-Recinos or Cash App: $EvaRecinos
Quote of the Month
“I feel like every single one of us has a unique offering, a unique gift, a unique story that nobody else can tell."
— Annika Hansteen-Izora via The Creative Independent
