# How I write so many books: A system, some theories, and a few random thoughts.



## 54706

I've had several people ask me how I've written so many books (1 in such a short period of time (15 months), and I've answered the questions as they've come up; but I was thinking that maybe it would be worth posting a thread about it, so people could discuss their thoughts or ask more detailed questions of me (I'm happy to answer any questions). I know many writers say they'd like to increase their output but don't know how, so I'm sharing my way of doing things, and if it helps anyone increase her or his output and makes that person happy about it, then it will have been worth doing. I really should be writing a book right now. 

Before I lay it out, some other thoughts. First, I know this is not for most writers. Most writers take a much longer time to craft a story and that's cool. There is no _one_ way to do things. There are many paths to the meadow, and I think they're all worth taking at least once. I know there are still people out there who believe that it's impossible to write a good story in such a short period of time (some may even come on this thread and say so). My opinion on this is that _it's the readers who decide_ what a good story is, and my readers have decided I am fully capable of putting out a good story in a month, over and over again. So that myth is debunked in my world, but if other people want to stick to their beliefs, that's fine. It doesn't affect me at all. You decide if it affects you.

My theory on why I'm able to write so many books, other than the mechanics that I outline below, is this: My introduction to writing came from reading an article about Amanda Hocking and then Darci Chan. I'd always wanted to write a book but never tried, never bothered, because I wasn't interested in entering that Lotto (suffer-rejection-a-thousand-times-to-find-an-agent-and-then-again-to-find-a-publisher-which-you-probably-never-will-find). But when I realized I could just self-publish to readers and let them decide, that's all it took for me to start. The thing is, no one told me that it takes a year or more to write a book. I've never taken a creative writing class or gone to a workshop or even known an author. If someone had told me that, I probably wouldn't have even started. Amanda spoke in her article of writing one of her books in two weeks. So the idea that one could write a good book fast was a seed that was planted, and it just grew like a weed for me. As I typed, the words flowed, and the story came out in just a matter of weeks. I tweaked, I paid someone to edit, I paid someone to make a cover, and I tweaked some more. But 6 weeks later, I was ready to publish. Have I gone back and re-edited? Yes. It was my first book. After gettting some reader feedback about POV issues my editor missed, I fixed them. I get better with every book.

I think the key is to know "it's possible". For years the publishing industry and other authors said, "This is how it has to be". Now we know that they were wrong! A world of change, opportunity, new ways of doing things has opened for all of us. Maybe my little contribution will be to show other writers who want to write more books that they _can_ increase their output with some strategies in place. So ... on to the good stuff...

Here's how I write 1 quality, publishable, readable book a month:

1. I type fast (about 2,500 good, usable words per hour)
2. I don't use outlines, my characters take the stories and run with them while I just take dictation. I never know what's going to happen in my books or what my characters are going to say until it happens. I have a general sense of the storyline and the ending, but even then, I'm often wrong. I've tried to use outlines, but they stifle me. They stifle my character's voices. I know they work for other people to help them work faster. To each his own.
3. I have a very active imagination. I come up with new stories several times a day (in fact, I've considered posting a list of story ideas on my website just to make sure someone writes them). I suggest letting your mind wander and asking "What if?" a lot if you need prompting. My brain needs no prompting. 
4. I have a truly supportive husband who handles our life while I'm locked away (he is most def not the negative nelly), and my children are all 9 years old and older, so fairly independent
5. I use word count goals each day I write and don't stop until I reach them. My favorite days are the 5,000 words days (I am done by lunch, and I use the rest of the day to goof off or interact with my lovely readers). My least favorite are the 15k days. The most I've written in a day is 23,500 (done twice) which included editing along the way. If I just wrote and didn't edit anything, I could probably get to 30k or a little more, but then I'd be ready for the looney bin and my wrists would be unusable for a few days.
6. I take a nap, every single day without fail. I break my writing day up into morning and afternoon sessions. And if I'm on a roll, I add an evening session (those are the days I write more than 10k words). I can easily write 10k words a day, but I don't do that often. Only if I've had many days of zero writing and a deadline looming.
7. I have a great writing environment. Comfortable, quiet (or I make it that way with headphones and white noise), and on my most productive days, without Internet.
8. I set up word count goals at the beginning of each month so that I can publish a book on the last day of the month
9. I edit as I go, re-editing previous chapters on average of 3 times before moving on to the next. My first draft is therefore very close to final draft quality.
10. I have beta readers and proofreaders on call to finish my drafts with a one- or two-day turnaround
11. And last but not least (probably would be #1 on this list if done in priority order), I have seriously kickass readers who motivate me to write, even when I don't feel like writing

I view my writing as a business and treat the process accordingly. And the result is so good for me, it's all I need to keep me wanting to do more of it. I think some writers (not all) are capable of great output - good quality great output - but they don't think it's possible or they don't have a system that works for that kind of thing, so they just don't. Other people are missing one of my links above (for example, have kids at home or other work that gets in the way). I do have a second job that takes up 2 days of my week, but I also write on weekends. Now that I've put in notice at my job to quit, I will quit working weekends and just work Monday-Friday. What I do is possible in 5 days a week of writing, including tons of social media contact and time off.

To answer a question I get frequently: No, I did not have ANY material when I started. I just began writing and that was that.

I hope this was helpful to someone out there. Happy weekend, everyone!


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## sarahdalton

Really interesting, Elle and it's amazing you can find inspiration everyday. On good days I can write about 6,000 words, but then I might have a few days where I struggle to write any. And my editing usually takes a few weeks to do. 

I just wondered what your average word count is per book?

I never seem to get mine below 80k. I really want to start writing shorter books to suit the price I'm selling them for 60-70,000, but usually they end up over 80,000. 

Plus I had to completely re-write my first two books because they were terrible and I didn't know what I was doing.  

Keep doing what you're doing. Like you said, readers decide what a good book is. I say that a lot and it gets dismissed - enjoyment is subjective.


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## 54706

sarahdalton said:


> Really interesting, Elle and it's amazing you can find inspiration everyday. On good days I can write about 6,000 words, but then I might have a few days where I struggle to write any. And my editing usually takes a few weeks to do.
> 
> I just wondered what your average word count is per book?
> 
> I never seem to get mine below 80k. I really want to start writing shorter books to suit the price I'm selling them for 60-70,000, but usually they end up over 80,000.
> 
> Plus I had to completely re-write my first two books because they were terrible and I didn't know what I was doing.
> 
> Keep doing what you're doing. Like you said, readers decide what a good book is. I say that a lot and it gets dismissed - enjoyment is subjective.


I set a goal of 85k per book, but they range from 87k-117k, depending on the story. I do have one novella (40k words) and one erotic romance serial (10-12k per serial and 58k final book).


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## sarahdalton

Wow! That's amazing. 

You've definitely inspired me to get cracking this morning.


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## Jac1106

Thanks for giving us a peek inside your writing "system". 

What does your first draft look like? For example, when you write a scene, is it all pure dialogue at first and then you flesh it out by adding actions, thoughts, setting etc later? Or do you include all of them in one go?

Are you a putter-inner or a taker-outer?


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## David J Normoyle

Thanks for sharing.



ellecasey said:


> I think the key is to know "it's possible".


I don't think that's the key at all though.



ellecasey said:


> 1. I type fast (about 2,500 good, usable words per hour)


This is the key. It's a rare talent that most couldn't hope to match.


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## 54706

Jacynth said:


> Thanks for giving us a peek inside your writing "system".
> 
> What does your first draft look like? For example, when you write a scene, is it all pure dialogue at first and then you flesh it out by adding actions, thoughts, setting etc later? Or do you include all of them in one go?
> 
> Are you a putter-inner or a taker-outer?


Great question. My first draft is very close to final, even the first go around, but I do put in some stuff later. Mostly emotions and some scenery or character description. I'm not heavy on scene description (which my readers seem to appreciate, because it's mentioned in many reviews), but I like to make sure they can "see" what I see in my head. Never do I do it just to be poetic or whatever (seems like a lot of authors do, and I just skip those parts as a reader). I work description into the character actions mostly, so there aren't any paragraphs of description just standing alone.

As I read through during a first edit, if I feel like the picture is too sparse, I'll add a sentence or phrase or word here and there to improve on the mental image of the character or scene.

Sometimes I realize I've done an entire scene of dialogue and thoughts and body actions, but I've left some introspection out. This is more important in some genres than others, obviously. I recently released a paranormal romance, so I had to go in and really add quite a bit more than I normally do in the area of introspection and emotion. Maybe I went in and added 15% whereas I normally only add in 2% or 3% in an Urban Fantasy or less for Action/Adventure. It's a rhythm and flow thing for me when I go back for a first-pass edit.


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## kathrynoh

Thanks for sharing.  You are amazing.  I can write about 1000 words an hour and not even consistently.

Have you found it easier as you write more - the stuff like plotting and holding all the parts of the book in your head?


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## 54706

David J Normoyle said:


> Thanks for sharing.
> 
> I don't think that's the key at all though.
> 
> This is the key. It's a rare talent that most couldn't hope to match.


You're welcome! I actually know from fellow authors who have sent me messages and emails that just knowing "it's possible" has helped them increase output.
*
Remember, every goal seems impossible until someone achieves it.*

I remember when the 4-minute mile was a dream. In 1999 a man from Morocco ran it in 3:43.
Lots of people said no publisher would ever do a paper-only deal. Now we have Bella Andre (several times over), Hugh Howey, Coleen Hoover, and more to come.
Lots of people said no writer without an agent would ever have a best seller. The list of un-agented best selling authors is too long now to keep track of. Several KB members are on it.
Lots of people said they could never write a book in a month. Then they participated in the Nanowrimo and did.

I'm not saying everyone can do what I do (or will want to). Not everyone can run a 3:43 minute mile or get a paper only deal or write a best seller. But some will, now because they see a goal as _reachable_.


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## Not Here Anymore

Thanks for sharing your system, Elle. Very interesting and informative. I am getting faster the more books I write, but I'm not near a book a month. 

Could you tell us more about your proofreaders? Where did you find someone who turns it around in a few days? Also, do you do your own formatting and covers or do you outsource? Thanks !


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## 54706

kathrynoh said:


> Thanks for sharing. You are amazing. I can write about 1000 words an hour and not even consistently.
> 
> Have you found it easier as you write more - the stuff like plotting and holding all the parts of the book in your head?


Thank you! I think writing is just like any other form of exercise; you get in better shape and better at it the more you do. Every book I write is better than the last. But some books are harder to write than others for me just because of the subject matter or genre. For example, writing romances is much harder for me than writing action/adventure or fantasy. I'm an action-oriented writer, and I find romance scenes very slow sometimes, which causes me to lose interest easily. But I love to read romances, so I keep writing them and trying to improve my skills.

I recently did a co-authored project with Jason Brant and that was a total hoot. I recommend trying new things, getting out of a comfortable zone to spread wings and such. It helps spark creativeness in my world.


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## Zelah Meyer

Thank you for sharing that with us, Elle.  I find it very inspiring.  

I can't help but admire your focus and your work ethic!

I think I'll probably have to wait until my little one starts school before I can be anything like that productive.  I have hopes that I'll get there one day though!


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## 54706

Sara Rosett said:


> Thanks for sharing your system, Elle. Very interesting and informative. I am getting faster the more books I write, but I'm not near a book a month.
> 
> Could you tell us more about your proofreaders? Where did you find someone who turns it around in a few days? Also, do you do your own formatting and covers or do you outsource? Thanks !


My first proofreaders were my mom and husband and an editor I paid. Then I dropped the paid editor and stuck with my mom, husband, and a couple beta readers who are grammar fiends. Now my system is to proofread myself once by reading, then proofread again using NaturalReader software (text to speech), and then I send to my grammar-inclined beta readers (2), my mom and my husband. They all catch different things. My last release had 2 errors we didn't catch. So far, so good.

I do all my own formatting using Scrivener. It does epub, mobi, and paperback (and Word for editing). Covers ... it depends. Some of them are just photo stock with font on them (paid a guy $15 to do them, both ebook and paperback, bought the photos of istockphoto, shutterstock, or bigstockphoto or dreamstime). Some are digitally enhanced/painted, done by Phatpuppyart.com (Claudia is the bombadier) or by another girl who I don't recommend anymore (she offered a sale on already done artwork and I bought it). A few covers were made for me by fans (amazing, amazing, love my readers). Two are artwork I found on deviantart and contacted the artist for permission to use them. Now I've learned how to do my own font work, so the latest covers are just photos I bought, spiffed up in Adobe Elements, and added font to.


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## AmsterdamAssassin

Thanks for your information, Elle. My word count is quite a bit lower than yours and I'm juggling four writing projects at the same time, while taking care of a 2.5 and a 6-year old, so I don't feel bad about my output. It's a marathon to me, and I'm pleased with the books that I published so far.

Keep on sharing, please, it's always a joy to read your insightful posts.


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## 54706

Sara Rosett said:


> Where did you find someone who turns it around in a few days?


Forgot to answer this part ^^

I have had many readers offer to do this for me (proofreading and beta reading), and when I respond, I always say that they have to be able to do it on the fly. The ones who agree to do that are the ones who get the manuscript, but I don't work with more than 2 at a time outside of my family circle. I don't think having more opinions is better, since everyone has a different one about some part of the book. If I listened to everyone it would never get written. At this point I think most of them view it as a privilege to see the product a little rough and also before everyone else. They also get to have some input in the final product, which is something to be proud of if you like the author's work.


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## 54706

AmsterdamAssassin said:


> Thanks for your information, Elle. My word count is quite a bit lower than yours and I'm juggling four writing projects at the same time, while taking care of a 2.5 and a 6-year old, so I don't feel bad about my output. It's a marathon to me, and I'm pleased with the books that I published so far.
> 
> Keep on sharing, please, it's always a joy to read your insightful posts.


The key is to be happy! My way is not for everyone. Not for most people, actually. Anyone who can write _anything_ with little ones around is a miracle-worker in my mind. I could never do that. I'm very lucky that my kids are older and my husband is home all day to take care of things. Without that in place, I'd be lucky to get 3 books done a year.


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## Joe_Nobody

Elle,

First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to post this insight. Putting it out there took guts and I respect that.

While I'm not even close to matching your output (9 books in 18 months), I too have suffered from the stigma that quality and quantity are exclusive. I believe it's a simple matter of discipline and having a good team, both for support at home and in the procedures of publishing. The beta readers who can turn a book around in a few days are a Godsend. I'm still missing that part of the equation.

Being able to type at hyper-speed is also a seldom mentioned aspect. I thought I was fast (Momma Nobody was a typing instructor), but you clearly could eat my lunch. Being able to type thoughts as the go through your head has to help a bunch.

Thanks again and best of luck!


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## AKMartin

Great insight into your writing

thanks for sharing 

Anthony


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## -

Content removed due to TOS Change of 2018. I do not agree to the terms.


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## 54706

Joe_Nobody said:


> Elle,
> 
> First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to post this insight. Putting it out there took guts and I respect that.
> 
> While I'm not even close to matching your output (9 books in 18 months), I too have suffered from the stigma that quality and quantity are exclusive. I believe it's a simple matter of discipline and having a good team, both for support at home and in the procedures of publishing. The beta readers who can turn a book around in a few days are a Godsend. I'm still missing that part of the equation.
> 
> Being able to type at hyper-speed is also a seldom mentioned aspect. I thought I was fast (Momma Nobody was a typing instructor), but you clearly could eat my lunch. Being able to type thoughts as the go through your head has to help a bunch.
> 
> Thanks again and best of luck!


It is truly my pleasure to help my fellow writers if and when I can.

I took a mandatory typing class in 7th grade, using IBM electric typewriters. At the end of the semester I could type 65 WPM. I suspect I'm closer to 90 WPM now. I can almost keep up with the voices in my head, and yes, that's critical to my output and ability to do what I do. I tried using a dictation software and it didn't work at all for me. I couldn't speak my work! I can only think and type it. I hope I never lose the use of my hands, or I'll surely drop to one book a year.

For those of you who are hunt-and-peck typers, I highly recommend buying a typing software program and learning how to type professionally. It will really change how you manage your writing business. Efficiency is the key in this business (when it comes to the mechanics of book writing/publishing) just like it is in others. I'd consider it an investment of time to get more time later.


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## 54706

Tanja said:


> I really enjoyed reading about your process, very inspiring. But I have a question
> 
> You said that you don't outline before you write, but how about series? Do you treat them differently than standalone novels?


Nope, I treat all books the same. The series just evolves with the story. I have tried to write stand alone novels, but my readers ask for more and I accommodate them, so at this point I don't have any stand alone books anymore. WRECKED was a stand alone, but about 11 months after, I wrote a sequel RECKLESS at reader request.


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## David J Normoyle

On output:
I normally get about 400 words written in an hour. I forced myself to write at 1000 words an hour last year for a while. I thought I was making great progress. Then I went back to edit and found I had to rewrite most of the scenes from scratch.

I guess everyone has their own writing process. I'd love to write faster, but have to make do. For some people (like Elle, obviously), the story seems to come out as a torrent of words and ideas. For others, it's more of a dripping faucet.

On the other hand, I can certainly put in more hours, be more focused, spend less time surfing the web etc.


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## Scott Daniel

Amazing, truly, amazing. I hope you don't mind me asking, but I was wondering what your sales are each month - ballpark. With that many novels out, I would think you'd have a pretty steady income stream.


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## 54706

Scott Daniel said:


> Amazing, truly, amazing. I hope you don't mind me asking, but I was wondering what your sales are each month - ballpark. With that many novels out, I would think you'd have a pretty steady income stream.


PM me and I'll give you that info (sales $ figures). 

Updated to add: as far as # of books sold, I sell between 3,500 and 7,000 books a month. That's just a drop in the bucket for some authors on KB!! Most of mine are priced at $4.99.

I posted on my 1-year anniversary thread (can't find it now) that my first year I sold just under 50,000 books (sold, not given) and made over 6 figures of income. I will do better than that this year, partially due to the fact that I will have a lot more books to sell.


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## Darren Wearmouth

I think you have a rare talent madam, on which I could only dream about possessing.

I do enjoy writing and can type at a reasonable speed, unfortunately my brain can't keep up. Five thousand words a day is my limit.

Interesting post, thanks for sharing.


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## 54706

DAWearmouth said:


> I think you have a rare talent madam, on which I could only dream about possessing.
> 
> I do enjoy writing and can type at a reasonable speed, unfortunately my brain can't keep up. Five thousand words a day is my limit.
> 
> Interesting post, thanks for sharing.


Holy crow, 5k words a day is awesome! That's a book a month easy. 

"easy" being relative


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## Katja

That's very inspiring! Thanks for sharing this. 

As a 'pantser' don't you ever find you've written yourself in a corner or don't know how to progress?

You mentioned typing softwares earlier in the thread, so for those who are looking for them, you can also find free ones to teach yourself (just google "learn to type" or something similar).


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## Judi Coltman

Thank you, Elle. This was more inspiration than I have felt in a while. It's good to know someone else allows the stories to run, too.  I was feeling a bit unprofessional because I don't outline much more than beginning and end.  

ok - I'm running a 5k today (where I get my best thinking done), moving my son to his new apartment and then tomorrow, nose meets grindstone once again with a whole new attitude!


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## 54706

Katja said:


> That's very inspiring! Thanks for sharing this.
> 
> As a 'pantser' don't you ever find you've written yourself in a corner or don't know how to progress?
> 
> You mentioned typing softwares earlier in the thread, so for those who are looking for them, you can also find free ones to teach yourself (just google "learn to type" or something similar).


I have never written myself into a corner, because all my rooms are round. ha! Seriously, my characters just go. There are no corners in my world, just turns to take, windows to jump out of, and walls to break down.

Life has changed a lot since I was in 7th grade. I'm sure there are all kinds of great free things to help someone learn to type. Whatever works, do it! To be a slow-typing writer has to be some kind of torture.


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## T.P. Grish

Thanks for sharing your system. It is very interesting, but I know I could never do it. I don't write more than 1000 words a day, and that is a struggle. The thing is, I am not a heavy planner, in fact I am more of a pantser. I know the basic storyline, major characters and factions involved, and start writing. I think I could increase my word count to 2000 a day with some focus, but I don't think I could manage more. I love writing, it's just that sitting and writing takes a lot of energy out from me.


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## BlankPage

_Comment removed due to VS TOS 25/9/2018_


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## Sam Rivers

Elle, you are the reason that the major publishers are going crazy.  You are too good at what you do and put out so many books that you will flood the market all on your own.  

I agree with most of your ideas and write the same way.  I have published 4 short stories and 2 full novels in the last 90 days.  There are probably a lot of Elle type authors out there, but we tend to write books instead of wasting time on these boards.

I admire you very much and are happy you are doing so well.


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## 54706

Wild Rivers said:


> Elle, you are the reason that the major publishers are going crazy. You are too good at what you do and put out so many books that you will flood the market all on your own.
> 
> I agree with most of your ideas and write the same way. I have published 4 short stories and 2 full novels in the last 90 days. There are probably a lot of Elle type authors out there, but we tend to write books instead of wasting time on these boards.
> 
> I admire you very much and are happy you are doing so well.


Thank you very much!

I recently spoke with an agent who is very pro-indie, and in her opinion, the writer of old (one who brings out a book every couple years) will eventually die off, that publishers would need to go with authors who could write for the market ... and the market is hungry for more books they like! I don't know that she's right, but I agree that authors like me and many others on KB and out there in the world, who can put out a lot of good quality product, will have more "business opportunities" in publishing than those who don't. Except for the few outliers (who hit it big with one book), it's a numbers game. More good product = more dedicated readers = more word of mouth = more dedicated readers = sales. Boom.


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## teashopgirl

I'm going to come back to this post on mornings when I feel like wasting two hours reading Jezebel and HuffPo. Thanks, Elle! You're amazing.


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## ElHawk

Good post, Elle!  I wrote my first novel in three months and the second one in that series in three weeks.  Reader feedback on both has been awesome, so yes, it is possible to write a good book that readers love in a short period of time.  It's amazing what you can accomplish when you really feel motivated, and knowing readers are waiting eagerly for the next book sure accomplishes me!

