McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
The I'm Writing Thread.... Celebrate your pages written etc Part II.
Dresdenus Prime:
--- Quote from: The Deposed King on March 13, 2013, 12:32:35 AM ---
By the way how much did your cover set you back? Inquiring minds want to know.
The Deposed King
--- End quote ---
The cover cost me $150.00, which gives me the ebook cover that I previewed on my blog, and it also gets me a cover for a print edition.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: The Deposed King on March 13, 2013, 04:26:32 AM ---Consistently write anything over and including 500 words a day, day in and day out and you can make it as a writer.
--- End quote ---
Indeed, but it's also the case that if you can consistently write a novel in four to six weeks and goof off the rest of the year, you can make it as a writer - not that I am recommending it to anyone, it's sort of an opposite extreme to writing every day, but it has worked for Iain Banks for a couple of decades of solid career, and there's a huge space in the middle.
Getting the words out matters. Their distribution across time... less so. I am a mite twitchy on seeing "you have to write every day"-type advice because so many successful writers just don't do that.
roteral:
You guys amaze me. Some of you guys get 9000 words a day with limited time but I cant even get a couple of words in and I have almost the whole day. I guess I just can't get into it. How do you guys do it?
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: roteral on March 13, 2013, 09:55:40 PM ---You guys amaze me. Some of you guys get 9000 words a day with limited time but I cant even get a couple of words in and I have almost the whole day. I guess I just can't get into it. How do you guys do it?
--- End quote ---
Most Fridays, I come in after work, I eat, and I start writing, usually about 1830 or 1900. I stop usually between midnight and 12 am.
On particularly exhausting weeks I sometimes rest Friday and do it Saturday instead, and sometimes when I have travel or social stuff happening I cantch up in advance by also working Wednesdays.
You do that for a decade and a half and the words add up, and so does the practice at making them come out.
The Deposed King:
--- Quote from: the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh on March 13, 2013, 05:43:14 PM ---Indeed, but it's also the case that if you can consistently write a novel in four to six weeks and goof off the rest of the year, you can make it as a writer - not that I am recommending it to anyone, it's sort of an opposite extreme to writing every day, but it has worked for Iain Banks for a couple of decades of solid career, and there's a huge space in the middle.
Getting the words out matters. Their distribution across time... less so. I am a mite twitchy on seeing "you have to write every day"-type advice because so many successful writers just don't do that.
--- End quote ---
Sure if you're one of the top flight Gal's in the business, one a year is doable. Most dead tree stable house authors can do one book a year and hold another job, but what I hear it takes two a year writing full time to be able to quite the day job in the 1st world. I guess its all life goals and location and such.
Most successful top indie's I see out there are putting out 3-4 book a year.
Whatever tickles the pickles and guys like Jim Butcher and David Weber certainly make enough to live comfortably off one book. Others like Ilona Andrews, and Patty Briggs need two a year to write full time. At least from what I recall reading on their forums.
As for word count, sure you have a point. If are that wild hare with the ability and dedication to keep going until you cross the finish line you don't have to look up to that plodding turtle. If on the other hand you square pig right in there with the children's tale, you need that every day mentality to keep you motivated.
Most aspiring authors never get anywhere because its hard to stay consistently focused on one story and put out the word volume (at least it very much was for me). I view it a little bit like running your first mile. Its not just hard, its dang hard and almost impossible when you're a kid/teen/whatever starting out. But after you do it the first couple times, mentally it gets easier, even if physically it's still a struggle, and if you keep after it, pretty soon you're doing 2 miles and then 3 or wherever you set your sights to and level out at.
I put out the write every day advice because it gets you mentally prepared for the long haul and its a winning strategy, when most of aspiring authors are still in need of a win. If it gets someone motivated to spew out 5-10k a day and finish their book quick so they can go back to whatever else they've got to do to make ends meet, I'll be over joyed.
For me if I say I've got to write a book every three months and that equals out to 1.5k a day every day for just under 90 days allowing for editing, then if I get it done in one or two months I would feel free to slack off for the next month. If I started another book at least I would feel no pressure. I'd made an arbitrary game winning goal and already crused the move.
For self starters out there everywhere, ignore my advice, do whatever works, you'll have a book in no time I don't care how slow you write. If on the other hand you're flailing, try this, if it works great. If its not I'm just another guy with an opinion and you know what they say about opinions.
The Deposed King
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