Anyone who is trying to build a career as a writer knows that making a living in the early years is an almost impossible challenge. But when a writer has sold a couple of books and had a little success, it’s natural to get out the calculator and try to figure out how fast a book could be written if all things were perfect. After all, there’s NaNoWriMo. If a writer could log in 50,000 words in one month, why couldn’t he do that every month? With taking a month off for the holidays and another month in case emergencies cropped up. . . why, that’s five books a year! Even with his modest advances, he could live on that, right? He could quit his day job!
Not so fast.
Literally.
Here’s what I heard from an editor about a writer a few years ago: “He needs to stop trying to write so fast. The deadlines that he proposes for each project don’t make sense. Are you telling me that he can write three complete manuscripts by December? Highly unlikely…”
Hmm. Sounds like this editor is anticipating the kind of problems that come with writing too fast. Let’s consider just a few.
When writing too fast:
- The author runs the risk of turning in a sloppy manuscript.
- There is no time to let the book or the story marinate. There’s more to writing a world-class book than mechanically getting the words on paper. The story or book needs to live in the author’s mind for a time.
- It doesn’t take long for the author to burn out.
- If the author doesn’t have time to experience things, to be with people or to travel, pretty soon the well runs dry. It’s one of the upsides to having a day job–you’re collecting material all day long.
Everything in this world seems to move too fast. If you want a career that will last–one that will grow–you may need to slow down. In the early years your income may need to come from another source, but successful authors will tell you that the investment is worth it.
We all know that first drafts come fast and furious– that’s good for creativity. But rewrites and the final draft? Time to slow down and reach high to craft a masterpiece.
So let me ask: How fast is too fast? Can you be too slow with writing subsequent books? Is there a perfect balance? I’d love to hear you weigh in.
End Your Book Well
You ask how fast is just too fast,
and how slow’s too slow?
It’s based on how God’s die is cast,
alea iacta est, y’know.
I built an aeroplane in a year,
working through the night;
the chap who bought it made it clear
that I had got it right.
But some will take a decade
to savour every weld,
for that is how they have been made,
and how their joys are held
as given by the Lord at birth
to measure what their days are worth.
Such interesting questions, Wendy! It took me 13 years of steady writing to work up to being able to do NaNoWriMo. Before that, I would work on a manuscript for five years or so, ha! Now, I write something new and fresh every November and I edit it all year long until the next November when I pull out my new project. Someone asked my about the manuscript I just submitted to a publisher this month (hope, hope, hope), “Is it new?” Well, yes. It is new. It was last year’s NaNo project. One month to write it and then twelve to let it marinate and to edit and get feedback and edit some more. I had children of the proper age group read this one and that was a pure delight. Why? They drew pictures of the heroine doing funny things and had their moms send them to me. So fun! Anyway, to answer your question. It appears that for me the right speed is one month to write a fast draft and then a year to edit. This includes writing almost exclusively for the camp I work at in the summer months. Those camp blogs wring me dry, but are such an important ministry. I also bounce back and forth between at least two projects at a time to give myself a fresh perspective. I’m curious to see what feeds other people’s creativity, but this seems to be a great balance for me.
Wendy,
These are excellent guidelines, as always. Thank you.
I was wondering whether you received the book I mailed to you, Tending People, and if so, do you have any feedback or comments for me? I would value anything you might care to offer.
Have a wonderful Christmas.
Marsha
Living and time definitely provide important fodder for the imagination. If we even submit a blog post too soon, we miss opportunities for greatness. It’s always in those moments after–days, weeks, or months–that critical pieces of the puzzle connect for me.