I write two very different styles of fiction, so I use two different pen names.  I've found that the stuff I write as Libbie Hawker needs to develop on its own and so I almost never outline it. The stuff I write as L. M. Ironside (which I can write much faster!  Mainly because it's plot-centered and not so inside the characters' emotions) I have found I can finish faster and easier if I do outline it.  So people who are looking at your list of what works for you and wanting to give it a try...don't rule out outlining altogether.  The way I write a plot-heavy book so fast is by doing a rough outline first, then reworking it to add more detail.  With each rework pass I expand the outline until I've expanded it to parts, then to chapters, then to scenes.  Once I've outlined what happens in each scene, I do the actual writing and make it all pretty and nice to read.  I have found that this dramatically speeds up the process of writing a plotty book.  Somebody told me this is called "the snowflake method" of outlining, so if that helps at all, now you know.

Elle, your success has been most inspiring to me!  I am so glad you jumped in and stuck with it through the criticism from your loved one (mentioned in another thread.)  It's wonderful to see that in a time when readers get to decide who succeeds, we are able to break down that old myth that if you wrote it fast, it can't be good.  Clearly it can be!


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## cecilia_writer

Thanks very much indeed, Elle, for posting about this in such detail.
I'm terribly impressed by your speed. I'm only like you in the sense that I have lots of new ideas all the time, but because I know I only have limited writing time at the moment I only develop the ones I feel I can cope with! I recently told someone I was planning to write 3 novels this year and they said they thought that was impossible, so I will have to print out your post to let them see I'm not that prolific after all!


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## MartinLake

ellecasey said:


> Thank you very much!
> 
> I recently spoke with an agent who is very pro-indie, and in her opinion, the writer of old (one who brings out a book every couple years) will eventually die off, that publishers would need to go with authors who could write for the market ... and the market is hungry for more books they like! I don't know that she's right, but I agree that authors like me and many others on KB and out there in the world, who can put out a lot of good quality product, will have more "business opportunities" in publishing than those who don't. Except for the few outliers (who hit it big with one book), it's a numbers game. More good product = more dedicated readers = more word of mouth = more dedicated readers = sales. Boom.


I think this is absolutely right. Some of the great fiction of the early 20th century was written at tremendous speed by people who thought of themselves as craftsmen rather than artists. No time for introspection, just time for a coffee or a cup of tea and rolling up the sleeves. As you say, Elle, it won't suit everybody but you show what can be done with a strong dose of belief and the skills and determination to reach for your goals. Thanks for sharing this.


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## quiet chick writes

ellecasey said:


> I have never written myself into a corner, because all my rooms are round. ha! Seriously, my characters just go. There are no corners in my world, just turns to take, windows to jump out of, and walls to break down.


I love this so much! I have written myself into corners before in the past, but only because I had some predestined ideas about where my characters were "allowed" to go and how things would end. But you're right, because if you let them go anywhere, there are no corners, just new directions you hadn't expected. Some of my best stories have come from letting my characters change the script and go where they needed to go.

Thank you for sharing all of this, Elle. I do not write fast myself (20K/month is a good month for me!), but I'm always looking for ways to improve my output. It's true that you do get faster with practice! There was a time I never thought I'd write more than 1000 words a day, but last month I had a couple of 2500 days. Hoping for many more!


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## blakebooks

Elle, I'll throw my hat into the ring. I have published 20 novels in 22 months. I average maybe 500-600 words an hour, and also use word count goals - typically 5K a day, 7K if I can manage it and it's really flowing (dialogue is much easier and faster than narrative, as my style leans more towards prose). It takes me 140-200 hours to generate a novel, 100 or so to do second draft, 50-100 for third, and then it's off to the editor. I handle edits in addition to my WIP at the moment, as my editor is very good, and I don't disagree with her 95% of the time.

My secret is working 12-15 hour days, seven days a week. I also don't recommend it. But since I got a treadmill desk, I'm also walking 10 miles a day while I do it, so my world has turned around on the sedentary lifestyle issue I was settling into. I heartily endorse it - CJ Lyons recommended the gizmo to me, and man, it is worth ten times the price.

The hardest part is the plotting, as I write complicated action/adventure conspiracy novels, and my approach has been synthesized to drafting a couple of paragraphs of overall story so I don't forget plot points I thought interesting at the start, and then doing the first 15 chapter headings as single sentence synopses. Then I start writing. The writing's the fun part, although with my pace a couple of years does blur by.

I can't edit as I go. I have to stay immersed in the story. I've tried writing for only a few hours a day, and it doesn't work for me. Takes double to triple the cumulative hours to finish the book because I'm not as engaged. If I start going back on first draft and editing, it has the same effect, so I try to get it onto paper as well as I'm able, then go back and worry about echoes, word choice, etc. later. Although I do pay a lot of attention to cadence and such on first draft, as that's the musicality of the prose, so to speak, the rhythm of it all.

For 2013, I swore I'd slow it down to 4 novels a year, but since I am finishing up #3 this weekend and starting a new series the end of the month, that probably won't happen. Probably more like 7 or 8. Next year, only 3. Or maybe 4. We'll see.

If anyone asked me, I would argue that one of the secrets to being a good writer is to read good books, meaning to fill your head on an ongoing basis with books that are inspiring, either in terms of pacing, characters, or writing. You are what you eat. You can't be a good writer, IMO, if you aren't a reader. So you have to find time to read. Even with my schedule, I manage one or two books a month, often on a meal break. It's as fundamental to the job as typing.

I would recommend to any newbies that you get used to committing to write at least one hour a day, every day, without fail, no excuses, or put another way, try to write a minimum of 600-1000 words a day. I agree that writing is a muscle. You need to develop your muscles.

Congrats on your output and your success, and thanks for starting this valuable craft/process related thread. Sounds like you've got it wired. Wish I could type 2500 words an hour. I could take half a day off! Or write twice as much. Sigh...


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## whatdanwrote

Thanks for posting this! It's really helpful to see into your process.

I feel like I write in a similar way to you, though I haven't jumped into it full time, which I'm hoping to do. I tend to think about my plots for a long time, but only in my head, and then I just start writing. I actually feel like I'm just taking down dictation. My characters also seem to go and say what they want, and often surprise me.

One thing I cannot do is edit while I write. If I go back, or try to stop and edit something it kills the whole thing for me. I find it difficult to go on. And if I ever write myself into a corner, I simply keep going, as if the corner never existed. If I kill off a character, they might come walking back into the room later on, and I'll realize the death scene isn't going to happen. I just fix it all when I go back and re-write.

Again, thanks for your sharing, and to everyone else for giving insight into their process.  These boards really are helpful.


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## Shane Murray

sarahdalton said:


> Wow! That's amazing.
> 
> You've definitely inspired me to get cracking this morning.


Inspired and scared.

I definitely have to step up my game a bit.

Elle's way of just letting the character do what they want. It worked well with orcs, and I think it should work pretty good for my rewrite of my longer work I am getting back into now that orcs is published (just print setup to go).

At present I am overthinking my writing a little. I used to be able to write a lot more (up to 10k a day), these days I tend to self-edit too much and my word count has dropped a lot (max about 3-4k). Someone I have lost my flow a little.


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## Shane Murray

Elle, have you try writing while working a full time job before? You obviously have no problem with focus. Do you have any rules for your writing time? I.e., no internet, no phone, no noise, etc.

You seem to be able to finish in a few hours, does that mean you spend other time thinking about the story etc? Is there any process you do away from the keyboard, or is it switch on, switch off?


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## cblewgolf

Thanks for sharing Elle & Russell too.  Very inspiring...


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## Lisa Grace

I wrote my first in forty days while having a four-year-old around fulltime. I got off track this last year (the movie deal), but plan to get back on track. Having new stuff to offer to your readers is key. I get emails daily asking when the next book in each series will be out.


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## unkownwriter

Thanks for posting this, Elle. I forget that you haven't been at this very long, with such an impressive list of titles, and such a great sales record. 

I love to read about how other writers work. Not that I want to do it the same way, but being inspired and learning about other methods that might work for me.

At the risk of setting anyone off, have you all read Dean Wesley Smith's recent blog posts about his work days ghost writing a 70K novel? Lots of good information there, but you must read the comments for the tasty bits.

Edited to add:  I'm a fast typist as well, on a good day I can still do about 115 wpm. Of course, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome have slowed me down a lot over the last few years. When the story is flowing, a typical day for me (when I'm actually writing, that is) is about 5 -6,000 words. I also edit as I go.


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## Jason Eric Pryor

I love your suggestion of asking "what if". I've had so many ideas for stories just by asking myself that question. When asked how I come up with ideas, I tell people that I'm always asking "what if".


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## yomatta

Elle -

Thanks for this post. Wonderful, WONDERFUL information from one of the KBers I've really come to admire. Great sales are phenomenal, and I'm always inspired by threads that talk about them. But a stellar work ethic is something that is re-creatable by _everyone_ who puts their mind to it.

Also, for anyone trying to increase their typing speed (or anyone curious as to what their speed is) I recommend checking out this site:

www.typeracer.com

There's a wonderful little community there, and you can take speed tests, or just practice to improve. My personal brag is that my average (over 1800 races) is 105.97wpm with my personal high being 155wpm. That said, typing speed and writing speed are two very different animals. The most I've written in an hour is ~2500 words (that's a high, far from the norm!), and that only comes out to ~42wpm (less than half of my comfortable average).

The point of this little story is... typing speed isn't everything. Find the voice in your head, and keep your fingers moving, and you'll rack up some serious words per hour when you sit down to write. Also, I use a program called Write or Die, and I don't bother fixing typos as I go through my first draft. It's faster to just fix all of those at the same time when you revise than it is to constantly be hitting the backspace key. Plus, you don't know if you're going to end up cutting or adding something to an entire section - so don't spend the time fixing teh erorrs that uoy ighmt mak ewhen writing. 

Thanks again.


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## Christa Wick

I can comfortably do about 1200 an hour, which includes time to occasionally stop and think. I, too, am a pantser and (LOL at Jacynth) a "put-in" type of writer. My problem is I seldom put my butt in my writing chair. I need to have my husband take the router with him when he goes to work.


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## Lizbooks

Awesome post.  

I can type that fast, but I can't write that fast. It takes longer for my brain to produce story. That said, after following Dean Wesley Smith's blog the past few weeks (his series on writing the book in a week), I've tried his technique--writing in bits and pieces throughout the day rather than in big chunks all at once. I've been able to consistently hit 5K per day while working 12-16 hours/day at my regular job. It's definitely possible.


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## Gina Black

yomatta said:


> www.typeracer.com


Well, it turns out I can type about 100 wpm but I certainly can't think that many. My average (on a good day) is about 400 words an hour. I would like to be able to pick up speed and I'm getting the sense that the only way I'll be able to do that is to actually write faster. And maybe eat more spinach. 

I am enjoying this thread because I also see that in order to actually write faster I need to _believe_ I can write faster. I'm going to have some amazing morning wake-up juice and see what I can do about that part.


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## P.C. (Peter) Anders

Inspiring. I write fewer than 5,000 words in some months, but knowing that someone else has much higher standards of possibility is a needed prod.


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## Lloyd MacRae

Don't let slow keyboarding/typing keep you from being more productive. I started writing novels last year after I had a heart attack and was bedridden for some time. I used my new Blackberry Playbook and my thumbs to tap out several novels. Once I started recovering and eventually got back to work, I didn't have those long hours of time available. But I didn't want to stop writing. I was one of those who believed you had to plot everything out beginning to end so I resigned myself to maybe doing a few more over the years. But guess what? Because of arthritis in my hands I had turned to Dragon NaturallySpeaking a few years ago to write out reports for work (and posts like this one online). I was amazed when I started talking into my computer and the words just flowed. I have a basic idea for a plot and where I need to start and end but my characters are dictating a lot how I get there and sometimes even how it really ends. I have a half dozen more books done but I haven't published because I want to add POD books to the three I have out plus the other six so that is taking me some time to get them ready. But the fun of 'writing' is getting in the way  

I picked up the home edition of DNS for $99 and I think it's on sale now for $60. I think the new Windows has dictation software built in as well now so you could always experiment.

Thank you Elle (and to Dean Wesley Smith) for confirming that you can be fast and produce stories that people will love...and buy.

p.s. I hope you don't mind me calling you a 'fast woman' Elle.


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## Anne Frasier

my mind is blown. 

23,500 in a day.


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## Zelah Meyer

yomatta said:


> Also, for anyone trying to increase their typing speed (or anyone curious as to what their speed is) I recommend checking out this site:
> 
> www.typeracer.com


Hmm, interesting site. I think it's a little generous with the speed results though. I used to test on temp agency typing tests with around 87wpm average (sometimes 85wpm, sometimes 90wpm.) I was a little clunky on typeracer as I'm not used to it, and the way the text appears as you type was throwing me a little bit when it vanished and jumped around as I typed and I kept making errors as a result. I was still getting around 96wpm and am pretty confident that I could get a lot higher once I was used to the way it worked.


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## BrianKittrell

> 4. I have a truly supportive husband who handles our life while I'm locked away (he is most def not the negative nelly), and *my children are all 9 years old and older, so fairly independent*


Emphasis mine, of course. This is what holds me back on my days off. I have a three year old and an infant, so my writing comes in spurts. I do a lot of thinking about the stories but not much writing in those times, and in the spare hours when they nap, I sometimes get some writing done.

You don't want them to grow up too fast and you don't want to miss anything, but there's that little voice in the back of your head that says, "Oh, I wish these people would get a little older." lol


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## H. S. St. Ours

ellecasey said:


> I tried using a dictation software and it didn't work at all for me. I couldn't speak my work! I can only think and type it.


Thanks so much for mentioning this, Elle. I've envied those can just "speak" their books but I've never been able to do that. I have students that record and transcribe my class lectures to me, and I find that helpful, but fiction is something that apparently has to come out of my fingers.

Thanks for sharing your amazing story and good luck with your May novel!


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## Marti talbott

I've met a few authors who can just sit down and write a book from beginning to end. I thought I was like that, but I'm not now. Now I write scenes and then tie them together later. Whatever works, I suppose, but I admire anyone who can do it the way you do. I only turn out a new book every two months or so.


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## 60865

ellecasey said:


> *
> Remember, every goal seems impossible until someone achieves it.*


You make me think of the guy who invented the labor breathing technique: he did it after witnessing a woman who just "poop" out her first kid without a sweat. After doing so, she looked at the astonished midwife and asked "was it suppose to hurt?" So the good doctor thought that if pain was not associated with labor we could all do it with a smile ...

Books are like kids, the delivery process varies each time and it's nice to know some do it with more grace than others.


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## valeriec80

Lizbooks said:


> After following Dean Wesley Smith's blog the past few weeks (his series on writing the book in a week), I've tried his technique--writing in bits and pieces throughout the day rather than in big chunks all at once. I've been able to consistently hit 5K per day while working 12-16 hours/day at my regular job. It's definitely possible.


I'm experimenting with the session writing too! I thought it was such an intriguing approach to writing. I'm experimenting for a week, and then I'll report back. 

Have you noticed that both Elle and Dean take naps?

Elle Casey is so cool.  (Thanks for the post!)


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## Soothesayer

How do you keep your character's dialogue from all sounding the same? Quirks? Morals? Political leanings?


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## Matt Ryan

About ten months ago I came across Elle's website and did a double take at her release schedule. A book a month! I was confused and excited about the possibilities. While I understood it was nothing I could replicate with my full time job in the way, it motivated me enough to print out that schedule and pin it to my board next to my computer. Since then, when I start lifting those fingers off the keyboard I look to that schedule and get back to writing.

I told this story in a thread a while ago but that schedule is still there, staring at me, telling me there is work to be done. 

I think writers like Elle, Blake and many others with great output are taking the major factor out of the equation of success, luck. Sure, you can say there just buying more lottery tickets but you would be wrong. What they're doing is creating more product to an ever growing fan base. Can it be replicated? Maybe, but how many would work 12-15 hours a day, 7 day a week? How many can keep the flow going at 2500 wpm? I don't and can't. 

I do have three questions for Elle and others:

1. I noticed that most producers of quick work write in first person. Is there a connection to this? Is it easier to keep the story going behind a single set of eyes?

2. I have a five year plan with an escalation of work as my skill increases. Do you plan on producing at the same pace? In five years that would put you close to a 100 books!

3.  I noticed you have many ongoing series at once, is this an intentional strategy? I'm working through writing my series now, on book 4, and plan on writing the whole series before publishing the first one but maybe I should start the second series I planned out as well. Any advice would be appreciated.


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## 60865

yomatta said:


> Also, for anyone trying to increase their typing speed (or anyone curious as to what their speed is) I recommend checking out this site:
> 
> www.typeracer.com
> 
> The point of this little story is... typing speed isn't everything. Find the voice in your head


Ok, so now you've got me hooked on another game playing site .... grrr
It does not seem to quiet all the voices in my head!


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## blakebooks

Huh. More time suck. I type at 50 wpm. Hrmph. I have a feeling I'm not going to improve after about three million words. That kind of stinks.

On a positive note, I also take naps. You can't live in Mexico and not take a siesta. It's mandatory...


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## dalya

I don't know. I've been taking lots of naps, but I'm still not up to that speed.


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## KOwrites

ellecasey said:


> My first proofreaders were my mom and husband and an editor I paid. Then I dropped the paid editor and stuck with my mom, husband, and a couple beta readers who are grammar fiends. Now my system is to proofread myself once by reading, then proofread again using NaturalReader software (text to speech), and then I send to my grammar-inclined beta readers (2), my mom and my husband. They all catch different things. My last release had 2 errors we didn't catch. So far, so good.
> 
> I do all my own formatting using Scrivener. It does epub, mobi, and paperback (and Word for editing).  Covers ... it depends. Some of them are just photo stock with font on them (paid a guy $15 to do them, both ebook and paperback, bought the photos of istockphoto, shutterstock, or bigstockphoto or dreamstime). Some are digitally enhanced/painted, done by Phatpuppyart.com (Claudia is the bombadier) or by another girl who I don't recommend anymore (she offered a sale on already done artwork and I bought it). A few covers were made for me by fans (amazing, amazing, love my readers). Two are artwork I found on deviantart and contacted the artist for permission to use them. Now I've learned how to do my own font work, so the latest covers are just photos I bought, spiffed up in Adobe Elements, and added font to.


I was wondering about the mechanics so thanks for the letting us know you use Scrivener. I've been messing around with the current WIP for far too long. I'm way off track at this point. Your outline on how you approach your work and the system you've developed helps me a great deal. Thanks for the post. (Russell Blake shout out as well; it's nice to know similar methods work for others) and that Mrs. Robinson's typing class in my senior year of high school where I stayed after school several times to try and get better than a "C" grade has finally paid off.


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## swolf

Inspiring post, Elle.  Very impressive.  Thanks for sharing.


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## AgnesWebb

Thank you so much for posting this. It's incredibly helpful and inspiring.


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## Sapphire

I told someone last week that it took me 10 months to write my first novel, but that wasn't true. There was a 10 month spread between writing the first page and hitting the publish button. However, that time included a 1-week vacation, another 2-week vacation, a couple weeks off over the Christmas holiday, a couple days off every time we moved between primary home and lake home (multiple trips), time off for house guests at lake house, a number of long weekends pursuing other interests with my husband, many scattered days off spent with grandchildren, learning how to format, doing the format, learning the process and finding the person to make my cover, waiting a month for a stable of slow beta readers to finish, editing and final proofing, taking a college class, to say nothing about a less than disciplined approach to the days when I was actually writing. I suspect if I counted only the days I was writing and re-writing, the time would easily be cut in half. If I cut out the distractions on my writing days, the time could be cut in half again. Now I'm down to 2-1/2 months rather than 10. That rate should be my goal to finish the 2nd and 3rd books in the series. Thanks, Ellle, you made me think and be honest with myself.


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## RuthNestvold

I found it particularly interesting that you edit as you go. For all of the fast-writing gurus I've ever encountered, this is an absolute no-no. That you can write so fast, even editing on the fly, might just help me to find a faster rhythm for myself. There are so many times that I've gotten stuck while forcing myself to write forward without looking back! I often end up printing the whole thing out and starting over from scratch. 

But who knows, if I have Elle whispering at my shoulder that it's ok to edit while I write, rather than all those other folks, telling me it's the fastest way to nowhere, I might be able to increase my productivity after all.  

Thanks for sharing your method, Elle!


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## ejmcbride

Great post. 

Personally, I've started using the Pomodoro technique, with an app I downloaded for my phone. I set the timer for 25 minutes and write, uninterrupted for the entire time. I've surprised myself this past week by realising that I average 800 - 1000 words per Pomodoro. I do this two or three times a day at the moment, and plan to try and keep that going long-term, which means that I should be able to comfortably complete a book about once every month. 

Time will tell, and so long as the quality and the enjoyment is always there, I'm happy!


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## 56139

RuthNestvold said:


> I found it particularly interesting that you edit as you go. For all of the fast-writing gurus I've ever encountered, this is an absolute no-no. That you can write so fast, even editing on the fly, might just help me to find a faster rhythm for myself. There are so many times that I've gotten stuck while forcing myself to write forward without looking back! I often end up printing the whole thing out and starting over from scratch.
> 
> But who knows, if I have Elle whispering at my shoulder that it's ok to edit while I write, rather than all those other folks, telling me it's the fastest way to nowhere, I might be able to increase my productivity after all.
> 
> Thanks for sharing your method, Elle!


I write about 300 words, then stop, edit, then continue. Like Elle, my first draft is pretty much the final draft, bar going back to fix inconsistencies and add in details. I consistently write 3500-4000 words a day. I like to make my scenes between 1500-2000 words (each scene is a chapter), so 4000 words a day is really only two scenes.

My best day was 10,000 words and it took me an entire day to do that because I also take naps, in fact I'm about to take one now! 

I've also noticed that I'm a night writer. Mornings I spend on other things, emails, marketing, blogging, and all that good stuff. Once evening rolls around, after my nap, then I can bang out 4000 words in about three hours.


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## Hugh Howey

*genuflects*

You are my hero. My inspiration. And this is my favorite thread ever.

I've participated and completed NaNoWriMo the past four years. Each of those works have gone on to sell very well and win rave reviews. So I know it's possible. I'm just amazed that you do it EVERY month. Simply amazing.


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## 54706

Oh my goodness! I went out to run some errands and then to a barbeque and came back to all this good stuff!! I'm so happy so many of you found the post helpful. I'm thrilled, actually. I get such a kick out of motivating others, the way some indies have motivated me. That's one of the best parts about being an indie - a like-minded group of people reaching out to help each other. Like Summer Daniels said in her thread, one hand forward to reach for help from the guy ahead of you and one hand back to help the guy behind you.

I have to scroll back and find the different questions some of you wanted answered. I'll try to cover them all, but if I miss any, you feel free to ask me again or PM me. I have already received several PMs.

1. @Russel Blake: You are the man. I LOVE hearing about other people kicking butt like this. Thanks for sharing!! I seriously need to get one of those treadmills. 10 miles a day?? Man. I could be skinny again *sigh*

2. *Question from Shane Murray*: Elle, have you try writing while working a full time job before? You obviously have no problem with focus. Do you have any rules for your writing time? I.e., no internet, no phone, no noise, etc. You seem to be able to finish in a few hours, does that mean you spend other time thinking about the story etc? Is there any process you do away from the keyboard, or is it switch on, switch off? *Answer*: I have never written while working a full time job. I work 2 days a week teaching, which means about 3 days of teaching and preparing to teach, so that leaves me 2 week days and 2 weekend days to write. But even on the teaching days, I do social media at night, so I work 7 days a week at the business of publishing. I have no rules for writing, per se, but when I write in a place with no Internet, I get a lot more done. A LOT lot. Not a little lot, but a lot lot.  Yes, I do finish in a few hours and I spend tons of time thinking about my stories. It's what I think about as I'm falling asleep, as I take showers, take walks, drive, etc. All kinds of solutions come up when I talk with my husband about my plot while we take walks. He just listens and asks an occasional question, but the process of explaining out loud helps me work out kinks. I also have my covers done early, and I use them as inspiration. I also sometimes find music that suits the mood of the book and listen to it in between writing jags or while I shower or cook. That's pretty much it.

3. *Comment*: I can type that fast, but I can't write that fast. It takes longer for my brain to produce story. *Response*: My stories play out like movies in my head. I come up with characters and put them in an opening scene and then watch them play everything out like a movie. I'm not sure how it happens, but I was a big John Hughes fan as a kid. Maybe that's what did it. ha ha

4. *Comment*: I hope you don't mind me calling you a 'fast woman' Elle. *Response*: I consider it a compliment. 

5. *Comment*: I only turn out a new book every two months or so. *Response*. That's pretty d*mn good!! 6 books a year?? Time to pat yourself on the back, lady. 

6. *Question from Soothsayer*: How do you keep your character's dialogue from all sounding the same? Quirks? Morals? Political leanings? *Answer*: I'm not sure I understand the question. But in typical form, I'm going to try and answer it anyway. I have characters in my head who are all "real" people. They have back stories, fully formed faces and bodies, fashion styles, accents, families, histories, etc. So they speak and act like who they are, not like how I want them to be. And I have characters from all walks of life, all moral systems (some with none), different sexualities, religions, etc. I like my books to reflect real life, even though my worlds are often fantastic. It's the key to good storytelling for me. My readers say they like my work because they become very connected to the characters, as if they're real people.

7. *Questions from Matt Ryan*1.) I noticed that most producers of quick work write in first person. Is there a connection to this? Is it easier to keep the story going behind a single set of eyes? *Answer*: I don't know. I do write in first person a lot, mostly in past tense but sometimes in present. I've written in 3rd person, but I find it easier to connect with the reader as the narrator when I'm working in first person. So because it's easier for me, and I'm "feeling" the character more, it flows faster. So there may be some truth to that. The only book I didn't finish was written in 3rd person. *Question*: (2.) I have a five year plan with an escalation of work as my skill increases. Do you plan on producing at the same pace? In five years that would put you close to a 100 books! *Answer*: I'm not sure. I've got the same pace this year as last, and with all the ideas crammed into my head and all the requests I'm getting from readers, and all the things I want to try, it looks like 2014 will be about the same. But I think I'd like to slow down a bit in 2015, just so I can take some more vacations.  *Question*: (3.) I noticed you have many ongoing series at once, is this an intentional strategy? I'm working through writing my series now, on book 4, and plan on writing the whole series before publishing the first one but maybe I should start the second series I planned out as well. Any advice would be appreciated. *Answer*: Generally speaking, I start book 1 of a series and write books 2, 3, and sometimes 4 before starting something else. But what has happened a few times is that I think I'm done with a series, so I move on to a new one, and then readers ask for more and I find I have more story to tell ... so I plan another book in the series or add a second series with the same characters. I prefer to just write a whole series and complete it before moving on to something else. My head needs to stay in the world to keep all the details straight. Going back is a pain, because I have to re-read the entire series, and when it's 7 books long, that's a lot of reading and not writing time.

8. *Comment*: if I have Elle whispering at my shoulder that it's ok to edit while I write, rather than all those other folks, telling me it's the fastest way to nowhere, I might be able to increase my productivity after all. *Response*: Hell yes!! Edit as you go. I'm not whispering at your shoulder, I'm shouting and possibly dancing too. Seriously, just do what works for you. I really have to edit as I go. After writing 5,000 words or more, I need to go back and remind myself what my characters said and did. I have a lot of foreshadowing in my books, so I have to remember to wrap everything up. Without going back and re-reading, I'd have to do twice as much work in the end.

9. *Comment from HUGH HOWEY*: *genuflects* You are my hero. My inspiration. And this is my favorite thread ever. *Response*: *flatline* Someone get the paddles! Clear! *PUMPH!!* [crap], my heart stopped for a second there. I love you, Hugh Howey. My husband allows me to say that, but only to you (and him of course).


----------



## R.V. Doon

Inspiring thread. I've got the fast typing skills, but need to work on the production. I saw your production schedule yesterday and today I wrote mine.


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## 54706

R.V. Doon said:


> Inspiring thread. I've got the fast typing skills, but need to work on the production. I saw your production schedule yesterday and today I wrote mine.


I probably should have included that in my list! Yes, I did a production schedule, mainly for my readers at first, but then it became a kind of accountability thing for me and a schedule to stick to.

When you have a group of people telling you how much they're looking forward to the next book on the list, it's kind of hard to _not_ write. So I suggest you put it out there for all your readers to see and to remind you what your plan is for the year. It's also very inspiring to say to myself ... ~ "Wow, at the end of this year, I'll have ___ # of books! Each book earns me $_____ on average, so that's an income of $_______!! Whoopee! I'm going to Disney World!"


----------



## Alondo

I simply don't have the physical dexterity to come anywhere near this. I have all the ideas, but I'm strictly a two-finger typist, and slow at that. My typing speed is only marginally faster than writing by hand. In face most of what I do is handwritten at first.

Guess I'm perpetually condemned to the slow lane!


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## 54706

Alondo said:


> I simply don't have the physical dexterity to come anywhere near this. I have all the ideas, but I'm strictly a two-finger typist, and slow at that. My typing speed is only marginally faster than writing by hand. In face most of what I do is handwritten at first.
> 
> Guess I'm perpetually condemned to the slow lane!


Noooo! Invest some time in learning to type like a professional and you will get paid back exponentially. It's an investment, I promise!


----------



## LG Castillo

Elle, You.Are.Amazing! A true inspiration. 

My fingers don't fly as fast as yours. I should keep exercising them and hopefully someday I'll get there.  

Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Anna K

This is such a motivating thread! My biggest barrier to writing faster seems to be getting in the 'zone'. There are days that beautiful scenes just roll out, complete with dynamic characters and great chemistry, and other days where my computer's on my lap but everything seems more forced.

Are you always in the zone or do you have super-secret tricks for getting yourself there?


----------



## CJArcher

You're an inspiration, Elle! I've recently made a conscious decision to write more. I've gone from writing 10 pages a day (5 days a week while kids are in school) to 15 pages. I had to cut down on social media and internet time, but I feel so much better about my productivity. It's nowhere near your output, but it's an amount I'm happy with.


----------



## Eric C

Ernest Hemingway, 500 to 1,000 words per day on average
Graham Greene, 500 words per day
Tom Wolfe, 139 words per day (during the 11 years it took to write A Man in Full)
Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, 9 years in the making
Franzen's Freedom, also 9 years in the making
Donna Tartt's The Little Friend, 10 years in the making
Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, 6 years in the making
Thomas Pynchon's Vineland, 17 years in the making

Just a counter balancing post. Yes, write efficiently, but at the speed you enjoy most. Go too fast, it seems to me, and it's going to feel like real work!


----------



## ElisaBlaisdell

Eric C said:


> Ernest Hemingway, 500 to 1,000 words per day on average
> Graham Greene, 500 words per day
> Tom Wolfe, 139 words per day (during the 11 years it took to write A Man in Full)
> Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, 9 years in the making
> Franzen's Freedom, also 9 years in the making
> Donna Tartt's The Little Friend, 10 years in the making
> Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, 6 years in the making
> Thomas Pynchon's Vineland, 17 years in the making
> 
> Just a counter balancing post. Yes, write efficiently, but at the speed you enjoy most. Go too fast, it seems to me, and it's going to feel like real work!


You had me till you mentioned Dan Brown. Maybe if he'd only taken four years to write it, it'd have been a better book.


----------



## SBJones

Have you run into any burn out?  I wrote my first novel "Requiem" in about four months.  I published it and turned around and completed my second novel, "Guardian" in December of 2011.  Then I burned out.  It took a year before the trilogy was finished and I released "Sentinel" on Christmas of 2012.  I immediately rolled into my new series and finished the first 8 episodes (10-12k) of "Antiquities".  As before when I finished Guardian, I'm burned out.  I haven't typed a word in about five weeks now.  It seems around the 150-175k word mark and I'm done.

It's weird to.  I feel guilty at first when I'm not writing and I tend to avoid doing other things because of it.  Kind of like wanting to play some video games or go out, but I know I should be working so I don't, but I don't work so nothing gets done.


----------



## ElisaBlaisdell

SBJones said:


> Have you run into any burn out? I wrote my first novel "Requiem" in about four months. I published it and turned around and completed my second novel, "Guardian" in December of 2011. Then I burned out. It took a year before the trilogy was finished and I released "Sentinel" on Christmas of 2012. I immediately rolled into my new series and finished the first 8 episodes (10-12k) of "Antiquities". As before when I finished Guardian, I'm burned out. I haven't typed a word in about five weeks now. It seems around the 150-175k word mark and I'm done.
> 
> It's weird to. I feel guilty at first when I'm not writing and I tend to avoid doing other things because of it. Kind of like wanting to play some video games or go out, but I know I should be working so I don't, but I don't work so nothing gets done.


Try tricking your subconscious mind. Tell yourself that you will only allow yourself to write 250 words, or you will only allow yourself to write for a half hour. And do it. See if your subconscious mind starts wheedling: "Hey, how about letting me do just a little bit more?" And tell it: "Tomorrow, but not MUCH more."


----------



## MeiLinMiranda

Elle, where's your serial?


----------



## Hugh Howey

ellecasey said:


> [crap], my heart stopped for a second there. I love you, Hugh Howey. My husband allows me to say that, but only to you (and him of course).


I love you, too. And I shared this on FB to the amazement of many. When I go sailing, your library of prodigious output is coming with me. Can't wait to read these books.


----------



## Starfire

This is incredibly inspiring and very timely for me, Elle. Thank you so much for sharing your process! <3


----------



## Clare K. R. Miller

This is a wonderful post, Elle, and so inspirational. Thank you! I type fast too--I can increase my output.

This is my favorite part:


ellecasey said:


> My opinion on this is that _it's the readers who decide_ what a good story is, and my readers have decided I am fully capable of putting out a good story in a month, over and over again. So that myth is debunked in my world, but if other people want to stick to their beliefs, that's fine. It doesn't affect me at all. You decide if it affects you.


----------



## legion

You know what? This is the kick in the pants I needed.
I'm not as fast as you but I can type pretty fast if everything's flowing, my personal best being 15k in a day (I was determined to win NaNoWriMo). I can definitely do _at least_ 2k in an hour and with just an hour a day, that puts me in the 1 book per month territory.

Anyway, off to re-group and tighten up my production schedule! I've been giving myself too much time to slack.
Thank you for this Elle.


----------



## 54706

Eric C said:


> Ernest Hemingway, 500 to 1,000 words per day on average
> ...
> Just a counter balancing post. Yes, write efficiently, but at the speed you enjoy most. Go too fast, it seems to me, and it's going to feel like real work!


Ah, yes. I was waiting for one of these. 

As I mentioned many times in my posts, writers have to do what works for them. I'm just sharing what works for _me_, in the event there's a writer out there wondering how he or she might increase output and publish more books in a year.

All the writers you put in that post were writing/publishing books in a completely different environment than we are today. In 2013, some writers will make a fine living writing books like that (Colleen Hoover comes to mind), but the vast majority will not. So if you wish to make a living at writing books, the alternative I suggest is to treat your writing like a business, like a job (albeit one you love), and increase your production. Writing fast or writing slow ... this is a job. If you tell yourself writing is your hobby, that's all it will ever be probably. The men and women I see getting to the NYT or USA Today best seller list - the ones making serious bank - aren't doing what you suggest (except for the odd outlier like Colleen). Neither are the ones who are solid mid-list indies like me. If they're not writing, they're promoting. Sure they take time off, but not months off. Readers are hungry and if you don't feed them, they'll find another author who will.



Anna K said:


> This is such a motivating thread! My biggest barrier to writing faster seems to be getting in the 'zone'. There are days that beautiful scenes just roll out, complete with dynamic characters and great chemistry, and other days where my computer's on my lap but everything seems more forced.
> 
> Are you always in the zone or do you have super-secret tricks for getting yourself there?


My secret is to just sit down and write, whether I feel like it or not.

I'm a procrastinator from the word GO. It's my nature to avoid things I _should_ be doing. So for me to be able to do this, to sit down and just write when I really really don't want to, is a big deal. If I can do it, anyone can. Once I let the voices in my head start talking, they usually don't let me down. Only once did I have to stop writing a book because the voices weren't speaking to me, and I think it was because I told too much of their stories in book 1 and didn't have enough left for book 2, or I was too excited to start my next series so the motivation was too low for those characters' voices to be heard. Whatever the reason, I let them go to the back of my head and started my next series (and boy was I scared that I'd lost my mojo), and everything was back on track immediately.



Hugh Howey said:


> I love you, too. And I shared this on FB to the amazement of many. When I go sailing, your library of prodigious output is coming with me. Can't wait to read these books.


Start with Apocalypsis!! It's a fan favorite. Then War of the Fae/Clash and then Wrecked if you don't mind reading about shipwrecks when you're on a ship. lol


----------



## 54706

CJArcher said:


> You're an inspiration, Elle! I've recently made a conscious decision to write more. I've gone from writing 10 pages a day (5 days a week while kids are in school) to 15 pages. I had to cut down on social media and internet time, but I feel so much better about my productivity. It's nowhere near your output, but it's an amount I'm happy with.


And that's the key!! Be happy with what you're doing.


SBJones said:


> Have you run into any burn out? I wrote my first novel "Requiem" in about four months. I published it and turned around and completed my second novel, "Guardian" in December of 2011. Then I burned out. It took a year before the trilogy was finished and I released "Sentinel" on Christmas of 2012. I immediately rolled into my new series and finished the first 8 episodes (10-12k) of "Antiquities". As before when I finished Guardian, I'm burned out. I haven't typed a word in about five weeks now. It seems around the 150-175k word mark and I'm done.
> 
> It's weird to. I feel guilty at first when I'm not writing and I tend to avoid doing other things because of it. Kind of like wanting to play some video games or go out, but I know I should be working so I don't, but I don't work so nothing gets done.


Burn out. I think sometimes I feel that coming on, so I take a few days off (usually after finishing a book near the end of the month), but then I get right back on the laptop and start again. Why? Because if I give myself an inch, I will take a mile. I know I will. I'm fully aware of my shortcomings and procrastination is one of them. Avoidance of uncomfortable things. But once I start writing, I get into it, start falling in love with my characters, getting excited about what they're doing, laughing about what they're saying, and it's all good.

It bears repeating: This is a business. You have to treat it that way. Consider your "normal" job or one you've had in the past. How long would you have kept it if you just didn't show up for work? And work isn't always a bed of roses. Sometimes you have to deal with turd clients or bad suppliers. Whatever. Get over it. The beauty is you get to be lost in a world you've created for a few hours a day, and that's a reward in and of itself.

Last, I have absolutely fantastic reader fans. They motivate me every day with their posts on my Facebook, their reviews on Amazon, their emails, their Tweets... I write for them, because they are the ones to pay my paycheck. They're my bosses. And they expect me to give them a good product on time and frequently. Letting them down is looking a gift horse in the mouth, and I just won't do that.



MeiLinMiranda said:


> Elle, where's your serial?


PM me and I'll give you my other pen name. I don't post it publicly, but I'm happy to share it. 

To those of you who've thanked me on the thread and through PM: YOU'RE WELCOME!! Please share your successes with me if you feel like it. I love hearing good news.


----------



## Kitty French

Elle, I am in AWE. Those numbers are amazing, and I love how you said that you started out without the constraints of knowing what 'normal' word counts were and just went for it. Congrats - your numbers coupled with your work ethic are really inspirational. x


----------



## kathrynoh

I was going to ask if you used a pen name and now you've answered.  Do you think there is a point where you can saturate the market writing under one name?  You've said readers are hungry but I assume that even the most hungry would get full at some point (based on me at an all you can eat buffet  )  What do you think is the optimal number of books to release per year under the one name?


----------



## 54706

kathrynoh said:


> I was going to ask if you used a pen name and now you've answered. Do you think there is a point where you can saturate the market writing under one name? You've said readers are hungry but I assume that even the most hungry would get full at some point (based on me at an all you can eat buffet ) What do you think is the optimal number of books to release per year under the one name?


I don't think so, that readers can get burned out or the market saturated. My mom's been a Nora Roberts fan for years (like 20!), and even when her books are all crap, she still buys them, hoping one of them will be awesome again. And every now and then, they're good enough to keep her coming back.

I am/was (before I started writing so much) an avid reader of lots of genres. I always wanted an author like me who would give me something new to read more often. I fell off reading Patricia Briggs and Charlaine Harris because there was so much time between books. I moved on. I didn't leave because I didn't want to read more. I left because other authors took their place; I forgot about them.

I think as long as you can keep the characters fresh and the stories varied, the readers will always be there. They might take a break for a few months, but so far, they keep coming back even after a break in my experience. Look up Stephen King and you'll see people saying they've read every book or short story he ever wrote, and will continue to do so. It's the storytelling and voices they're falling for, and as a writer, you can create that stuff ad infinitum.

I think regardless of what pen name I use, a highly tuned in reader will sense it's the same person. I don't become a different writer because I use a different name. I do have different types of characters under my different pen names though, so their voices are different. I use the different identities mostly to keep from offending people who don't want or don't want their kids to read the sexy stuff.


----------



## AmsterdamAssassin

Alondo said:


> I simply don't have the physical dexterity to come anywhere near this. I have all the ideas, but I'm strictly a two-finger typist, and slow at that. My typing speed is only marginally faster than writing by hand. In face most of what I do is handwritten at first.
> 
> Guess I'm perpetually condemned to the slow lane!


My father was a reporter and he typed faster with two fingers than I when I learned to type 'blind'. Of course, he wrote his own articles, so he didn't need to take his gaze from his keyboard.

My reason for learning to type, was blindness. When I was young, my mother administered eyedrops to my eyes but mistakenly overdosed my eyes, so I was blind for a little over a day, at an impressionable age. I was worried after I regained my sight that I would become blind in the future, so I walked around the house with my eyes closed and read a book about a young boy who becomes blind and goes to an institute for the blind. In the book, het wereldje van Beer Ligthart, the boy gets extremely frustrated learning how to type, because he never had a chance to see the keyboard before he went blind. I took a course to learn how to type and I remember being irrationally relieved that _if_ I went blind, at least I'd be able to type.

And my wife found my practise materials later and taught herself how to type as well.

Manual dexterity has not much to do with it. Your fingers take a basic position on the keyboard and from there every finger is assigned a number of keys - the key they rest on, the one above and below, etcetera. You'll have to do exercises, like typing the same word or sentence for a page, to imprint the neural pathways, but it's like learning how to make your fingers walk. In the beginning, it might feel awkward and you'll be tempted to return to your old ways, but if you persist, you can learn how to type properly in a week of dedicated practice. Here, in the Netherlands, there are online typing programs aimed at getting children to type, with 'playful' tests and competitions to motivate them. If an adult 'typing course' won't work for you, perhaps a 'playful' site will motivate you better.

Just don't think 'dexterity' had much to do with learning how to type, unless you had a degenerative neural disease that makes it impossible for your fingers to do what you want.


----------



## 54706

I would add that if you're new to typing like a professional, it might be worth getting a DVORAK keyboard instead of the QWERTY one, because it's better for your hands and wrists.

I dream of one day teaching myself to use that keyboard instead.  Of course, then I remind myself that the few times I've tried to use a French keyboard, where the letters M, Q, W, Z and a few punctuation marks are in different places, the results were disastrous and the process of re-learning those positions frustrating.  And I go back to the stupid QWERTY and sigh some more.


----------



## AmsterdamAssassin

ellecasey said:


> I would add that if you're new to typing like a professional, it might be worth getting a DVORAK keyboard instead of the QWERTY one, because it's better for your hands and wrists.


While I agree with you that DVORAK is ergonomically better, I still think QWERTY has the advantage of being ubiquitous - I can buy pretty much any keyboard I like in QWERTY (like my current Adonit Writer + bluetooth keyboard that's connected to my iPad), and most laptops and MacBooks are fitted with QWERTY. DVORAK can be found, but it's still too rare for the systems that are used most prolifically.


