Deadline

I was at a writers’ workshop years ago, led by Canadian writer/filmmaker David Bezmozgis, when during the Q&A, a woman in her thirties (with presumably youngsters underfoot) asked him how he keeps his writing on track without looming deadlines. Obviously, she didn’t have a “wife” to take the kids off her hands. As a hungry-to-be-published writer with wavering self-discipline, I was interested in hearing his answer. Bezmozgis replied with a slow eastern-European fatalistic shrug: “You do have a deadline. It’s called death.” I burst out laughing, and have remembered that reply every time I find myself procrastinating.

Inspired by A Tragedy Subverted. Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya.