How Long It Took To Write Each Book + Wordcounts! (How Do You Write So Fast?)
So today I thought it would be interesting to write about the books I've written and how long the process took for each one. Not all of these are published, and I'm only counting novellas, collections, and novels - not individual short stories.
I have a fairly quick writing process; I take my initial spark or idea and come up with a few loose scenes, and usually the ending of the book. Then I create a character sheet with every character, a brief description of their looks and personality, and an outline for the book. Drafting itself takes around two or three days for a novella, and around fifteen to thirty days for a full-length novel. Editing can take days or months, depending on the manuscript.
I attribute my fast writing to my detailed outlining strategies, which I developed after reading about how authors like Amanda Hocking and Rachel Aaron outline, and try to emulate the attitudes of writers like Jennifer L. Armentrout, who write for 6 to 8 hours a day when working on a book.
It should be noted I've been writing stories and starting books since I was twelve, but didn't actually finish a novel until I was seventeen, so I did have plenty of writing practice and time to figure things out before I actually began to finish things.
So, here's all the books I've written, their wordcounts, and their writing lengths, in the order I wrote them in. The wordcounts aren't exact - rounded up or down to the nearest thousandth.
* = published
Stars Full of Lies:
Wordcount: 48,000 words.
Writing Time: 27 days.
(Note; this is my first book, and also the only book I wrote without an outline. Both those things show in the manuscript.)
Demon Moon:
Wordcount: 25,000 words.
Writing Time: approx. 14 days.
*The Lilac Jones Adventures:
Wordcount: 17,000 words.
Writing Time: 2 to 3 days per story.
Blood of Midnight:
Wordcount: 52,000 words.
Writing Time: approx. 20 days.
Shadows of Ourselves:
Wordcount: 73,000 words.
Writing Time: 14 days.
(Note; this is both my longest book to date and also, in my opinion, my best. I'm editing it for publication now, and the fact that it was fun to write definitely made the process faster. I highly recommend writing books that are as fun for you as they are your readers.)
*Things We Saw At Midnight:
Wordcount: 13,000 words.
Writing Time: 1 day.
(Note; I was able to write this in one day for lots of odd reasons. I'd been awake for two days, was stoned out of my mind, and had more caffeine in my system than is probably healthy. I don't recommend any of this, especially not the part where I smoked a bunch of pot -drugs, even ones as relatively harmless as weed, are not integral or even truly beneficial to the creative process- but I admittedly had a lot of fun writing this and think it's some of my strongest work.)
*Frenzy:
Wordcount: 15,000 words.
Writing Time: 2 days.
*Souls of Salt & Seawater:
Wordcount: 32,000 words.
Writing Time: 17 days.
*Rage:
Wordcount: 16,000 words.
Writing Time: 5 days.
So there you have it. I highly recommend Rachel Aaron's 2k to 10k for fast writing advice, especially if you want to draft quickly without sacrificing quality or artistic vision.
Fast drafting is about accepting that your first draft isn't just allowed to be bad, but that, to a certain degree, it exists to be. It's supposed to suck, in parts. A lot, sometimes. Editing exists for a reason, and is both fun and revolutionary for any manuscript.
As I mentioned above, I drink a lot of coffee when I'm writing. An unhealthy amount, even. I also make sure to drink a lot, if not more, water. 9 times out of 10, if my writing is interrupted, it's because I need another drink or I have to pee.
I also sometimes smoke pot, although I'm trying to do that a bit less. It can help with anxiety and distraction sometimes, but more often than not it puts you to sleep. I definitely work best while sober, so I don't really think this bolsters more creativity or work ethic, it's just something I do from time to time.
Mostly I put my fast writing times down to a few things:
1) Outlines.
My outlines have saved me more than once. Winging it can be fun, but going into your novel with a guide, structured to make the story the most exciting, fleshed-out, and intelligent it can be before I even write the first paragraph is always helpful. My outlines range from highly, highly detailed, to just one sentence per scene, and I always give myself permission to switch things up and introduce new elements while drafting. Your outline shouldn't restrict you, rather, it gives you more room to play around where it really matters.
2) Butt in Chair.
3) Dedication.
I dedicate myself to my writing and my current project. Don't start something unless it's something you care about or know that you can at least have some fun with. If you're bored or frustrated you're less likely to work on things and finish them. I'll admit some of my titles, like Rage and Souls of Salt & Seawater, have been harder to write than others. But that said, for the most part, writing should be fun. It should be intoxicating and enjoyable. If it isn't, you need to change things up until it is again.
4) Enjoyment.
Make your writing fun. Look up some graphics tutorials on Tumblr or Deviantart and make images and edits for your books. Posts quotes of WIPS to social media and make 8Tracks playlists for your projects or certain characters.
The plus side of playlists is you can listen as you write. I made one for Shadows of Ourselves (particularly for my main character, Sky) just tonight;
I have a fairly quick writing process; I take my initial spark or idea and come up with a few loose scenes, and usually the ending of the book. Then I create a character sheet with every character, a brief description of their looks and personality, and an outline for the book. Drafting itself takes around two or three days for a novella, and around fifteen to thirty days for a full-length novel. Editing can take days or months, depending on the manuscript.
I attribute my fast writing to my detailed outlining strategies, which I developed after reading about how authors like Amanda Hocking and Rachel Aaron outline, and try to emulate the attitudes of writers like Jennifer L. Armentrout, who write for 6 to 8 hours a day when working on a book.
It should be noted I've been writing stories and starting books since I was twelve, but didn't actually finish a novel until I was seventeen, so I did have plenty of writing practice and time to figure things out before I actually began to finish things.
So, here's all the books I've written, their wordcounts, and their writing lengths, in the order I wrote them in. The wordcounts aren't exact - rounded up or down to the nearest thousandth.
* = published
Stars Full of Lies:
Wordcount: 48,000 words.
Writing Time: 27 days.
(Note; this is my first book, and also the only book I wrote without an outline. Both those things show in the manuscript.)
Demon Moon:
Wordcount: 25,000 words.
Writing Time: approx. 14 days.
*The Lilac Jones Adventures:
Wordcount: 17,000 words.
Writing Time: 2 to 3 days per story.
Blood of Midnight:
Wordcount: 52,000 words.
Writing Time: approx. 20 days.
Shadows of Ourselves:
Wordcount: 73,000 words.
Writing Time: 14 days.
(Note; this is both my longest book to date and also, in my opinion, my best. I'm editing it for publication now, and the fact that it was fun to write definitely made the process faster. I highly recommend writing books that are as fun for you as they are your readers.)
*Things We Saw At Midnight:
Wordcount: 13,000 words.
Writing Time: 1 day.
(Note; I was able to write this in one day for lots of odd reasons. I'd been awake for two days, was stoned out of my mind, and had more caffeine in my system than is probably healthy. I don't recommend any of this, especially not the part where I smoked a bunch of pot -drugs, even ones as relatively harmless as weed, are not integral or even truly beneficial to the creative process- but I admittedly had a lot of fun writing this and think it's some of my strongest work.)
*Frenzy:
Wordcount: 15,000 words.
Writing Time: 2 days.
*Souls of Salt & Seawater:
Wordcount: 32,000 words.
Writing Time: 17 days.
*Rage:
Wordcount: 16,000 words.
Writing Time: 5 days.
So there you have it. I highly recommend Rachel Aaron's 2k to 10k for fast writing advice, especially if you want to draft quickly without sacrificing quality or artistic vision.
Fast drafting is about accepting that your first draft isn't just allowed to be bad, but that, to a certain degree, it exists to be. It's supposed to suck, in parts. A lot, sometimes. Editing exists for a reason, and is both fun and revolutionary for any manuscript.
As I mentioned above, I drink a lot of coffee when I'm writing. An unhealthy amount, even. I also make sure to drink a lot, if not more, water. 9 times out of 10, if my writing is interrupted, it's because I need another drink or I have to pee.
I also sometimes smoke pot, although I'm trying to do that a bit less. It can help with anxiety and distraction sometimes, but more often than not it puts you to sleep. I definitely work best while sober, so I don't really think this bolsters more creativity or work ethic, it's just something I do from time to time.
Mostly I put my fast writing times down to a few things:
1) Outlines.
My outlines have saved me more than once. Winging it can be fun, but going into your novel with a guide, structured to make the story the most exciting, fleshed-out, and intelligent it can be before I even write the first paragraph is always helpful. My outlines range from highly, highly detailed, to just one sentence per scene, and I always give myself permission to switch things up and introduce new elements while drafting. Your outline shouldn't restrict you, rather, it gives you more room to play around where it really matters.
2) Butt in Chair.
- Sit down. Open Scrivener. Stare at my outline.
- Put on my 8Tracks playlist. Scroll through my current projects Pinterest board.
- Do not look at Facebook or Twitter. Do not go on Tumblr.
- Write your damn book. You want it, you have to work for it. It's as simple and as difficult as that.
3) Dedication.
I dedicate myself to my writing and my current project. Don't start something unless it's something you care about or know that you can at least have some fun with. If you're bored or frustrated you're less likely to work on things and finish them. I'll admit some of my titles, like Rage and Souls of Salt & Seawater, have been harder to write than others. But that said, for the most part, writing should be fun. It should be intoxicating and enjoyable. If it isn't, you need to change things up until it is again.
4) Enjoyment.
Make your writing fun. Look up some graphics tutorials on Tumblr or Deviantart and make images and edits for your books. Posts quotes of WIPS to social media and make 8Tracks playlists for your projects or certain characters.
The plus side of playlists is you can listen as you write. I made one for Shadows of Ourselves (particularly for my main character, Sky) just tonight;
Listen here: http://8tracks.com/jinx-king/tiny-blonde-mess
Why do I recommend things like this? Because if you think like an actual fan of your novels would, you'll enjoy writing them more, and utilising multimedia to foster your creativity will give you a richer experience with what you're trying to create.
There are so many things you can do to make writing more fun, more fast, and more effortless. It's not supposed to feel like a complete chore. So there you go, that's how I write so fast.
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