----------



## 54706

AmsterdamAssassin said:


> While I agree with you that DVORAK is ergonomically better, I still think QWERTY has the advantage of being ubiquitous - I can buy pretty much any keyboard I like in QWERTY (like my current Adonit Writer + bluetooth keyboard that's connected to my iPad), and most laptops and MacBooks are fitted with QWERTY. DVORAK can be found, but it's still too rare for the systems that are used most prolifically.


Mac OS X 10.6: Switching your keyboard to Dvorak layout:  [URL=http://support.apple.com/kb/PH6528]http://support.apple.com/kb/PH6528
[/url]


----------



## Christa Wick

SBJones said:


> It's weird to. I feel guilty at first when I'm not writing and I tend to avoid doing other things because of it. Kind of like wanting to play some video games or go out, but I know I should be working so I don't, but I don't work so nothing gets done.


I get in that awful trap - although it's not the writing the triggers it. It's always some other thing I don't want to do but feel guilty for not doing it, so I do nothing. Of course, what's really the root is anyone's guess. I'm self-aware but not utterly.


----------



## KellyHarper

Christa Wick said:


> I get in that awful trap - although it's not the writing the triggers it. It's always some other thing I don't want to do but feel guilty for not doing it, so I do nothing. Of course, what's really the root is anyone's guess. I'm self-aware but not utterly.


I'll chime in... story of my life.


----------



## Shane Murray

ellecasey said:


> 2. *Question from Shane Murray*: Elle, have you try writing while working a full time job before? You obviously have no problem with focus. Do you have any rules for your writing time? I.e., no internet, no phone, no noise, etc. You seem to be able to finish in a few hours, does that mean you spend other time thinking about the story etc? Is there any process you do away from the keyboard, or is it switch on, switch off? *Answer*: I have never written while working a full time job. I work 2 days a week teaching, which means about 3 days of teaching and preparing to teach, so that leaves me 2 week days and 2 weekend days to write. But even on the teaching days, I do social media at night, so I work 7 days a week at the business of publishing. I have no rules for writing, per se, but when I write in a place with no Internet, I get a lot more done. A LOT lot. Not a little lot, but a lot lot.  Yes, I do finish in a few hours and I spend tons of time thinking about my stories. It's what I think about as I'm falling asleep, as I take showers, take walks, drive, etc. All kinds of solutions come up when I talk with my husband about my plot while we take walks. He just listens and asks an occasional question, but the process of explaining out loud helps me work out kinks. I also have my covers done early, and I use them as inspiration. I also sometimes find music that suits the mood of the book and listen to it in between writing jags or while I shower or cook. That's pretty much it.


To do list:
- Kill internet. DIE DIE DIE! Ahem...
- Kill social media.

I like listening to music too, you said in between? So no noise while actually writing. I find music pumps me up, but being on a youtube playlist while writing is probably not good for my productivity. I used to write without music or youtube lists. I think its time to go back to that.

I am going to get a new laptop just for writing once I get my winter bonus, one that is light with a long battery life so I can go out of my home. No internet on it, just scrivener. Focus is what I have been lacking. I definitely feel like it is your strength, it is what allows you to get into the story so well. I used to be more like that, seeing everything in a movie in my head, then somewhere along the time I got a bit detached and started editing too much, thinking too hard, trying to be too writerly. Definitely time to get back into seeing the movie and writing it mode.


----------



## vrabinec

No. No. Sicklove said good books take time, so I'm not buying it.


----------



## 54706

Shane Murray said:


> To do list:
> - Kill internet. DIE DIE DIE! Ahem...
> - Kill social media.
> 
> I like listening to music too, you said in between? So no noise while actually writing. I find music pumps me up, but being on a youtube playlist while writing is probably not good for my productivity. I used to write without music or youtube lists. I think its time to go back to that.
> 
> I am going to get a new laptop just for writing once I get my winter bonus, one that is light with a long battery life so I can go out of my home. No internet on it, just scrivener. Focus is what I have been lacking. I definitely feel like it is your strength, it is what allows you to get into the story so well. I used to be more like that, seeing everything in a movie in my head, then somewhere along the time I got a bit detached and started editing too much, thinking too hard, trying to be too writerly. Definitely time to get back into seeing the movie and writing it mode.


I can't listen to music while I write. It distracts me so much I start singing and stop typing. To lose myself in my story/world, I have to listen to nothing or white noise. White noise is especially helpful when kids are home or windows are open and farmer neighbors decide to drive their tractors through town.  But I do listen to music when not writing. My whole War of the Fae series is inspired by Breaking Benjamin, especially the song Diary of Jane.

You took a fork in the road somewhere back there, and it was the wrong fork for you. So back up, find the fork again, and take the other path. It doesn't hurt to find out what doesn't work, so long as you recognize it's not working and are willing to change and try something new or use the old way again.


----------



## 54706

vrabinec said:


> No. No. Sicklove said good books take time, so I'm not buying it.


Ew. Fred. Ew.


----------



## KellyHarper

For what it's worth, I've been able to drastically increase my productivity over the last month or so by following a few "setup" tips. It's taken me a while to figur eout what works for me, and I'm not the best about actually getting started (hence me posting this right now ). In any case, here's what I do to begin writing:

*1) Kill Internet.* (this is critical). I use a Mac, and I use an app called "SelfControl". I set it to completely block the internet, and I usually set it for 3-5 hours. Once it's set... you can't turn it off. You can restart your computer all you want, force quit the process, nothing works. Once you set it for 5 hours, you'll be without internet for 5 hours. I love it, and it's free!

*2) Kill the music.* I love listening to music. In fact, I love it too much. When I have music on I get distracted by it. I take another tip from Elle's playbook and I turn on some light "white noise", and I keep the volume on my speakers relatively low. I downloaded an mp3 from somewhere and just have it on a 60 minute white noise loop in iTunes.

*3) Write in burst sessions.* I set a timer for 15 minutes to track my burst sessions. I write as fast as possible, and don't stop writing until the 15 minutes is up. Until recently, I would use these burst sessions to just jumpstart my writing - so I would typically go beyond the 15 minutes while I continued writing whatever scene I am working on. However, I found that after the 15 minutes were up, I was much more prone to distraction, and general *staring at the screen without actually writing*. This is a serious loss of productivity. Now, I stop writing at 15 minutes. No matter where I'm at. I take a break for anywhere between 2-5 minutes, make sure that I have my scene list handy (I'm 70% plotter, 30% pantser), and that I have enough to get me through the next 15 minutes... then I rinse and repeat. I've found that this keeps me very focused and lets me plan out my mini breaks, along with my mini-burst sessions.

*4) Planning.* Elle is a pantser - and I wish that I could write a book like that. But I can't. My thoughts tend to roam, and as I'm writing the story I find myself spending way too much time sitting and wondering what's going to happen, versus just writing and finding out what's going to happen. This ends up with me having horrible word counts per hour spent writing. I'm a HUGE fan of Rachel Aaron's "2k to 10k" book (I've touted it multiple times on KB - it's *$0.99* - go check it out!). She details exactly how she approaches her books, from start to finish, and advanced planning/plotting plays a serious role in her being able to consistently write 10k words a day.

*5) Shut the door.* I live by myself, so you might not think this is necessary - but it is. I shut the door to my office. *I also hide my phone in another room*. I block out the rest of the world, and focus on what's most important (writing). This might be even more important for those of you who do not live alone, or who have kids. Obviously concessions will have to be made, but it's vitally important that you protect your writing time if you expect it to be efficient.

By and large, those are the 5 things that I do that allowed me to finally break the 10k day. A 10K day has been a goal of mine ever since I began writing, and I've now been able to do it twice. More importantly, I can regularly push out 5k words before lunch time. Amazing! When I hit 5k (unless I'm under a tight deadline) I try to let myself have the rest of the day off. Sometimes this doesn't work because the characters are constantly talking in my head, asking for their story to be told, but I really do *try* to get away from the computer .

*Ultimate Tip:*

Here it is. The one tip I can probably share with everyone that might actually help people the most....

*Track Your Progress.* What I mean by this is, keep a little excel document, or Google docs, or a piece of paper, and note when you start writing, and when you stop writing, and how many words you wrote. Then make a note about your writing environment/conditions for each of your sessions. Such as... "wrote in my office, pantsed this session, was drinking coffee, had music on". Or... "no music, no internet, kids were screaming at me the whole time."

If you do this every time you write, you'll start to notice a trend of when you're most productive (highest Words Per Hour), along with your most productive writing conditions. When I started doing this, I thought I was most productive when I got away from the house and was at a Starbucks, or B&N. But I found that I was *drastically* more productive when I sat at home and turned everything off around me. Now - that's the way I write. It's the most efficient, and allows me to make the most of my time spent working.

OK... enough rambling for me. I'll share my results from yesterday. I'm hoping today looks very similar . (You'll see that I have significant delays between sessions. I'm so frustrated with myself because there's no reason for them - I need to cut them out completely and finish my day so much faster!)


----------



## Christa Wick

Excellent, Kelly. I've used the Pomodoro Technique (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique) you described and it works when I do it. (The timer has been sitting on my desk glowering at me for 2 months!) Perhaps what I need to do is use one of the online Pomodoro timers that block internet. Although, again, it's that first step (sitting down to write) that trips me the hardest lately.


----------



## 54706

@KellyHarper

WOW.  This is fabulous.  Killer.  Great tips!!!  You're kicking my buns in the discipline department.  I'm going to be adopting some of these tips tomorrow!  (my day is almost over already or I'd do it today)

My goal is not only to write a lot, but to do it in a short period of time so I have most of my day for my family, life, and marketing my work.  Your system will help with that.


----------



## hs

Thanks for the post, Elle! I remember reading about your plans a while ago and seeing your production schedule on your web site and wondering, "How can she write so much?" Now I have a better idea. I don't think I'll ever be as prolific as you are, but at least I know what's possible.

Regarding your 15k days, is 15K the number of words you happen to write that day because you got on a roll, or do you actually set 15K word count goals in advance? That sounds like a lot of pressure!


----------



## 54706

hs said:


> Thanks for the post, Elle! I remember reading about your plans a while ago and seeing your production schedule on your web site and wondering, "How can she write so much?" Now I have a better idea. I don't think I'll ever be as prolific as you are, but at least I know what's possible.
> 
> Regarding your 15k days, is 15K the number of words you happen to write that day because you got on a roll, or do you actually set 15K word count goals in advance? That sounds like a lot of pressure!


It could be either. If I have my schedule up and I've skipped some days (life gets in the way), Scrivener will automatically calculate for me how many words I need to write that day to stay on track for my deadline. So there have been a few days where I've been "forced" to write 10-15k a day for a few days in a row to get on track. Then there are days that I plan to do, say, 10k and the story is just flowing and I'm not too tired to stop so I keep going. Those days are rare. Maybe only once a month, and usually towards the end of the book. Once I get past 50k, the book moves fast.


----------



## KellyHarper

ellecasey said:


> Once I get past 50k, the book moves fast.


For me, this is such a milestone. I *love* hitting 50k. I've only done it 3 times so far, but I always feel like it's a big deal (even though all of my first drafts have been 70K+... 50K feels like the point of no return).


----------



## 54706

David Stephens said:


> Not having Internet access while I write would be counterproductive. I use it as a dictionary, thesaurus, to resolve grammar questions, and for immediate research. If a character is driving somewhere I use Google Maps to see how long it would take. I use Google satellite and street view to see where the character is going. I've never been to Saint-Tropez, but I've taken a virtual tour all over the town and surrounding area. Just yesterday I was about to refer to Child Protective Services in a state that calls it something else. Google quickly saved me from embarrassment.
> 
> I still have shelves full of books for research, but Google gets the answer before I can walk over to the bookshelf.


Here's how I deal with that problem, since I have no self control and WILL go on the Internet if I have it: I put in [filler info] or my [best guess] on the book and then later go on the Internet and fill in the correct info. That way you just go with the flow, don't get hung up on Dictionary.com or Thesaurus.com and you still get your story right.


----------



## KellyHarper

David Stephens said:


> Not having Internet access while I write would be counterproductive. I use it as a dictionary, thesaurus, to resolve grammar questions, and for immediate research. If a character is driving somewhere I use Google Maps to see how long it would take. I use Google satellite and street view to see where the character is going. I've never been to Saint-Tropez, but I've taken a virtual tour all over the town and surrounding area. Just yesterday I was about to refer to Child Protective Services in a state that calls it something else. Google quickly saved me from embarrassment.
> 
> I still have shelves full of books for research, but Google gets the answer before I can walk over to the bookshelf.


You could take a few approaches with this, really.

1) Edit AFTER you finish drafting. Don't worry about the grammar/punctuation/spelling until you've first drafted a scene. (Or... get an offline dictionary. Mac comes with a very nice dictionary/thesaurus built in, though it seems like a more difficult thing to obtain in Windows).

2) Do your research before or after you draft. Go on Google, Maps, Streetview, etc. and take screenshots of everything. Plan out the things you might need, and save them. Then, when it's time to write, shut everything off. Personally, I try to keep research to a bare minimum during my first drafts, because I don't always know what's going to make the final cut of a scene, or of a story in general. I don't want to spend a ton of time researching (and it can be a huge time sink), and then end up not using any of the material.

Things work differently for everyone, just wanted to give you a different perspective on this particular aspect .

EDIT:

I also find that too much detailed planning beforehand *really* takes me out of storytelling mode. I'm trying harder to be a storyteller first, and foremost. My very first novel was actually a thriller set in Seattle and Chicago (two places I've never been) and I felt like I got mired in the details of the cities and lost sight on what was most important - the storytelling.

Again, just sharing my perspective on things I've learned in the last year. *Sigh* Wish I could go back and change so many of the things I've done in the last 12 months, but I can only make improvements and keep moving forward


----------



## 54706

KellyHarper said:


> You could take a few approaches with this, really.
> 
> 1) Edit AFTER you finish drafting. Don't worry about the grammar/punctuation/spelling until you've first drafted a scene. (Or... get an offline dictionary. Mac comes with a very nice dictionary/thesaurus built in, though it seems like a more difficult thing to obtain in Windows).
> 
> 2) Do your research before or after you draft. Go on Google, Maps, Streetview, etc. and take screenshots of everything. Plan out the things you might need, and save them. Then, when it's time to write, shut everything off. Personally, I try to keep research to a bare minimum during my first drafts, because I don't always know what's going to make the final cut of a scene, or of a story in general. I don't want to spend a ton of time researching (and it can be a huge time sink), and then end up not using any of the material.
> 
> Things work differently for everyone, just wanted to give you a different perspective on this particular aspect .


Great stuff. And if you use Scrivener, you can just drop that stuff right into the program in a Research Folder and have it with you all the time.


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## KellyHarper

ellecasey said:


> Great stuff. And if you use Scrivener, you can just drop that stuff right into the program in a Research Folder and have it with you all the time.


That's exactly what I do . I'm trying to get better about not shoving Scrivener down everyone's throats... I can get carried away with how amazing I think Scrivener is.


----------



## valeriec80

ellecasey said:


> I would add that if you're new to typing like a professional, it might be worth getting a DVORAK keyboard instead of the QWERTY one, because it's better for your hands and wrists.
> 
> I dream of one day teaching myself to use that keyboard instead. Of course, then I remind myself that the few times I've tried to use a French keyboard, where the letters M, Q, W, Z and a few punctuation marks are in different places, the results were disastrous and the process of re-learning those positions frustrating. And I go back to the stupid QWERTY and sigh some more.


Expect it to be a heartbreaking experience, but way worth it in the end. I switched to dvorak about a year ago. I LOVE it, and 
I'm a faster typist than I ever was before. (My carpal tunnel stuff had gone away, but it seems back, and I wonder if it's related to the cool, wet air of spring or something? Anyway, I just bought a Kinesis--and if that doesn't fix it, nothing will. Anything to keep from having to go back to dictating. Ugh. Using Dragon last spring and summer was soooo frustrating.) But besides being easier or your wrists and fingers, it's also more efficient, and you'll be even faster on dvorak.

But not at first. At first, it's so hard. I switched cold turkey and wouldn't allow myself to go back to qwerty, but I was using dictation software at the same time. It took me three months to get up to speed on dvorak, but that was partly because I was trying to rest my hands because I thought they were horribly injured and because I had Dragon as a crutch. I think if you really practiced, you could get back to a serviceable speed within a few weeks.


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## 54706

KellyHarper said:


> That's exactly what I do . I'm trying to get better about not shoving Scrivener down everyone's throats... I can get carried away with how amazing I think Scrivener is.


I am a true believer! And I mention it whenever it's germane because tools are important in this business like any other. Whatever we can use to make the work of writing better we need to spread the word about!


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## Christa Wick

ellecasey said:


> Here's how I deal with that problem, since I have no self control and WILL go on the Internet if I have it: I put in [filler info] or my [best guess] on the book and then later go on the Internet and fill in the correct info. That way you just go with the flow, don't get hung up on Dictionary.com or Thesaurus.com and you still get your story right.


Exactly what I do when I don't want to break a good flow!


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## Scott Daniel

I just wanted to say thank you, Elle. This is one of the best threads on KB in a long, long time.

Also, I wanted to say, I love your attitude. I've been in the 'oh woe is me' doldrums for a long time about writing. I stopped and and blamed the new job, my family, time constraints in general. A few days ago, I bought Scrivener for my Mac and started a novel. Positive steps, but I was fighting every darn word, trying to make it perfect.

Then you came along. "Full steam ahead," you say. "NO excuses" you say. "Just write." 

So, sometime yesterday while I was following along on the thread, I just said screw it! Permission to stink granted. Words on (virtual) paper mister!

This morning, I got up, made some tea and a bowl of oatmeal, fired up Scrivener and wrote. Then I wrote some more. Pretty soon, I had tossed out 1,000 words and God, it felt good. Just flowed on out. 

I'm going to bookmark this thread and comeback to it when I need a good dose of Elle's encouragement.


----------



## KellyHarper

Scott Daniel said:


> I just wanted to say thank you, Elle. This is one of the best threads on KB in a long, long time.
> 
> Also, I wanted to say, I love your attitude. I've been in the 'oh woe is me' doldrums for a long time about writing. I stopped and and blamed the new job, my family, time constraints in general. A few days ago, I bought Scrivener for my Mac and started a novel. Positive steps, but I was fighting every darn word, trying to make it perfect.
> 
> Then you came along. "Full steam ahead," you say. "NO excuses" you say. "Just write."
> 
> So, sometime yesterday while I was following along on the thread, I just said screw it! Permission to stink granted. Words on (virtual) paper mister!
> 
> This morning, I got up, made some tea and a bowl of oatmeal, fired up Scrivener and wrote. Then I wrote some more. Pretty soon, I had tossed out 1,000 words and God, it felt good. Just flowed on out.
> 
> I'm going to bookmark this thread and comeback to it when I need a good dose of Elle's encouragement.


Love this Scott! Posts about people putting out a huge amount of work motivate me as much as people posting about phenomenal sales. Definitely recommend you check out Rachel Aaron's "2k to 10k" (linked in my post above) and definitely recommend that you just start writing, and don't worry about what you've written until it's time to clean it up.


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## Scott Daniel

Thanks, Kelly. I will check that out ... I enjoy reading books about writing (James Scott Bell is a favorite).


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## dianasg

Elle, this is a wonderful and inspiring post! SO much respect for your work ethic - you've definitely inspired me to get cracking and treat writing in a more disciplined way!



KellyHarper said:


> Love this Scott! Posts about people putting out a huge amount of work motivate me as much as people posting about phenomenal sales. Definitely recommend you check out Rachel Aaron's "2k to 10k" (linked in my post above) and definitely recommend that you just start writing, and don't worry about what you've written until it's time to clean it up.


I DEFINITELY second the recommendation to read Rachel Aaron's "2k to 10k." The book was born from one of her blog posts, so if you wanted to get a sense of Rachel Aaron's amazing system, check it out:

http://thisblogisaploy.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-i-went-from-writing-2000-words-day.html


----------



## 54706

Scott Daniel said:


> I just wanted to say thank you, Elle. This is one of the best threads on KB in a long, long time.
> 
> Also, I wanted to say, I love your attitude. I've been in the 'oh woe is me' doldrums for a long time about writing. I stopped and and blamed the new job, my family, time constraints in general. A few days ago, I bought Scrivener for my Mac and started a novel. Positive steps, but I was fighting every darn word, trying to make it perfect.
> 
> Then you came along. "Full steam ahead," you say. "NO excuses" you say. "Just write."
> 
> So, sometime yesterday while I was following along on the thread, I just said screw it! Permission to stink granted. Words on (virtual) paper mister!
> 
> This morning, I got up, made some tea and a bowl of oatmeal, fired up Scrivener and wrote. Then I wrote some more. Pretty soon, I had tossed out 1,000 words and God, it felt good. Just flowed on out.
> 
> I'm going to bookmark this thread and comeback to it when I need a good dose of Elle's encouragement.


Now you've done it, Scott. You've made me cry, dammit.

GOOD MAN!! GO WRITE YOUR ASS OFF!!

I'm proud of you.

xoxox


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## Mike Dennis

After I picked myself up off the floor (23,500 words/day!!!), I'm now able to type, and I want to say "Well done, Elle!" Great thread and some great replies, too.

I do have a question, though. How did you manage to get your very first book noticed? The debut novel of an unknown author doesn't exactly leap out of the Amazon jungle at readers. Something has to push it out front. What was it in your case?


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## jackz4000

Elle and everyone else THANKS for a GREAT thread. I'm saving this one. Can't write full time now, but some really good stuff--one of KB's best.


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## 54706

Mike Dennis said:


> After I picked myself up off the floor (23,500 words/day!!!), I'm now able to type, and I want to say "Well done, Elle!" Great thread and some great replies, too.
> 
> I do have a question, though. How did you manage to get your very first book noticed? The debut novel of an unknown author doesn't exactly leap out of the Amazon jungle at readers. Something has to push it out front. What was it in your case?


Well, not knowing a dang thing about publishing, I did what Amanda Hocking did. I asked a bunch of book bloggers to read and review. A few did, but not many. I also told everyone I knew about it. About 20 of them bought it. Then I was so high on reader reviews (I had maybe 4), I started writing my next and then the next and then the next book. Within 3 months I had 4 books and word just got around via word of mouth. The type of readers I attract with my work are hard core, avid fans, so they like helping me out and talking about my work. I'm not ashamed to ask for help either. I ask all the time! I got really active on Facebook pretty early on, mostly talking to myself until readers showed up. Then I found KDP Select in March and did that for about 10 months. Worked really, really well for me. Now I just use a perma-free book and no KDP (stopped working for me). Now my readers spread the word for me, and I'm also very active on Facebook. I try to do cross-promotions with other authors whenever I can, mostly me promoting their stuff and occasionally someone promoting mine. It's a team effort!


----------



## mrv01d

Wow Elle, you are amazing. 

My writing process is completely different though and I've been working to improve my productivity all around. I wish I was like you!

One thing I think I've figured out about my process--and I share it b/c I can't be the only one dealing with this--is my speed is affected by craft issues, time constraints and the way my muse works.

I need to think and think and think about my stories. This is somewhat a craft issue as I think I am still working out the fundamentals of plot. My stories start as ideas not characters, so I have to build it outward before I can write. I've been focusing on honing my writing skills. I dove back into Donald Maass' books (which I'm finding much more helpful now that I'm a more seasoned writer) and I'll be attending one of his workshops this month.

However, while improving the craft side will make me faster, I'm still a thinker. Not a plotter. Not a panster. A thinker. I am getting better and better the more I write, but I'm not sure if my species of writer can ever write as fast as you do. Maybe I'll ask Maass about that, he would probably know. Do writer workstyles ever change, can a turtle become the hare? 

My current work speed is frustrating for me, but I anticipate some improvement when my kiddo starts full time school this fall. Plus I've enrolled her in summer camp which gives me 4 hours daily to work instead of just 6 over three days when she's in pre-k. So I'm working on external factors I can control to set myself up for success and I hope I continue to improve.

So if anyone is struggling with productivity, I guess what I came on here to say was: Develop your craft and make sure it's not holding back your word count and keep writing no matter what because you'll get better. And if you are more a full time parent than a writer, cut yourself some slack! Or get a nanny.  

May we all have futures where we are as fast and fantastic as Elle!

(Note just for context, despite my 'issues', I make a full time income from my writing. So you can be slow as molasses in winter and still do okay. No need to panic if your speed isn't up to snuff.)


M


----------



## Judy Powell

What an inspiration, Elle! I know I can't make your numbers but knowing that someone on this planet can write that fast makes me determined to push harder (I average 500 words per hour, which is dismal compared to most writers, but I write longhand because I don't type very fast.  I've actually considered learning shorthand).

On my most productive days this is what I do:

I head for the library and lock myself away in one of the individual study rooms from 9am to 5pm and only come out for bathroom breaks.  I don't leave for lunch as I take my snack with me and take a couple of 10 minute snack breaks right there in the study room.  I find that being away from home helps me focus (at home I get a lot of calls from telemarketers which breaks my concentration).  Also, when I'm at home I get distracted easily.  I may suddenly remember I need to water the plants or I should clear the sink of those dishes, etc.  At the library I can't stop to do any of these things.  It really keeps me focused.

I am going to push to get my  hourly average to 750 words.  If I keep pushing  maybe I'll even make it to 1,000 (I hope!).

Thanks to everyone for the tips on increasing productivity.


----------



## Rachel Schurig

Elle, thank you so much for sharing. This is really awesome information and very inspiring. I'm already a big fan of your work but now I have a greater appreciation for it.



David Stephens said:


> Not having Internet access while I write would be counterproductive. I use it as a dictionary, thesaurus, to resolve grammar questions, and for immediate research. If a character is driving somewhere I use Google Maps to see how long it would take. I use Google satellite and street view to see where the character is going. I've never been to Saint-Tropez, but I've taken a virtual tour all over the town and surrounding area. Just yesterday I was about to refer to Child Protective Services in a state that calls it something else. Google quickly saved me from embarrassment.
> 
> I still have shelves full of books for research, but Google gets the answer before I can walk over to the bookshelf.


I use productivity software called AntiSocial. It blocks all of the social aspects of the internet (twitter, fb, etc.) but allows access to other places. You can then add additional sites you want blocked (I'll typically add Kboards, Buzzfeed, HuffingtonPost, anything I know I will waste time on). I figure this way the "dangerous" stuff is blocked but I still have access to maps, google, wikipedia, etc.


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## AshRonin

Thanks for this thread. I love reading stories about people who have done well. I've set a pretty big goal for myself for the end of the year. I can't wait to see how well I do. Right now I've got a lot of time to write but that might change come fall.


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## AshRonin

AshRonin said:


> Thanks for this thread. I love reading stories about people who have done well. I've set a pretty big goal for myself for the end of the year. I can't wait to see how well I do. Right now I've got a lot of time to write but that might change come fall.


I'm going to need to look up anti-social. I've got this terrible habit of cycling through Jezebel, Facebook, and my Google Reader while writing. Also, Yahoo and MSNBC news.


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## Christa Wick

AshRonin said:


> I'm going to need to look up anti-social. I've got this terrible habit of cycling through Jezebel, Facebook, and my Google Reader while writing. Also, Yahoo and MSNBC news.


http://fredstutzman.com/software.html

or directly here

http://anti-social.cc

Mac only?

5 time free trial version otherwise $15 or bundled with Freedom (similar) for $20. I'm going to try M-F this week then decide on buying.


----------



## 54706

mrv01d said:


> Wow Elle, you are amazing.
> 
> My writing process is completely different though and I've been working to improve my productivity all around. I wish I was like you!
> 
> One thing I think I've figured out about my process--and I share it b/c I can't be the only one dealing with this--is my speed is affected by craft issues, time constraints and the way my muse works.
> 
> I need to think and think and think about my stories. This is somewhat a craft issue as I think I am still working out the fundamentals of plot. My stories start as ideas not characters, so I have to build it outward before I can write. I've been focusing on honing my writing skills. I dove back into Donald Maass' books (which I'm finding much more helpful now that I'm a more seasoned writer) and I'll be attending one of his workshops this month.
> 
> However, while improving the craft side will make me faster, I'm still a thinker. Not a plotter. Not a panster. A thinker. I am getting better and better the more I write, but I'm not sure if my species of writer can ever write as fast as you do. Maybe I'll ask Maass about that, he would probably know. Do writer workstyles ever change, can a turtle become the hare?
> 
> My current work speed is frustrating for me, but I anticipate some improvement when my kiddo starts full time school this fall. Plus I've enrolled her in summer camp which gives me 4 hours daily to work instead of just 6 over three days when she's in pre-k. So I'm working on external factors I can control to set myself up for success and I hope I continue to improve.
> 
> So if anyone is struggling with productivity, I guess what I came on here to say was: Develop your craft and make sure it's not holding back your word count and keep writing no matter what because you'll get better. And if you are more a full time parent than a writer, cut yourself some slack! Or get a nanny.
> 
> May we all have futures where we are as fast and fantastic as Elle!
> 
> (Note just for context, despite my 'issues', I make a full time income from my writing. So you can be slow as molasses in winter and still do okay. No need to panic if your speed isn't up to snuff.)
> 
> M


I don't know if I have mild forms of ADD but I can't think my plots through when I try. I have to talk to someone about them out loud, because this way my mind can't stray. If I'm talking I can't think about anything else. My husband is my sounding board, and it works best when we're walking or driving somewhere without anything pressing on our minds. I can noodle through things as I start to fall asleep or do mundane things, when my head is too tired to do much, but the best stuff is done in the talking. I use this for figuring out how my different threads of a plot will connect together or to try and figure out character's motivations for doing things. They speak to me but only in the context of the story; it's my job to figure out their motivations.


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## Soothesayer

Like Elle, I can't listen to music when I write. I've tried. All genres. I even tried New Age ambient (Roach, Stearns)--no go. The fact that my brain is getting a constant stream of INPUT while producing OUTPUT seems to be the issue, as if some people's brains just aren't hardwired with that ability. If there is a secret to doing it, I haven't found it. I need total silence to craft a logical plot. If I write in a public place like a library, I have to use earplugs. Blech.

Though I hear Stephen King listens to Ac-Dc (!!!) when he writes.


----------



## Mike Dennis

ellecasey said:


> Well, not knowing a dang thing about publishing, I did what Amanda Hocking did. I asked a bunch of book bloggers to read and review. A few did, but not many. I also told everyone I knew about it. About 20 of them bought it. Then I was so high on reader reviews (I had maybe 4), I started writing my next and then the next and then the next book. Within 3 months I had 4 books and word just got around via word of mouth. The type of readers I attract with my work are hard core, avid fans, so they like helping me out and talking about my work. I'm not ashamed to ask for help either. I ask all the time! I got really active on Facebook pretty early on, mostly talking to myself until readers showed up. Then I found KDP Select in March and did that for about 10 months. Worked really, really well for me. Now I just use a perma-free book and no KDP (stopped working for me). Now my readers spread the word for me, and I'm also very active on Facebook. I try to do cross-promotions with other authors whenever I can, mostly me promoting their stuff and occasionally someone promoting mine. It's a team effort!


Thanks for the complete reply, Elle, and much good fortune to you in the future.


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## Liz Davis

This such great information. Thank you so much for sharing with us. 
You're such an inspiration. 

Now, I better learn to type faster.


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## KristenDaRay

Thanks for your advice Elle!

I'm not sure I could write that much (I am in college and also have a job that brings in the majority of the income between me and my Hubby.)

BUT, It's good to know what I could be doing on my days off work and school, a rarity, but it happens sometimes. 

I have finals till Wed, and then the  Monday after I start my summer session. Yay! A whole 4 day break! 

Anyways, but I realized that I have taken the whole month of April off of writing to be sure I studied hard enough for finals. So I am behind by a month and  June is my self given deadline. So the tips give me inspiration to get cracking.... after Wed of course.


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## Dormouse

ellecasey said:


> I dream of one day teaching myself to use that keyboard instead. Of course, then I remind myself that the few times I've tried to use a French keyboard, where the letters M, Q, W, Z and a few punctuation marks are in different places, the results were disastrous and the process of re-learning those positions frustrating. And I go back to the stupid QWERTY and sigh some more.


I use a QWERTZ (German) keyboard and writing English on that can be challenging as well. Using a QWERTY-keyboard while I was working in the US was at first difficult but after a while I became used to it. Switching back to QWERTZ took again some time to re-adjust.


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## Kalen ODonnell

ellecasey said:


> I don't know if I have mild forms of ADD but I can't think my plots through when I try. I have to talk to someone about them out loud, because this way my mind can't stray. If I'm talking I can't think about anything else. My husband is my sounding board, and it works best when we're walking or driving somewhere without anything pressing on our minds. I can noodle through things as I start to fall asleep or do mundane things, when my head is too tired to do much, but the best stuff is done in the talking. I use this for figuring out how my different threads of a plot will connect together or to try and figure out character's motivations for doing things. They speak to me but only in the context of the story; it's my job to figure out their motivations.


Yes! This is EXACTLY how it is for me. I can have the seed of a story in my head for months but not really know where to take it, no matter how often I sit down and try and think it through....but the second I just start to talk about it to someone, just chatting about it with a beta or CP, it all starts to take shape and flow in my head. They don't even have to do anything, just knowing they're there and I'm speaking directly to an audience somehow brings it into focus for me.

Btw, I always suspected I had ADD and only recently went and got an official diagnosis and started on Adderall, which has been a huge improvement on my focus, productivity and follow through, but talking through a story with a soundingboard is still by far the most effective way for me to plot.


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## bellaandre

A great thread, Elle. It's always inspiring to find out how other writers work -- especially when one like you who is able to be so consistently productive. Thanks for sharing your process. I find my changes from book to book and year to year.

I've got a group of 10 friends in San Francisco who all write for a living and we've been meeting for lunch once a month for the past 7 or 8 years. All of us have very different writing styles -- some fast, some slow, some outliners, some pantsers --  but it's certainly true that focus and determination is necessary no matter your method. 

 Bella


----------



## WG McCabe

Kalen ODonnell said:


> Yes! This is EXACTLY how it is for me. I can have the seed of a story in my head for months but not really know where to take it, no matter how often I sit down and try and think it through....but the second I just start to talk about it to someone, just chatting about it with a beta or CP, it all starts to take shape and flow in my head. They don't even have to do anything, just knowing they're there and I'm speaking directly to an audience somehow brings it into focus for me.


It's funny how different writers work to produce. I am the complete opposite of this. If someone asks what I'm writing I'll give a very broad description, generally a couple of sentences, and that's it. I've found if I tell someone a story, giving details and plot points, I don't finish writing the story. It's like I've already told it so, as far as my brain is concerned, time to move on to other things.


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## legion

Patrick Szabo said:


> It's funny how different writers work to produce. I am the complete opposite of this. If someone asks what I'm writing I'll give a very broad description, generally a couple of sentences, and that's it. I've found if I tell someone a story, giving details and plot points, I don't finish writing the story. It's like I've already told it so, as far as my brain is concerned, time to move on to other things.


This is exactly how it is for me; in fact, worse--I can't even give a general description without killing it so I tend not to mention anything about a new project until a first draft is almost complete.

Also true for me:


mrv01d said:


> *I need to think and think and think about my stories.* This is somewhat a craft issue as I think I am still working out the fundamentals of plot. My stories start as ideas not characters, so I have to build it outward before I can write. I've been focusing on honing my writing skills...However, while improving the craft side will make me faster, I'm still a thinker. Not a plotter. Not a panster. A thinker. I am getting better and better the more I write, but I'm not sure if my species of writer can ever write as fast as you do...Do writer workstyles ever change, can a turtle become the hare?


I'm going to try to just get my butt in chair regularly to see if this still holds true even after forcing myself over and over again to just write. Maybe I don't need as much time to sort through ideas as I think (no pun intended).
Discipline is what I need now most of all; the act of writing should dislodge some blocks--whatever they are.


----------



## Eric C

ellecasey said:


> All the writers you put in that post were writing/publishing books in a completely different environment than we are today. In 2013, some writers will make a fine living writing books like that (Colleen Hoover comes to mind), but the vast majority will not.


Surely, you're not suggesting that, say, if Hemingway were alive today then he'd be writing The Old Man and the Sea in a month. What a loss to our culture that would be! And I really don't think we're in "a completely different environment" today. For every Hemingway, back in the day, there was a prolific Earl Stanley Gardner. There has long been fine dining along with fast food.



ellecasey said:


> So if you wish to make a living at writing books, the alternative I suggest is to treat your writing like a business, like a job (albeit one you love), and increase your production. Writing fast or writing slow ... this is a job. If you tell yourself writing is your hobby, that's all it will ever be probably.


The point of my original post (which was a bit obscure, upon reflection) was that authors should remember to work joyfully, and that they should recognize that it's okay to take their time with a project, if that's what the work and the author requires. It's okay to have ambitions for a novel that leads to a multi-year project. But if your top priority is to make a living then by all means ignore me. (But there are much easier, more lucrative, and more sure-fire ways to make a living.)


----------



## PatriceFitz

What an inspiration you are, Elle!  I saw a mention about this thread on FB from Hugh Howey, and I'm glad I came over.  Your numbers are truly astonishing.

I write pretty fast and pretty clean, but I do tend to wander about the internetz with the sudden urge to research custom-made T-shirts or a recently heard quotation from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (two actual Google searches performed by me today... instead of writing).

However, lately I have been able to produce short episodic books in the 10K - 20K range in about two or three weeks start to finish.  Many of these techniques have been mentioned, but I'm seconding them here.  Things that help me are:

1. Commission cover -- having spent the money, chosen the title, and having the cover to look at, I am inspired to complete the project.
2. Keep pushing ahead without editing.  Get the story done so that my characters stay alive and I have momentum.  Fine-tune later.
3. Write every day and write fast so that my head stays in the story.  That way I don't have to go back and remember what I've done.
4. Write early in the day.  I used to be a late-night writer (10 p.m. to 2 a.m.), especially when I had young kids.  But now I find I'm tired late at night, so I start when I'm fresher.  Kids are all grown up and out of the house, which is awesome!
5. Have the hot points of the plot in mind--a little splash at the beginning, two or three dramatic moments or reveals, a moving ending--then jump into writing and let the subconscious embroider on those destinations as I write toward them.  And typically improve them.  
6. Remember not everything has to be fast and action-packed.  Highs and lows are good; variety is good.  Don't worry about what sounds "boring" as I write--it might just be the calm before the storm the story needs.  And if it ends up being boring, just take it out.
7. Tell fans I'm writing the next one... and let their encouragement and interest inspire me.
8. Post my title, description, cover, etc., on KDP and save it as a draft, so when I look at my publishing dashboard, the book is all there but for the words I still have to write.
9. Get a formatting slot so I have a deadline to write to.
10. Do this writing and publishing thing over and over until it becomes not only possible but expected.
11. Sell a lot of books and look at the money I'm making!  That's a highly motivating factor for me.

I had a book that was selling well back in December of 2012, but had no follow-up.  Those readers were eager to jump into another one, but there was no next book to sell them!  I'm not making that mistake this time.

Recently, I got the chance to hitch my wagon to a star.  When Hugh Howey encouraged writers to create (and sell) fiction set in his world of WOOL, I was one of the first to do so.  Having that incredible boost of fans of "Silo stories" meant that my books sold immediately and well.  Thus there has been plenty of incentive to keep writing.  The first book in my series sold 2,000 copies in the first month, and the second is on target to beat that.  The third is drafted and soon to be published... with two more planned in this series.  That's a huge leg up, and I can never thank Hugh enough.  But without the continued output, that momentum would vanish.

I mean to make sure that it doesn't.

Thanks for this great thread!  In addition to your tips and amazing example, I learned about Scrivener, the Dvorak keyboard, and that typing site where you can test your speed.  As you said, indie writers are a stunningly generous lot, and if there is anything I can do for anyone else here, please let me know.  

P.S. I'm a lawyer too (I.P., no longer practicing).  There's a lot of that going around!


----------



## Lizbooks

Eric C said:


> Surely, you're not suggesting that, say, if Hemingway were alive today then he'd be writing The Old Man and the Sea in a month. What a loss to our culture that would be! And I really don't think we're in "a completely different environment" today. For every Hemingway, back in the day, there was a prolific Earl Stanley Gardner. There has long been fine dining along with fast food.


Faulkner wrote As I Lay Dying in six weeks. Dostoyevsky wrote The Gambler in less than a month. Anthony Burgess wrote A Clockwork Orange in three weeks. Surely those aren't "fast food." Quality and speed have no direct correlation. Some writers produce brilliant work in a short period of time, while others writers spend years writing dreck.


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## 54706

Eric C said:


> Surely, you're not suggesting that, say, if Hemingway were alive today then he'd be writing The Old Man and the Sea in a month. What a loss to our culture that would be! And I really don't think we're in "a completely different environment" today. For every Hemingway, back in the day, there was a prolific Earl Stanley Gardner. There has long been fine dining along with fast food.
> 
> The point of my original post (which was a bit obscure, upon reflection) was that authors should remember to work joyfully, and that they should recognize that it's okay to take their time with a project, if that's what the work and the author requires. It's okay to have ambitions for a novel that leads to a multi-year project. But if your top priority is to make a living then by all means ignore me. (But there are much easier, more lucrative, and more sure-fire ways to make a living.)


I'm not suggesting anything, other than what I came right out and said pretty clearly in this thread in several posts. Rather than me retyping or trying to rehash for you, I think it would be easier to just re-read, which I suggest you do if you have time. You don't have to read between the lines with my posts. I'm very clear about what I mean, what my motivations are, and what my purposes for sharing information are as well. If you read my posts carefully, you would see that I don't advocate my method; I advocate that writers do what makes them happy and what works for them. But until a person knows all the options available, it's possible they don't yet know what _could_ make them happy, and that is why this thread exists.

Your comment that an author who takes a long time to write is "fine dining" while one who creates faster is "fast food" is totally bogus. It's a MYTH and it's been BUSTED, several times over, as plenty of people on this thread have already pointed out. It doesn't matter how long it takes a person to write a book. Speed is not an indicator of quality.


----------



## 54706

PatriceFitz said:


> What an inspiration you are, Elle! I saw a mention about this thread on FB from Hugh Howey, and I'm glad I came over. Your numbers are truly astonishing.
> 
> I write pretty fast and pretty clean, but I do tend to wander about the internetz with the sudden urge to research custom-made T-shirts or a recently heard quotation from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (two actual Google searches performed by me today... instead of writing).
> 
> However, lately I have been able to produce short episodic books in the 10K - 20K range in about two or three weeks start to finish. Many of these techniques have been mentioned, but I'm seconding them here. Things that help me are:
> 
> 1. Commission cover -- having spent the money, chosen the title, and having the cover to look at, I am inspired to complete the project.
> 2. Keep pushing ahead without editing. Get the story done so that my characters stay alive and I have momentum. Fine-tune later.
> 3. Write every day and write fast so that my head stays in the story. That way I don't have to go back and remember what I've done.
> 4. Write early in the day. I used to be a late-night writer (10 p.m. to 2 a.m.), especially when I had young kids. But now I find I'm tired late at night, so I start when I'm fresher. Kids are all grown up and out of the house, which is awesome!
> 5. Have the hot points of the plot in mind--a little splash at the beginning, two or three dramatic moments or reveals, a moving ending--then jump into writing and let the subconscious embroider on those destinations as I write toward them. And typically improve them.
> 6. Remember not everything has to be fast and action-packed. Highs and lows are good; variety is good. Don't worry about what sounds "boring" as I write--it might just be the calm before the storm the story needs. And if it ends up being boring, just take it out.
> 7. Tell fans I'm writing the next one... and let their encouragement and interest inspire me.
> 8. Post my title, description, cover, etc., on KDP and save it as a draft, so when I look at my publishing dashboard, the book is all there but for the words I still have to write.
> 9. Get a formatting slot so I have a deadline to write to.
> 10. Do this writing and publishing thing over and over until it becomes not only possible but expected.
> 11. Sell a lot of books and look at the money I'm making! That's a highly motivating factor for me.
> 
> I had a book that was selling well back in December of 2012, but had no follow-up. Those readers were eager to jump into another one, but there was no next book to sell them! I'm not making that mistake this time.
> 
> Recently, I got the chance to hitch my wagon to a star. When Hugh Howey encouraged writers to create (and sell) fiction set in his world of WOOL, I was one of the first to do so. Having that incredible boost of fans of "Silo stories" meant that my books sold immediately and well. Thus there has been plenty of incentive to keep writing. The first book in my series sold 2,000 copies in the first month, and the second is on target to beat that. The third is drafted and soon to be published... with two more planned in this series. That's a huge leg up, and I can never thank Hugh enough. But without the continued output, that momentum would vanish.
> 
> I mean to make sure that it doesn't.
> 
> Thanks for this great thread! In addition to your tips and amazing example, I learned about Scrivener, the Dvorak keyboard, and that typing site where you can test your speed. As you said, indie writers are a stunningly generous lot, and if there is anything I can do for anyone else here, please let me know.
> 
> P.S. I'm a lawyer too (I.P., no longer practicing). There's a lot of that going around!


Lots of good stuff in here. I accidentally did that KDP title thing last month, but now that you mention it, I think I'll do it again on purpose this time. I've also switched from writing more at night to writing early in the morning. Getting done before lunch is a huge boost to the motivation area of my brain. I do write at night if I'm pushing to finish though or I'm out of town with nothing else to do. And #6 ... man, I fear with every book I write that my readers will finally quit me because the book is so boring. Every one, no matter how action-packed, I think is boring while I write it. So far, I've been wrong. And can I just say that I LOVE the hitching the wagon thing? Indies helping other indies is so amazing to me. I've experienced the other side of the coin, indies using other indies and then b-slapping them down ... so to see the opposite and to experience it (which I have recently with some lovely people, ahem DALYA/MIMI), warms the heart. It's possible to go it alone in this world, but why would anyone want to? It's so much better to be successful with friends doing the same.


----------



## 41352

Love this thread, love Elle's books, and all the advice on how to motivate oneself to keep writing.


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## AKMartin

Really Great thread, thanks Elle lots of good thoughts to take a away from this one

Anthony


----------



## kathrynoh

> Your comment that an author who takes a long time to write is "fine dining" while one who creates faster is "fast food" is totally bogus. It's a MYTH and it's been BUSTED, several times over, as plenty of people on this thread have already pointed out. It doesn't matter how long it takes a person to write a book. Speed is not an indicator of quality.


Apparently Shakespeare used to bang out the plays without drafting or plotting and that was way before Amazon even existed


----------



## RuthNestvold

ellecasey said:


> 8. *Comment*: if I have Elle whispering at my shoulder that it's ok to edit while I write, rather than all those other folks, telling me it's the fastest way to nowhere, I might be able to increase my productivity after all. *Response*: Hell yes!! Edit as you go. I'm not whispering at your shoulder, I'm shouting and possibly dancing too. Seriously, just do what works for you. I really have to edit as I go. After writing 5,000 words or more, I need to go back and remind myself what my characters said and did. I have a lot of foreshadowing in my books, so I have to remember to wrap everything up. Without going back and re-reading, I'd have to do twice as much work in the end.


THANK YOU, ELLE! I think this is me, trying to increase my output using other people's methods, and getting totally snarled up in the stuff that hasn't been fixed yet and is making the books feel like a jungle I can't get through!

I'm going to try this out this week and will report back how it goes.


----------



## quiet chick writes

Eric C said:


> Surely, you're not suggesting that, say, if Hemingway were alive today then he'd be writing The Old Man and the Sea in a month. What a loss to our culture that would be! And I really don't think we're in "a completely different environment" today. For every Hemingway, back in the day, there was a prolific Earl Stanley Gardner. There has long been fine dining along with fast food.
> 
> The point of my original post (which was a bit obscure, upon reflection) was that authors should remember to work joyfully, and that they should recognize that it's okay to take their time with a project, if that's what the work and the author requires. It's okay to have ambitions for a novel that leads to a multi-year project. But if your top priority is to make a living then by all means ignore me. (But there are much easier, more lucrative, and more sure-fire ways to make a living.)


I'm a slow-bake kind of writer. My first book took 3 years to complete, and my second is going on 3 as well. I've been a full-time writer for two years now (by way of my kid starting school), and they still take that long to work out. But that also involves a lot of dead time when I'm brooding over details, themes, what it all means, how it all ties together, editing, slashing half the book and rewriting it...

So I've been trying something new this year. I'm letting myself write on whatever book I want instead of thinking I need to pick one book and bang my head against it until it's finished. When one book hits a road block, I pick up another idea while the first is percolating in the background. (Because that's what I think a lot of my dead time is due to -- sometimes things just have to brew for a while, no matter how much butt-in-chair banging my head against a wall I do.) And without fail, while I'm putting down words on the new idea, in a few days/weeks, the first book will begin shouting at me again, and I pick it back up.

But the difference is that I've been writing continuously. When my first novel was finished, I had book #2 30% done already. And now that book #2 is about 60% done, I have a story collection and books #3 and #4 started as well.

Not sure everyone could work on multiple WIPs at one time, but I'm finding it useful. And my overall output has been much improved! Last year I was averaging probably 5-10K words/month, and the last couple months, it's been closer to 15-20K.

Also, tracking by spreadsheet is SO useful! I don't think I realized how much dead time I had before I started this.


----------



## Eric C

ellecasey said:


> Your comment that an author who takes a long time to write is "fine dining" while one who creates faster is "fast food" is totally bogus. It's a MYTH and it's been BUSTED, several times over, as plenty of people on this thread have already pointed out. It doesn't matter how long it takes a person to write a book. Speed is not an indicator of quality.


My actual opinion on the matter of speed and quality in novel writing is that there is a correlation, but that it's probably closer to zero than 1.0 or a perfect correlation. (I'm aware of works of classic literature written very quickly, although I think I could point to a lot more such works that took more than a year to write.) When I compared Hemingway to Gardner (who, as I recall, published about a million words a year in his heyday) I was really comparing ambitions. Gardner's intention with his Perry Mason series, it seems to me, was to entertain and little more. Hemingway, on the other hand, he was attempting considerably more than entertainment, literary art, and crafted every sentence carefully (to the extent that he really developed a new style, which became extremely influential for decades). The relatively lower ambition is why Gardner published so much faster IMO.

I meant no slam at Gardner's Perry Mason, a character I personally greatly enjoy, and I'm not trying to slam you. Again, I have only been saying to those following this thread that IMO it's okay to take your time if you personally need it, or if a particular book needs it, and that it probably will with any literary ambitions being mixed in with entertainment ambitions.

Edited to add: the pace at which you write, Elle, and the success you're enjoying, has clearly inspired many people here. I just wouldn't want anyone to be intimidated by you either.


----------



## 54706

RuthNestvold said:


> THANK YOU, ELLE! I think this is me, trying to increase my output using other people's methods, and getting totally snarled up in the stuff that hasn't been fixed yet and is making the books feel like a jungle I can't get through!
> 
> I'm going to try this out this week and will report back how it goes.


Please do! I'd love to know how it went. Like any adjustment, it might take time to get used to, but if it feels right for you, go for it.


----------



## ElisaBlaisdell

kathrynoh said:


> Apparently Shakespeare used to bang out the plays without drafting or plotting and that was way before Amazon even existed


Well, I'd say that for a high number of his plays, he had an extremely detailed outline--either historical fact, or something someone else had already written. Obviously, he felt free to change whatever in the outline he wanted to change.


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## Maya Cross

The best thread I've read in a while. Thanks so much for sharing. As someone who has locked myself into a release with my readers for my third book sometime in the next two and a half months, I am going to need every ounce of productivity I can muster. Just knowing it can be done is half the battle...and webcomics and itunes trailers make up most of the other half. May be time to start taking daily trips to the library.


----------



## PatriceFitz

ellecasey said:


> Lots of good stuff in here. I accidentally did that KDP title thing last month, but now that you mention it, I think I'll do it again on purpose this time. I've also switched from writing more at night to writing early in the morning. Getting done before lunch is a huge boost to the motivation area of my brain. I do write at night if I'm pushing to finish though or I'm out of town with nothing else to do. And #6 ... man, I fear with every book I write that my readers will finally quit me because the book is so boring. Every one, no matter how action-packed, I think is boring while I write it. So far, I've been wrong. And can I just say that I LOVE the hitching the wagon thing? Indies helping other indies is so amazing to me. I've experienced the other side of the coin, indies using other indies and then b-slapping them down ... so to see the opposite and to experience it (which I have recently with some lovely people, ahem DALYA/MIMI), warms the heart. It's possible to go it alone in this world, but why would anyone want to? It's so much better to be successful with friends doing the same.


Elle: So glad if any of my experiences are helpful!

As to hitching to Hugh's WOOL star... I am both astonished and grateful. I don't know how I can ever thank him. I thought of giving him my firstborn, but he's already married. 

I'm so glad to be part of this cooperative indie community. To me, it is part of allowing the abundance of the universe to blossom. Helping someone else doesn't mean less for me. Plenty of readers to go around. The more we write that they enjoy, the more they buy and the more they read! In fact, an author who is generous and friendly inspires loyalty in readers.

And I hear you on writing the next book and being worried this one's finally not going to be any good! Creating something fresh out of our own minds and imaginations is a new miracle every time. Joyous and satisfying but occasionally scary, it's a pretty wild thing to do with one's life. I think it's what we are born to do... and doesn't it feel amazing after you've done it?

I keep being surprised at the five-star reviews (not that they're all five stars!) I hope I'm always that thrilled.


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## journeymama

I'm another kid with my jaw on the floor. That's a LOT of words! I'm amazed. 

I'm also another with young kids at home- 3 months, 4 years, 7, 9, and 10. And I'm a homeschooler. It totally makes sense that I'm a writer. (Face palm.) Maybe someday (in my wistful dreams) I'll get the time and space to write the amount that you do. But for now, I'm very inspired to just type faster! (In the minutes I do get!)


----------



## mrv01d

Laura Rae Amos said:


> I'm a slow-bake kind of writer. My first book took 3 years to complete, and my second is going on 3 as well. I've been a full-time writer for two years now (by way of my kid starting school), and they still take that long to work out. But that also involves a lot of dead time when I'm brooding over details, themes, what it all means, how it all ties together, editing, slashing half the book and rewriting it...
> 
> So I've been trying something new this year. I'm letting myself write on whatever book I want instead of thinking I need to pick one book and bang my head against it until it's finished. When one book hits a road block, I pick up another idea while the first is percolating in the background. (Because that's what I think a lot of my dead time is due to -- sometimes things just have to brew for a while, no matter how much butt-in-chair banging my head against a wall I do.) And without fail, while I'm putting down words on the new idea, in a few days/weeks, the first book will begin shouting at me again, and I pick it back up.
> 
> But the difference is that I've been writing continuously. When my first novel was finished, I had book #2 30% done already. And now that book #2 is about 60% done, I have a story collection and books #3 and #4 started as well.
> 
> Not sure everyone could work on multiple WIPs at one time, but I'm finding it useful. And my overall output has been much improved! Last year I was averaging probably 5-10K words/month, and the last couple months, it's been closer to 15-20K.
> 
> Also, tracking by spreadsheet is SO useful! I don't think I realized how much dead time I had before I started this.


I do this too! And I think it's an important productivity tactic for writers who need time for things to percolate. I try to limit it to no more than three stories at a time though and once I get close to finishing one I push myself to get 'r done.

M


----------



## ElisaBlaisdell

mrv01d said:


> I do this too! And I think it's an important productivity tactic for writers who need time for things to percolate. I try to limit it to no more than three stories at a time though and once I get close to finishing one I push myself to get 'r done.
> 
> M


I've always thought that writing more than one thing at once would be unthinkable--but I'm going to try it, too. I'm hoping it'll get rid of that: "since I can't make progress on what I think I should, I'll do nothing" syndrome.


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## Guest

Hemingway spent a lot of time fishing, hunting, traveling, learning 3 foreign languages, etc. The Spanish Civil War and World War II also took up a lot of time. He also spent time getting married, getting divorced, moving from Paris to Key West to Cuba to the western U.S.
That was a lot of time he didn't spend writing.
Which means that his novels (not the short stories) could have been completed a lot quicker if he hadn't taken time for living.
So the amount of time it "takes" to write a novel means what?


----------



## mrv01d

ElisaBlaisdell said:


> I've always thought that writing more than one thing at once would be unthinkable--but I'm going to try it, too. I'm hoping it'll get rid of that: "since I can't make progress on what I think I should, I'll do nothing" syndrome.


I was the same way...very focused on one project. But ummm my muse started talking and wouldn't shut up and I've learned that when scenes appear in my head or if the characters are actually talking to each other I'd better write or lose it. So I now end up with a few stories going all at the same time. If I'm really tight on time I'll just write a synopsis if I have enough info on the story.

It actually works very well. For me at least. I hope you have a good experience iwth it.

M


----------



## RuthNestvold

Laura Rae Amos said:


> So I've been trying something new this year. I'm letting myself write on whatever book I want instead of thinking I need to pick one book and bang my head against it until it's finished. When one book hits a road block, I pick up another idea while the first is percolating in the background. (Because that's what I think a lot of my dead time is due to -- sometimes things just have to brew for a while, no matter how much butt-in-chair banging my head against a wall I do.) And without fail, while I'm putting down words on the new idea, in a few days/weeks, the first book will begin shouting at me again, and I pick it back up.


I've been doing this for a long time. I'm still not a very fast writer, but it helps me a lot when I hit a wall on one project to jump over to another that I can get more enthusiastic about. And invariably, the project I dropped for a while starts haunting me again and I can go back to it with all the cool ideas my subconscious came up with while I was away.


----------



## Amanda Brice

BrianKittrell said:


> Emphasis mine, of course. This is what holds me back on my days off. I have a three year old and an infant, so my writing comes in spurts. I do a lot of thinking about the stories but not much writing in those times, and in the spare hours when they nap, I sometimes get some writing done.
> 
> You don't want them to grow up too fast and you don't want to miss anything, but there's that little voice in the back of your head that says, "Oh, I wish these people would get a little older." lol


Dude, I think I could have written that same exact post, Brian. Only mine are 3 and 1. LOL


----------



## Redbloon

Like most people on this thread I am really impressed by Elle's productivity. I can't write as fast as her - it took me most of the day to write 2000 words on my new book - but it has inspired me to think that I can get more than one or two books out in a year.  Will I make a living at it? I don't know but it gives me pleasure and pays a few bills.

Thanks, Elle, for pointing out that it doesn't HAVE to take years to write a book.

Loving my life at the moment


----------



## Cheryl Douglas

That's great, Elle! Your system sounds very similar to mine. I also produce a book a month. I wish I could nap during the day, but I just can't seem to sleep when it's light outside. I rely on an afternoon shot of caffeine instead.


----------



## Eric C

Okey Dokey said:


> Hemingway spent a lot of time fishing, hunting, traveling, learning 3 foreign languages, etc. The Spanish Civil War and World War II also took up a lot of time. He also spent time getting married, getting divorced, moving from Paris to Key West to Cuba to the western U.S.
> That was a lot of time he didn't spend writing.
> Which means that his novels (not the short stories) could have been completed a lot quicker if he hadn't taken time for living.
> So the amount of time it "takes" to write a novel means what?


Well if you read Hemingway's Paris Review interview, which may be the only place where he ever discussed his writing process, he felt used up creatively, spent, after about six hours of morning writing and felt he had no choice but to quit and wait for the next day. I take him at his word on that.

But you do bring up another interesting point about writing speed. I know of authors who stew on a novel for a very long time, years even, before beginning their first draft. So how do you measure writing time in such a case?


----------



## ElisaBlaisdell

Eric C said:


> Well if you read Hemingway's Paris Review interview, which may be the only place where he ever discussed his writing process, he felt used up creatively, spent, after about six hours of morning writing and felt he had no choice but to quit and wait for the next day. I take him at his word on that.
> 
> But you do bring up another interesting point about writing speed. I know of authors who stew on a novel for a very long time, years even, before beginning their first draft. So how do you measure writing time in such a case?


I've been reading Dean Wesley Smith's blog lately. Dean Wesley Smith would say that Hemingway was just lazy. (Where's the rolling-on-the-floor-kicking-your-heells-in-convulsive-laughter smiley that another one of my forums has?)


----------



## 4eyesbooks

Great info, Elle.  I can really connect with #2.  I don't use outlines either for my YA books.  The story just takes shape in my head as I write and I let the characters lead the way.  Wishing you much continued success.


----------



## Dee Ernst

I shut myself away from the Internet all weekend because I was...writing!! Great post Elle, such an inspiration.  And I'm happy to tell you all that Elle is quite a lovely person in real life.  I'm a slow starter - sometimes I"m totally stumped on what to do next.  When I get going, my output is pretty steady, but the truth is I have a lot of false starts on my hard drive. I also tend to get sidetracked - right now, I'm putting together a new website, and am spending hours on Shutterstock looking at images instead of working on the next book in the series.  Problem is, I also listen to what my characters tell me what to do, and because of that, the first book did not end the way I thought it would, and now I'm really stuck on where the second should start!


----------



## 54706

Dee Ernst said:


> I shut myself away from the Internet all weekend because I was...writing!! Great post Elle, such an inspiration. And I'm happy to tell you all that Elle is quite a lovely person in real life. I'm a slow starter - sometimes I"m totally stumped on what to do next. When I get going, my output is pretty steady, but the truth is I have a lot of false starts on my hard drive. I also tend to get sidetracked - right now, I'm putting together a new website, and am spending hours on Shutterstock looking at images instead of working on the next book in the series. Problem is, I also listen to what my characters tell me what to do, and because of that, the first book did not end the way I thought it would, and now I'm really stuck on where the second should start!


Thank you, Dee!!! For those of you who haven't met Dee in person, you're missing out. She and Beth Orsoff made NINC 10 times more awesome for me last year. 

Dee, I have the same problem. Often my books don't end the way I expect and I always worry about ticking readers off, like when the love interest they think should win doesn't. But for the most part, they end up happy, even if things don't go the way they expect, and I think that's because the characters are writing the story and therefore "acting in character", if that makes any sense.


----------



## TheresaV

ellecasey said:


> Often my books don't end the way I expect and I always worry about ticking readers off, like when the love interest they think should win doesn't. But for the most part, they end up happy, even if things don't go the way they expect, and I think that's because the characters are writing the story and therefore "acting in character", if that makes any sense.


I recently read a book where the love interest I thought should win did...but the main character acted out of character in picking him (not one of yours Elle ) and I ended up disappointed, so I'm all for characters doing what they will even if it's not what I want/expect.



Dee Ernst said:


> ...instead of working on the next book in the series. Problem is, I also listen to what my characters tell me what to do, and because of that, the first book did not end the way I thought it would, and now I'm really stuck on where the second should start!


Next book in the series? Tell me more... I've read both Better of Without Him and A Different Kind of Forever and I enjoyed them very much.


----------



## AshRonin

kathrynoh said:


> Apparently Shakespeare used to bang out the plays without drafting or plotting and that was way before Amazon even existed


Back in those days he probably was under threat of execution!


----------



## EC Sheedy

Thank you, Elle, for starting a terrific thread and telling us how you work--amended to say how _*hard*_ you work. The word inspiration has been used a lot in this thread, but I have to use it again, because I'm definitely inspired. And, Blake, thanks to you, too. What you said about branding--something I have trouble with--is gold.

I'm late to this party, but I've read every post. Now I must go to a mountain top and cogitate. NO! Wait! I need to get writing...


----------



## Shalini Boland

What a wonderful thread. Thanks so much, Elle, for sharing your writing schedule. I've just read all 7 pages straight through and am totally inspired to try and increase my productivity. My readers keep asking when the next in the series is coming out and, much as I love them asking, I always get a panicky feeling that I'm not writing fast enough. My next two books are pretty much planned out, the kids are at school all day so I don't have much of an excuse not to weld my backside to the chair and just do it. Gonna go for it this week . . .


----------



## williamvw

Definitely one of the five best threads I've ever read on KB. Thanks so much, Elle. I am in awe and inspired.


----------



## 54706

williamvw said:


> Definitely one of the five best threads I've ever read on KB. Thanks so much, Elle. I am in awe and inspired.


Wow, that's a HUGE compliment, considering how many great threads the forum has. Thanks! And thanks to everyone who had such wonderful things to say and contribute. I'm so happy you found the post and follow-up useful.


----------



## Matt Ryan

When I first read this, I thought 2500 wph seemed impossible. Motivated by this thread, I took the challenge and wrote as fast as my mind and fingers would allow. In a two hour block I hit the 4000 word mark and for the mathletes out there, that's a 2000 wph average. Now I feel it is possible to get to 2500 wph, I even reread what I wrote and it wasn't any different than my normal 600-1000 wph stuff(it was just as bad ). If I can maintain this kind of speed it would double my production. A novel a month still seems impossible with all the editing, covers and stuff but maybe I'm wrong on that as well...

Thanks Elle!


----------



## 54706

Matt Ryan said:


> When I first read this, I thought 2500 wph seemed impossible. Motivated by this thread, I took the challenge and wrote as fast as my mind and fingers would allow. In a two hour block I hit the 4000 word mark and for the mathletes out there, that's a 2000 wph average. Now I feel it is possible to get to 2500 wph, I even reread what I wrote and it wasn't any different than my normal 600-1000 wph stuff(it was just as bad ). If I can maintain this kind of speed it would double my production. A novel a month still seems impossible with all the editing, covers and stuff but maybe I'm wrong on that as well...
> 
> Thanks Elle!


Wow, that's fantastic!! I'm happy you're happy.

Keep in mind that writing this way gets easier the more you do it. I edit as I go, some don't edit until the end; find what works for you and go for it.  Go Go Go!!!


----------



## AmsterdamAssassin

On Distraction:

I'm clearly not in the same boat as many in this thread, in the sense that I can write pretty much everywhere, and I do. I'm currently writing on an iPad in the middle of a Landahl (resort) swimming pool, while my wife is swimming with our 6 year old son, and I'm keeping tabs on my 2.9 year old daughter in the shallow pool.

That said, one of the great advantages of writing on the iPad is that I have to close SimpleNote and open Safari to check the internet. iPad only works on 1 app at the time, so I cannot keep my internet browser open while I write.

Another thing - SimpleNote (which syncs with Scrivener) is a simple text program. No formatting, no bold, no cursive, no underlined script. Pure text. No distraction.

Also, something I've said before, if I get stuck for a word, location or description, I add a @. Since the @ has no place among regular text, it's easy to search and replace the @ in the editing stage. So, for productivity's sake, when you're stuck on a word, type the next best alternative you can find, add @, and move on. You can always go back later to edit.

Hope this helps.


----------



## 48306

This is fantastic, Elle! Thank you for sharing and congrats on your success!


----------



## Lanie Jordan

That's pretty amazing. Not just what you've accomplished--which is awesome in itself--but also the fact you've done so much in such a short time (by my way of thinking, anyway). 

Can we be friends? Can I rub your head for good luck/writing mojo?    But seriously, though, thanks for sharing. And major congrats! I wish you continued success! 


Lanie, who is now contemplating turning off her internet for an hour to see what she can really do...


----------



## 54706

Lanie Jordan said:


> That's pretty amazing. Not just what you've accomplished--which is awesome in itself--but also the fact you've done so much in such a short time (by my way of thinking, anyway).
> 
> Can we be friends? Can I rub your head for good luck/writing mojo?  But seriously, though, thanks for sharing. And major congrats! I wish you continued success!
> 
> Lanie, who is now contemplating turning off her internet for an hour to see what she can really do...


Thank you. And yes, we can be friends.


----------



## Christa Wick

Lanie Jordan said:


> Lanie, who is now contemplating turning off her internet for an hour to see what she can really do...


I did the anti-social blocker yesterday and did 3598 over about 3.5 hours. More than I wrote all of April. So, yeah, turn it off!


----------



## 54706

Christa Wick said:


> I did the anti-social blocker yesterday and did 3598 over about 3.5 hours. More than I wrote all of April. So, yeah, turn it off!


That is so cool!!! Congrats!!!


----------



## Lanie Jordan

ellecasey said:


> Thank you. And yes, we can be friends.


Is that a no for rubbing your head for good luck? 



Christa Wick said:


> I did the anti-social blocker yesterday and did 3598 over about 3.5 hours. More than I wrote all of April. So, yeah, turn it off!


Woo! That's great, Christa! Congrats on getting so much!

I closed all my browsers, ate a Reese's cup (for comfort), then wrote 2,500 in about an hour and a half.

I've been doing better this month, since I started writing by a hand a little. It seems to help. Well, it did until all of my pens died, lol. I might have to try the unplug thing more often, though, even if the world is a little dark and scary without my internets...

ETA: Wow, that tongue face is kinda perverted looking.


----------



## 54706

Lanie Jordan said:


> Is that a no for rubbing your head for good luck?
> 
> Woo! That's great, Christa! Congrats on getting so much!
> 
> I closed all my browsers, ate a Reese's cup (for comfort), then wrote 2,500 in about an hour and a half.
> 
> I've been doing better this month, since I started writing by a hand a little. It seems to help. Well, it did until all of my pens died, lol. I might have to try the unplug thing more often, though, even if the world is a little dark and scary without my internets...
> 
> ETA: Wow, that tongue face is kinda perverted looking.


Ha. Add that to the head rubbing thing and you've got yourself a winner!

You could go ahead and do that, but I'd appreciate it if we could time it right before my nap because I am kinda partial to a head rub to put me to sleep.


----------



## kea

Damn, Elle!
I think you're my hero! I can type about 80 wpm....but that doesn't  stop me from tweaking. It took so long to finish book two of my series (plus it was longer than book one) that I started to wonder if there is seriously something wrong with me. I think the problem is that I'm dealing in SF and fantasy where I'm trying to explain new concepts and things not seen on planet Earth. I want the images of unfamiliar things to come across clearly. The huge issue I've had is my neurosis over continuity. With a series that takes place in unfamiliar places, I have to keep triple-checking everything I do, making sure I keep my characters consistent, etc. Still, I think I've learned a lot through book two--at least I hope so because there will be two more to the series and I CANNOT take so long in getting those out! I have a New Adult story idea shaping in my head and that one, pure fiction, no fantasy elements, might go faster. 
Anyway, to say, "you rock" doesn't cut it, Elle! You're an inspiration!


----------



## 54706

kea said:


> d*mn, Elle!
> I think you're my hero! I can type about 80 wpm....but that doesn't stop me from tweaking. It took so long to finish book two of my series (plus it was longer than book one) that I started to wonder if there is seriously something wrong with me. I think the problem is that I'm dealing in SF and fantasy where I'm trying to explain new concepts and things not seen on planet Earth. I want the images of unfamiliar things to come across clearly. The huge issue I've had is my neurosis over continuity. With a series that takes place in unfamiliar places, I have to keep triple-checking everything I do, making sure I keep my characters consistent, etc. Still, I think I've learned a lot through book two--at least I hope so because there will be two more to the series and I CANNOT take so long in getting those out! I have a New Adult story idea shaping in my head and that one, pure fiction, no fantasy elements, might go faster.
> Anyway, to say, "you rock" doesn't cut it, Elle! You're an inspiration!


Thank you! And I hear you on the fantasy worlds. I had so many damn characters in War of the Fae and Clash of the Otherworlds, I had to eventually do a chart. 7 books and nearly 600,000 words later .... yeah ... confusing.


----------



## JohnHindmarsh

Elle - marvellous thread - I enjoyed reading about you and all the variations people are trying. I am not a typist! And have many years of four finger typing embedded in my psyche. 

However, I am increasing my daily output. At first I set 3,000 words a day- achieved that. Then 4,000 - achieved that last week and this, with editing thrown in. My next breakpoint will be 5,000 words per day. And Scrivener is the best writing application around!

I haven't tried napping - I usually head to the pool table and play a solo game of pool, then come back to the computer.

I am very much a pantser. Sometimes I think I have a scene worked out in my head - and then need to drop it on the cutting room floor cause it just doesn't fit where the story is taking me.

It's a good life!!


----------



## MeiLinMiranda

Ok, so after reading this thread I sat down today some place without Internet and pounded out 1200 words in less than an hour. Then I came home and finished the piece off--a 3300 word short story that's with my betas right now. I had taken a slight run at it with pen and paper a couple of days ago, but didn't have that with me. And I've been mulling the concept over for years and years.

Still. A whole short story in one day. And my betas say it's good, even.


----------



## 54706

MeiLinMiranda said:


> Ok, so after reading this thread I sat down today some place without Internet and pounded out 1200 words in less than an hour. Then I came home and finished the piece off--a 3300 word short story that's with my betas right now. I had taken a slight run at it with pen and paper a couple of days ago, but didn't have that with me. And I've been mulling the concept over for years and years.
> 
> Still. A whole short story in one day. And my betas say it's good, even.


That is FABULOUS!!! Wow, a short in a day. Look at you. 



JohnHindmarsh said:


> Elle - marvellous thread - I enjoyed reading about you and all the variations people are trying. I am not a typist! And have many years of four finger typing embedded in my psyche.
> 
> However, I am increasing my daily output. At first I set 3,000 words a day- achieved that. Then 4,000 - achieved that last week and this, with editing thrown in. My next breakpoint will be 5,000 words per day. And Scrivener is the best writing application around!
> 
> I haven't tried napping - I usually head to the pool table and play a solo game of pool, then come back to the computer.
> 
> I am very much a pantser. Sometimes I think I have a scene worked out in my head - and then need to drop it on the cutting room floor cause it just doesn't fit where the story is taking me.
> 
> It's a good life!!


John, you are so right. It's an awesome life.

I'm afraid pool would just use my brain more, and I have to shut mine off and recharge it before it works well again.


----------



## S. Shine

Elle, really awesome you started this thread; I actually feel I learned a few things and it's like having a great encouragement coach spell out the basics for you. 

Something I learned, and which you mention, is that writing is indeed something that has to be approached like any other business. With that mindset, it's much easier to fight off that monster called procrastination.


----------



## 54706

S. Shine said:


> Elle, really awesome you started this thread; I actually feel I learned a few things and it's like having a great encouragement coach spell out the basics for you.
> 
> Something I learned, and which you mention, is that writing is indeed something that has to be approached like any other business. With that mindset, it's much easier to fight off that monster called procrastination.


Monster is a good way to describe that beast. I fight him every day.


----------



## Justawriter

Every time I visit this thread it makes me smile and feel inspired.


----------



## Pamela

Thanks so much Elle.  I feel so much more freedom because you described your process of letting your characters dictate the story to you.  

It takes guts to sit down and expect it all to come pouring out.  But it happens.  You can get in The Zone and it's exhilarating.  I'm not fast, but I use the same process, and you made it fun again.  I would sit and plan out a book and it was drugery.  Now, because of what you said, I feel free to do what works without all the worry about the next scene or how to end the novel or how long it should be.


----------



## Redbloon

Had some really happy writing today. 2000 words in 2 hours - I know that's chicken feed to you, Elle, but it is amazing for me. You know you've done something well when you find you are smiling as you write.

And why is it so much more fun to write nasty, evil characters than 'nice' people. Or maybe that says something about me.  

I keep coming back to this thread for inspiration. Thanks Elle and everyone else here x


----------



## drewavera

I like the idea of using an @ sign for words you cant think of off the bat. I think I'm gonna use this so I dont get stuck as often and lose my train of thought.


AmsterdamAssassin said:


> On Distraction:
> 
> I'm clearly not in the same boat as many in this thread, in the sense that I can write pretty much everywhere, and I do. I'm currently writing on an iPad in the middle of a Landahl (resort) swimming pool, while my wife is swimming with our 6 year old son, and I'm keeping tabs on my 2.9 year old daughter in the shallow pool.
> 
> That said, one of the great advantages of writing on the iPad is that I have to close SimpleNote and open Safari to check the internet. iPad only works on 1 app at the time, so I cannot keep my internet browser open while I write.
> 
> Another thing - SimpleNote (which syncs with Scrivener) is a simple text program. No formatting, no bold, no cursive, no underlined script. Pure text. No distraction.
> 
> Also, something I've said before, if I get stuck for a word, location or description, I add a @. Since the @ has no place among regular text, it's easy to search and replace the @ in the editing stage. So, for productivity's sake, when you're stuck on a word, type the next best alternative you can find, add @, and move on. You can always go back later to edit.
> 
> Hope this helps.


----------



## drewavera

I really think the fact that you put out several quality books(based on reviews and what I've seen of your covers) in a short time is a huge reason for your success. I think you found something that works and looks professional and you're doing the smart thing by capitalizing on it. This thread has motivated me to get the words on the draft done and start getting more books out there. I think the most I've written in a day is about 5000 words, it's pretty good, but rare to do that. I'm definately gonna devote more time to writing though.


----------



## 54706

PamelaKelley said:


> Every time I visit this thread it makes me smile and feel inspired.


I'm so happy to know this. I really am! I always worry about putting something on KB, that the haters will come out and poo on me and make me wish I hadn't come, so thank you for letting me know it was worth it.  Thank to everyone who has done that!!



drewavera said:


> I really think the fact that you put out several quality books(based on reviews and what I've seen of your covers) in a short time is a huge reason for your success. I think you found something that works and looks professional and you're doing the smart thing by capitalizing on it. This thread has motivated me to get the words on the draft done and start getting more books out there. I think the most I've written in a day is about 5000 words, it's pretty good, but rare to do that. I'm definately gonna devote more time to writing though.


There's more than one path to the meadow, and this is my path. I'm happy on it. So happy sometimes I wonder if my life is a dream. 



Redbloon said:


> Had some really happy writing today. 2000 words in 2 hours - I know that's chicken feed to you, Elle, but it is amazing for me. You know you've done something well when you find you are smiling as you write.
> 
> And why is it so much more fun to write nasty, evil characters than 'nice' people. Or maybe that says something about me.
> 
> I keep coming back to this thread for inspiration. Thanks Elle and everyone else here x


Good job!! 2,000 words is awesome! That's at least 6 books a year if you write Monday-Friday.


----------



## ifreer

I enjoyed reading your approach to writing.  I haven't previously read about typing speed being a factor but you are so right.  I type very fast also on my mac laptop--basically I type as I think.  I play piano and my long ago typing teacher in high school said that gave me the manual dexterity to type at 80 wpm or whatever I'm at now.  If I had to hunt and peck it would sure slow things down.  One of the reasons I don't like to write with pen and paper, if I happen to be away from my computer and have some ideas, is that it takes forever to get it down and in the process my writing becomes illegible.


----------



## Savannah_Page

Thank you so very much for sharing this information, Elle, and for all of your replies. _Major_ hats off to you, you talented and determined lady!! I'm inspired to stick to what I was beginning to think was a crazy writing schedule. After hearing all about your method I'm jazzed to just plug away, stick to my goals, and get my books out there! And 7,000 books a month sold? I couldn't imagine a fraction of that! Some day...if someone else can do it, then it's possible! 

I read from another commenter earlier on about some authors viewing quantity and quality as exclusive, and I agree that an author can be prolific _and_ have fabulous books! Letting anyone say otherwise is just horse pucky. One book a month is really amazing! My editing and polishing takes twice, maybe even three times, as long as my writing, which is why 5 or 6 books a year will be a _big_ deal for me. But when I was told that it's not possible to write a book in less than a month all I could say was, "NaNo." (And quick fingers on the keys definitely helps, too.) During my first NaNo last year I managed 120,000+ words in 3 weeks. Now I _know_ I can definitely get that story out quickly!

Keep up the amazing work, Elle, and thank you again for taking the time to share your tips and experiences and answer so many of our questions. As many have said, it's super-duper inspiring and encouraging! Now, off I go to figuring out what my protagonist is going to get herself into!


----------



## 54706

Thank you, Savannah!!  120k words i 3 weeks?  Man, my fingers would fall off I think.  And 6 books a year is a bunch of books, more than 99% of writers, so good on you.


----------



## Savannah_Page

My wrists definitely ached a while afterwards, but it was absolutely worth it. Now my goal is to write another complete novel for NaNo 2013, but not let myself get so carried away that my 80,000-word-planned book turns into 120+. (Makes editing a tad more lengthy and painful.)


----------



## AmsterdamAssassin

JRHenderson said:


> Hi Martyn. It's a common belief that when you press the 'Q' key on your (English) keyboard, your keyboard sends the letter 'Q' to your computer. In fact, your keyboard tells your computer that the left-most letter key on the top-row has been pressed. Your computer then looks that up on the Qwerty key-map file which says "Left-most key on the top row = 'Q'". So switching from Qwerty to Dvorak is merely a matter of replacing one key-map file with another, and ignoring the letters that are printed on your keys.


Hi John,

Yes, I know, but, whereas with a MacBook keyboard you can also change the layout, with many small bluetooth keyboards you cannot change the physical keyboard to match the DVORAK keymap file.

As it is, I'm used to QWERTY and don't have any problems with tired wrists or fingers, so I don't feel a need to change to DVORAK.


----------



## Guest

You deserve your success, Elle. Thanks for sharing your method. Here's a quote I found:

"If the doctor told me I only had six minutes to live, I'd type a little faster."
- Isaac Asimov


----------



## 54706

Okey Dokey said:


> You deserve your success, Elle. Thanks for sharing your method. Here's a quote I found:
> 
> "If the doctor told me I only had six minutes to live, I'd type a little faster."
> - Isaac Asimov


I like that. I'm not sure that's what my answer would be, but I can appreciate the passion.  Glad you liked the post.


----------



## SandraMiller

JRHenderson said:


> So switching from Qwerty to Dvorak is merely a matter of replacing one key-map file with another, and ignoring the letters that are printed on your keys.


True dat. I switched to Dvorak about ten years ago to save my wrists. I also agree that it's grueling--I never formally learned to type QWERTY, but I was blazing fast. The first time I timed myself on Dvorak, I got 12 WPM. Yeah, 12. It's re-learning something you already knew how to do, and at first it sort of sucks. A and M are my favorite keys, because they're in the same place 

But I never have had a Dvorak keyboard. I stuck stickers over the keys on my old one, but I bought software and learned to touch-type, so I never used them. I bought a SafeType keyboard, and it is my favorite. But now I type on any keyboard that's available--even the bluetooth keyboard for my iPad (the iPad can be set to Dvorak). When I go into the office, I switch the language settings in Windows and take off, and nobody understands how I can do that, when the keys totally don't match what I think I'm typing. It doesn't matter. I don't look at them.

I don't think, even now, that I'm as fast as I used to be. But to me it's worth it, because I'm in no pain now, and my doctor was talking surgery before. It's not an easy change, but things are pretty cool on the other side, at least for me


----------



## David Alastair Hayden

Elle, what kind of computer do you use? Have you worn out a keyboard yet?  

I've worn out keyboards. I'm a bit of a typing keyboard aficionado. Which you'd expect from someone who collects manual typewriters. 


Again, great post.


----------



## Error404

Okey Dokey said:


> "If the doctor told me I only had six minutes to live, I'd type a little faster."
> - Isaac Asimov


I so have to frame that. Asimov is an inspiration to anyone wanting to write for a living


----------



## MaggieAkhurst

Thanks for posting this, it's very inspiring. Makes me think I should probably get a wriggle on. Those books sitting on my computer aren't going to write themselves! Thank you!!


----------



## 54706

David Alastair Hayden said:


> Elle, what kind of computer do you use? Have you worn out a keyboard yet?
> 
> I've worn out keyboards. I'm a bit of a typing keyboard aficionado. Which you'd expect from someone who collects manual typewriters.
> 
> Again, great post.


Hi, David. I use a Mac, and yes, I've worn out a keyboard. My last Mac (macbook air), I rubbed off the letters on several keys. They were completely blank after a year. I also used up all its SSD memory with my cover art and Scrivener backup files. Now I'm on a Macbook Pro. If I don't have to carry it out of the house, it's awesome; but I hate bringing it out of town with me because it's like a cement block on my bag.


----------



## Christa Wick

Something I tried Friday and will try again...

First let me explain that I have the bad habit of picking the low hanging fruit from among the things I need to do BEFORE I think about writing and, usually, when I'm at the end of that low hanging fruit, I invent more low hanging fruit. Great process for procrastinating, terrible if your goal is to write  

So, to control that bad habit, I made a list with the rule that I couldn't do #2 until I finished #1, no #3 until #2 and so on. All the odd #s on the list were to write 5,000 words on a current WIP (no bouncing between WIPs, either, except for really good reason). The even #s were all much smaller or easier tasks: prep/sub an already published title to Apple/ARe;  send support email to BN on why EVERYTHING is missing from search on the UK store; create audioscript for Curve Contract, etc.  

I only crossed off #1 & #2 yesterday, but I wrote the 5k in under 3 hours (one hour I did 2100 words!). I did do low hanging fruit today that wasn't on my list, but I had a headache most of the day and generally will not write when I have one and I had a few other recurring impediments that I'm trying to adjust my attitude on. But I will get #3 (5000 words) and #4 (bn email) done tomorrow in addition to my gym time and Iron Man 3 with my hubby (ooh...and maybe dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant).


----------



## 54706

Christa Wick said:


> Something I tried Friday and will try again...
> 
> First let me explain that I have the bad habit of picking the low hanging fruit from among the things I need to do BEFORE I think about writing and, usually, when I'm at the end of that low hanging fruit, I invent more low hanging fruit. Great process for procrastinating, terrible if your goal is to write
> 
> So, to control that bad habit, I made a list with the rule that I couldn't do #2 until I finished #1, no #3 until #2 and so on. All the odd #s on the list were to write 5,000 words on a current WIP (no bouncing between WIPs, either, except for really good reason). The even #s were all much smaller or easier tasks: prep/sub an already published title to Apple/ARe; send support email to BN on why EVERYTHING is missing from search on the UK store; create audioscript for Curve Contract, etc.
> 
> I only crossed off #1 & #2 yesterday, but I wrote the 5k in under 3 hours (one hour I did 2100 words!). I did do low hanging fruit today that wasn't on my list, but I had a headache most of the day and generally will not write when I have one and I had a few other recurring impediments that I'm trying to adjust my attitude on. But I will get #3 (5000 words) and #4 (bn email) done tomorrow in addition to my gym time and Iron Man 3 with my hubby (ooh...and maybe dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant).


Very creative. And congrats! I'm glad you posted it because sometimes it's a special trick like this that will help a lot of people who were having trouble finding that one thing that would get them past the procrastination monster.


----------



## David Hudnut

Wow Elle! I'm SO glad I joined KBoards! This thread is mega inspiring. I tend to tell myself "You can't rush quality." Now I say B.S. to that! Thank you SO much! And I had no idea I had a Dvorak keyboard under my fingertips all along! Yeah! Thanks for the link explaining how to set it up. One question:

How do you use the Natural Reader software for editing?


----------



## 54706

David Hudnut said:


> Wow Elle! I'm SO glad I joined KBoards! This thread is mega inspiring. I tend to tell myself "You can't rush quality." Now I say B.S. to that! Thank you SO much! And I had no idea I had a Dvorak keyboard under my fingertips all along! Yeah! Thanks for the link explaining how to set it up. One question:
> 
> How do you use the Natural Reader software for editing?


Ha. Well, I wouldn't say you can "rush" quality, but you can achieve quality in a short period of time and it doesn't have to take you a year to do it - if you are the same kind of writer I am. There are lots of different styles and types, so this is what works for me. Maybe it can work for you too.

I use Natural Reader to read my text aloud. I catch lots of missing words (I type fast and sometimes the words just don't get on the paper fast enough), typos, and awkward sentences. I swear by the technique now. It's not perfect, I still miss those things, but that's what proofreaders are for.


----------



## David Hudnut

Thanks for responding! 

You're right about not actually rushing. I just have this idea that you have to mull things over for long periods of time before you set them down on paper. Although, I noticed in some of your follow up posts on this thread, that you're telling your husband plot ideas and such while walking, which I guess I'd call mulling. Anyway, I get your point about making it happen in a short period of time.

I'm checking out Natural Reader in depth now. Did you buy the paid version? The free version voices are pretty robotic.

When you're listening to it read your manuscript, are you sitting at your laptop with your manuscript file open in front of you? Or doing the dishes, gardening, etc.?


----------



## 54706

David Hudnut said:


> Thanks for responding!
> 
> You're right about not actually rushing. I just have this idea that you have to mull things over for long periods of time before you set them down on paper. Although, I noticed in some of your follow up posts on this thread, that you're telling your husband plot ideas and such while walking, which I guess I'd call mulling. Anyway, I get your point about making it happen in a short period of time.
> 
> I'm checking out Natural Reader in depth now. Did you buy the paid version? The free version voices are pretty robotic.
> 
> When you're listening to it read your manuscript, are you sitting at your laptop with your manuscript file open in front of you? Or doing the dishes, gardening, etc.?


I use the free one and I'm in front of the laptop with the manuscript open, pausing the reader robot when I make corrections.


----------



## Guest

Hi, Elle

Thanks for this thread. It's very inspiring. Like you, I tend to write a lot. I'm currently doing a million word challenge this year (just a little behind track at the moment), and one thing I'm having trouble with is combining editing with drafting. Do you do both day to day, or do you work linearly on your books. Writing them and then editing them before moving on to the next one? Any tips on how to manage editing while keeping the word count up would be gratefully received as I've yet to find a solution to that works for me. 

Thanks, and congrats on your success thus far.


----------



## 54706

ColinFBarnes said:


> Hi, Elle
> 
> Thanks for this thread. It's very inspiring. Like you, I tend to write a lot. I'm currently doing a million word challenge this year (just a little behind track at the moment), and one thing I'm having trouble with is combining editing with drafting. Do you do both day to day, or do you work linearly on your books. Writing them and then editing them before moving on to the next one? Any tips on how to manage editing while keeping the word count up would be gratefully received as I've yet to find a solution to that works for me.
> 
> Thanks, and congrats on your success thus far.


I edit as I go. I write about 2,500 words in an hour, then I go back and edit it. Not because it's my policy to do it, but I think my brain needs a break, so that's what it likes to do. Then I write another bunch of words. Then I go back to edit, often farther back than the last session. Eventually, every part is edited about 3 times before I do my final edit before sending to proofreaders. And if I have a break of no writing for a day or two, I go back and re-read/edit a LOT of the book so I can get back into the world. Luckily I not only type very fast, I read very fast too.


----------



## Devin Harnois

This post is the reason I joined KBoards. Very inspiring and lots of great advice. Elle, I'm adding you to my 'People I Admire' list. 



ellecasey said:


> But I do listen to music when not writing. My whole War of the Fae series is inspired by Breaking Benjamin, especially the song Diary of Jane.


Ok, I'm going to have to check out that series. I wrote my YA fantasy series to a lot of Breaking Benjamin. (I listen to music when I write. Most of my books have their own soundtrack.)


----------



## 54706

Devin Harnois said:


> This post is the reason I joined KBoards. Very inspiring and lots of great advice. Elle, I'm adding you to my 'People I Admire' list.
> 
> Ok, I'm going to have to check out that series. I wrote my YA fantasy series to a lot of Breaking Benjamin. (I listen to music when I write. Most of my books have their own soundtrack.)


Aw, thanks.  I'm always happy to meet another BB fan.


----------



## Sever Bronny

You are an inspiration Elle! 

I suddenly feel slow as a snail posting a goal of 3-4 books a year. I've written two books already and am writing the third in the series. 

You are amazing


----------



## Guest

ellecasey said:


> I edit as I go. I write about 2,500 words in an hour, then I go back and edit it. Not because it's my policy to do it, but I think my brain needs a break, so that's what it likes to do. Then I write another bunch of words. Then I go back to edit, often farther back than the last session. Eventually, every part is edited about 3 times before I do my final edit before sending to proofreaders. And if I have a break of no writing for a day or two, I go back and re-read/edit a LOT of the book so I can get back into the world. Luckily I not only type very fast, I read very fast too.


That's very useful to know, although I think this is one method I wouldn't be able to do. I personally find editing as I go drags me off and I never get anything finished! I'll have to try and edit between projects. I could probably do the line-editing as I went, but then the structural/plot edit at the end would likely require so many alterations all my line-editing would be wasted. I envy your ability to have that structure in place as you're writing, that's quite the handy skill!


----------



## Not Here Anymore

ellecasey said:


> I use the free one and I'm in front of the laptop with the manuscript open, pausing the reader robot when I make corrections.


This is my new "final read" technique. Either I load it on my kindle and use the "read aloud" feature or I use the "text to speech" feature on my mac. It has helped me catch *so* many typos. I think the robot voice actually helps me catch errors.


----------



## Bree Roberts

Is that naturalreaders.com (with an S) or is it some other website?

I like the idea of using the Kindle's text-to-speech, that's always an option when I'm not at my computer!

I write long-hand, but I am a fast typist (I tried that typing test website, got 96wpm on my first try), but for some reason I get stumped when I try to type a story.  I think I'll give it another go, because I feel like I'm walking next to a speeding train, trying to catch a ride.  Old habits really ARE hard to break!  Thank you Elle and all the others for this inspiring post!


----------



## Guest

I started writing slowly to capture the right words.

Then I found out my wife really likes to shop.

Now I write fast.


----------



## 54706

Okey Dokey said:


> I started writing slowly to capture the right words.
> 
> Then I found out my wife really likes to shop.
> 
> Now I write fast.


 I like that. A man who wants to make his wife happy.



Bree Roberts said:


> Is that naturalreaders.com (with an S) or is it some other website?
> 
> I like the idea of using the Kindle's text-to-speech, that's always an option when I'm not at my computer!
> 
> I write long-hand, but I am a fast typist (I tried that typing test website, got 96wpm on my first try), but for some reason I get stumped when I try to type a story. I think I'll give it another go, because I feel like I'm walking next to a speeding train, trying to catch a ride. Old habits really ARE hard to break! Thank you Elle and all the others for this inspiring post!


http://www.naturalreaders.com/

Here's the free software maker for the one I use ^^ It's called "NaturalReader Free"


----------



## TJHudson

ellecasey said:


> http://www.naturalreaders.com/
> 
> Here's the free software maker for the one I use ^^ It's called "NaturalReader Free"


Just what I need. Cheers for the link.


----------



## Jos Van Brussel

I don't know if this works for everyone (I'm on a Mac with MacOS 10.7) but in Scrivener (or any other word processor on the Mac) there's a speech function that does just about the same as Narrator or NaturalReader: Edit > Speech > Start Speaking. In System Preferences you can select a voice, speed etc (they're the same voices the other programs use as they're inbuilt). You can even make an iTunes file to listen to on an mp3-player as explained here: http://etc.usf.edu/techease/4all/learning/how-do-i-use-the-speech-service-in-mac-os-x-to-record-text-into-an-audio-file/


----------



## 54706

Jos Van Brussel said:


> I don't know if this works for everyone (I'm on a Mac with MacOS 10.7) but in Scrivener (or any other word processor on the Mac) there's a speech function that does just about the same as Narrator or NaturalReader: Edit > Speech > Start Speaking. In System Preferences you can select a voice, speed etc (they're the same voices the other programs use as they're inbuilt). You can even make an iTunes file to listen to on an mp3-player as explained here: http://etc.usf.edu/techease/4all/learning/how-do-i-use-the-speech-service-in-mac-os-x-to-record-text-into-an-audio-file/


Great stuff, thanks!! I'll be using this system in about week.


----------



## Jos Van Brussel

I made an mp3 from my last book and listened to it at work (I work as a data entry clerk, which requires only one brain cell so I have the rest free for more important matters   ) and was amazed how many mistakes I found that I'd missed when rereading.


----------



## Romi

I'm so glad I found this thread; it's great to get an inside look at your process, and no matter how much each of us writes, your story is motivating  .


----------



## micki

Elle what a truly inspiring thread which I have just found and read through all the comments. After reading this, if I can achieve just half of what you have, I know I will smile from here to kingdom come. I have never had writing lessons or taken a creative course and before I read your post I did lack confidence in my writing. All I can say, is thank you so much for this amazing thread.


----------



## 54706

micki said:


> Elle what a truly inspiring thread which I have just found and read through all the comments. After reading this, if I can achieve just half of what you have, I know I will smile from here to kingdom come. I have never had writing lessons or taken a creative course and before I read your post I did lack confidence in my writing. All I can say, is thank you so much for this amazing thread.


Just trust your readers. If the majority of them are telling you that you're doing things right, then you are. If you see a complaint repeated often, it's probably something to work on or change. It's that simple! Readers are the curators of good books, not agents, editors, or publishers.


----------



## TJHudson

Jos Van Brussel said:


> I made an mp3 from my last book and listened to it at work (I work as a data entry clerk, which requires only one brain cell so I have the rest free for more important matters  ) and was amazed how many mistakes I found that I'd missed when rereading.


Yes, this. Having my work read back to me is helping a great deal.


----------



## Shane Murray

Just reread Elle's first post in this thread again. Its like a shot of adrenaline in the arm every time


----------



## maritafowler

This is such an inspiring post. I hope my keyboard looks like Elle's when I'm done


----------



## dianasg

Jos Van Brussel said:


> I don't know if this works for everyone (I'm on a Mac with MacOS 10.7) but in Scrivener (or any other word processor on the Mac) there's a speech function that does just about the same as Narrator or NaturalReader: Edit > Speech > Start Speaking. In System Preferences you can select a voice, speed etc (they're the same voices the other programs use as they're inbuilt). You can even make an iTunes file to listen to on an mp3-player as explained here: http://etc.usf.edu/techease/4all/learning/how-do-i-use-the-speech-service-in-mac-os-x-to-record-text-into-an-audio-file/


Thank you for the tip!


----------



## FrankColes

ellecasey said:


> It is truly my pleasure to help my fellow writers if and when I can.
> 
> I took a mandatory typing class in 7th grade, using IBM electric typewriters. At the end of the semester I could type 65 WPM. I suspect I'm closer to 90 WPM now. I can almost keep up with the voices in my head, and yes, that's critical to my output and ability to do what I do. I tried using a dictation software and it didn't work at all for me. I couldn't speak my work! I can only think and type it. I hope I never lose the use of my hands, or I'll surely drop to one book a year.
> 
> For those of you who are hunt-and-peck typers, I highly recommend buying a typing software program and learning how to type professionally. It will really change how you manage your writing business. Efficiency is the key in this business (when it comes to the mechanics of book writing/publishing) just like it is in others. I'd consider it an investment of time to get more time later.


Hi Elle,
Thanks very much for posting this thread to my 'I've lost my mojo' thread. It's been extremely informative and very inspiring. Your experiences and attitude reflect my own, although I now realise I made the mistake of getting stuck in the trad publishing mindset of write slow. Real experiences:
Book 1 - 1k words per day to start with 5k per day by the end.
Book 2 - 1k to start, 5k by end.
Book 3 - 1k to start, 6k by end.
My average start time was 8am, average finish 2pm, latest 5pm.
You definitely warm up the more you write. After my non-fiction book a magazine editor friend of mine sat me down and asked me all about it. When it came to how long it was (132k words edited down 108k) he was shocked that it took them nearly 18 months to edit, design and publish. "We do that every month (in magazines)".

So I'm now lucky enough that I've got a year clear and I've decided to pick up your challenge and aim for a book every 4-6 weeks to begin with (after a couple of weeks to clear the desk) and I've got some speed queries re your touch typing...

In the OP you said you type 2500 good words per hour and in the quote above you say you started at 65 wpm and now are more like 90 wpm. As 2500 wph works out at just over 41 wpm how does that work out when you're typing? Are you typing in bursts over that hour? Correcting? 90 wpm is 5400 words per hour.

If you can help enlighten me that'd be so helpful. You might not know the answer of course. I currently type 1000 good words per hour with my two finger typing, but typing tests say I hit 50 wpm. I can't quite figure out where the extra words are disappearing (50wpm is 3k words per hour). Thinking time perhaps?

I also really like the idea of writing your publishing targets to your blog. Scares me a bit, but a good kick up the pants always does! 

Thanks again!


----------



## KevinH

Thanks for sharing your standard operating procedure.  I, too, remember seeing an article about Amanda Hocking in which she mentioned that it takes her 2 weeks to write a book. It just goes to show that the amount of time you spend isn't what makes a book good, but rather the content.


----------



## Jason Eric Pryor

KevinH said:


> Thanks for sharing your standard operating procedure. I, too, remember seeing an article about Amanda Hocking in which she mentioned that it takes her 2 weeks to write a book. It just goes to show that the amount of time you spend isn't what makes a book good, but rather the content.


Off topic, but I just bought "Sensation" based on your cover alone. Great looking cover!


----------



## janelson

Thank you, Elle, for posting this information. It was very helpful for me and I'm already getting faster in my writing.

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByJoyceAnnNelson


----------



## 54706

FrankColes said:


> Hi Elle,
> Thanks very much for posting this thread to my 'I've lost my mojo' thread. It's been extremely informative and very inspiring. Your experiences and attitude reflect my own, although I now realise I made the mistake of getting stuck in the trad publishing mindset of write slow. Real experiences:
> Book 1 - 1k words per day to start with 5k per day by the end.
> Book 2 - 1k to start, 5k by end.
> Book 3 - 1k to start, 6k by end.
> My average start time was 8am, average finish 2pm, latest 5pm.
> You definitely warm up the more you write. After my non-fiction book a magazine editor friend of mine sat me down and asked me all about it. When it came to how long it was (132k words edited down 108k) he was shocked that it took them nearly 18 months to edit, design and publish. "We do that every month (in magazines)".
> 
> So I'm now lucky enough that I've got a year clear and I've decided to pick up your challenge and aim for a book every 4-6 weeks to begin with (after a couple of weeks to clear the desk) and I've got some speed queries re your touch typing...
> 
> In the OP you said you type 2500 good words per hour and in the quote above you say you started at 65 wpm and now are more like 90 wpm. As 2500 wph works out at just over 41 wpm how does that work out when you're typing? Are you typing in bursts over that hour? Correcting? 90 wpm is 5400 words per hour.
> 
> If you can help enlighten me that'd be so helpful. You might not know the answer of course. I currently type 1000 good words per hour with my two finger typing, but typing tests say I hit 50 wpm. I can't quite figure out where the extra words are disappearing (50wpm is 3k words per hour). Thinking time perhaps?
> 
> I also really like the idea of writing your publishing targets to your blog. Scares me a bit, but a good kick up the pants always does!
> 
> Thanks again!


Hi, Frank! Sorry it took me a little while to get to this. I was offline if you can believe that. 

When I work, I start by re-reading the stuff I typed last time. I read enough to get me into the world again and into the characters' heads. I edit that previous work whenever I see typos or awkward sentences. I add if necessary to make the scene better. I subtract if it's too wordy. Then I start typing the next stuff. So that 2,500 good words an hour includes going back and editing and then going through what I just wrote in the new session and editing that as well. Also, it's not just a steady stream of 90 words per minute. I hesitate after periods sometimes as I'm waiting for the next character thought to come across my inner dictator. I pause to consider what a character might be feeling. I re-work sentences on the fly if they sound weird. If I just typed and did nothing else, you're right, I could probably do over 5k an hour, but that's not how I roll.


----------



## 54706

janelson said:


> Thank you, Elle, for posting this information. It was very helpful for me and I'm already getting faster in my writing.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/BooksByJoyceAnnNelson


Great!


----------



## FrankColes

ellecasey said:


> Hi, Frank! Sorry it took me a little while to get to this. I was offline if you can believe that.
> 
> When I work, I start by re-reading the stuff I typed last time. I read enough to get me into the world again and into the characters' heads. I edit that previous work whenever I see typos or awkward sentences. I add if necessary to make the scene better. I subtract if it's too wordy. Then I start typing the next stuff. So that 2,500 good words an hour includes going back and editing and then going through what I just wrote in the new session and editing that as well. Also, it's not just a steady stream of 90 words per minute. I hesitate after periods sometimes as I'm waiting for the next character thought to come across my inner dictator. I pause to consider what a character might be feeling. I re-work sentences on the fly if they sound weird. If I just typed and did nothing else, you're right, I could probably do over 5k an hour, but that's not how I roll.


Thanks Elle,

I thought it might be something like this and it's great to hear you echo my own processes - I love that waiting for the characters to speak through your fingers moment - although I usually don't edit as I go. DWS and Lee Child both do and it works for them too.

I agree with your earlier post about investing in yourself, so my first call is to relearn to touch type (I learnt in school many moons ago). Initially to get to the same 50wpm speed of my two finger typing, then I'll use the first book in a new series to consolidate those skills and pick up momentum. In theory I should then begin to double my output over the short to mid-term.

It's exciting. More writing time.

Now, let's go and find that publishing schedule of yours, ah, here it is: http://ellecasey.com/book-publishing-schedule/

Looks like fun. Although it does make your eyes pop! Nice to see you're based in France. I did a lot of writing based just outside of Cannes and then just outside Bordeaux. Good times!


----------



## LBrent

Thank you for writing this post.

It's nice to know others' writing styles, thought processes, etc. Personally, I've only written poetry, short stories and in the last 10 years I discovered fan-fiction (I wrote several naughty short fictions & did some roleplaying in that universe and had a small eager following of readers until my time became limited and I had to stop writing for awhile). I've always been a voracious reader and would write for my own amusement as a child but it never was something I thought I could be successful by doing commercially. Now, with my retirement approaching I figured this would be a good time to silence those pesky muses who keep arguing in my head. Lol. I've never counted words or used any special device/tool except NotePad, but I'm dying to try some of the ones you all have mentioned here. I tend to simply have fleshed out characters who demand my attention and I write until they stop "talking" to me. My characters usually know where they're headed. They only let me write what they've already decided. Someone else mentioned that they see "movies in their head", that's exactly how my stories come to me also. I used to think I was odd. It's nice to see others who experience writing in a similar way.

Also, I remember when Barbara Cartland passed away there was an article that said she dictated A BOOK A DAY to her assistant for many years, even up until her death. I think the writer also said that at the time she was in the Guiness Book of World Records as the most prolific romance writer. She wrote those slim Harlequin regency books. I'm not sure how many words/pages they each add up to but still, a book a day...Yikes!

LB


----------



## kwest

I'm going to echo what everyone else has already said...this post was highly inspirational. I think you and I Elle have some very similar writing tendencies. I wrote 12,000 words this weekend and I type very, very quickly. I type my thoughts out almost immediately as they leave my brain. It's like my fingers are rushing to keep up with my mind and the two are in a constant race. I also do very little outlining. I like to type out some things that excite me about the book I'm writing and try to hit all of them at some point in the novel, though I have no set plan about how the characters will get to these points. To me, the unexpected, crazy things that happen are part of the fun. If I'm not surprising myself, then what's the point?

My main issue for cranking out the crazy word counts is my day job. 9-10 hours a day of menial, blue collar labor takes it out of me every day of every week. Sure, I'm in shape, but often I'm so exhausted that I can't even think straight but he time I get home. I force myself to do at least a thousand words, which is accomplished in at least thirty minutes or less, and then I'm done. It's the weekends where I post my colossal word counts.

I dream of a day where I can make enough from my writing to quit my job and focus on it full time, because nothing makes me happier. Thanks again for the post and your insight, Elle. You are truly an inspiration!


----------



## Deke

Fascinating stuff, thanks for starting an interesting discussion on writing process.

I've always wondered about the folks who can write a book in a month. It's taken me six just to edit my first one, but then I'm a perfectionist.

What sticks out to me is that you don't outline.  I suspect this works in some genres, but in a crime genre, you really need to plot things out and make sure that backstory is tracking with the front store.

I do like the thought of editing as I write.  So far, I blast through a complete draft and don't look in the rear view mirror until I type The End. If I did, I fear I'd just polish the first chapters over and over.

Now, if I could hand off my blast-through chapters some someone who would clean them up for me, that would be a great labor-savor.


----------



## 54706

Glad you've found it helpful.

@kwest, sounds like we do indeed have a very similar process.  The days that I worked my other job (don't have it anymore, but when I did), I couldn't write a single word after I got home that night.  Mental tiredness is much more dangerous to a writer than physical tiredness, I think.

@Deke, I know you didn't mean to suggest otherwise, but I am also a perfectionist. Not everyone needs to edit for 6 months in order to put out a good product.  

I have never written in the crime genre, but if I did, I'd probably have to outline at least a little.  That being said, the novel I wrote with Jason Brant has a crime that the story revolves around and we didn't outline.


----------



## RM Prioleau

I feel naked if I don't outline...


----------



## CLStone

I think I've found my writing twin. 

Elle, you sound just like me! When I finally buckled down, I wrote my first YA book in two weeks. (The first book I ever wrote a bunch of years ago I wrote in three weeks.)

I declared myself a "day dream addict" years ago. Writing just allows me to play out my day dreams more precisely. It brings those ideas forward to the front of my head. 

I used to just write, rewrite once, edit once and send out with another pen name. Now I developed a couple of people to read and beta/edit for me. What used to take me a couple of weeks to produce a book (old pen name), with my YA series, it now takes months of prep time, mostly waiting on reviews from beta reads. Drives me crazy because while they're all on book three, I'm polishing up book four, revising book five, and writing the rough on six and seven. I'm ahead of myself, but when I go back to talk with them. They're all excited about *things* and I get excited when I hear it, but I'm biting my tongue because there's so much they don't know is happening already later in the series. Half the time I'm wondering why they aren't caught up with me yet. 

I haven't read through this entire thread yet, but I'm excited to see I'm not the only one. It's inspired me to go ahead and maybe work on some side projects. I've been pretty linear with my series. I can knock out a good 20 - 25k on the weekend. I could do more, but I tend to break it up with a little research and a little 'mood music' selecting. Plus interruptions from family who tell me I spend way too much time at the keyboard. 

But no wonder why readers are hearing "the next book will be ready in three months" and are squeamish! They are getting used to people popping out books every month.  And I thought I was going to go too fast. Now the day a book comes out, readers are like, "Where's the next one?" the very next day. Elle's spoiling them all.


----------



## 54706

I see nothing wrong with spoiling readers.


----------



## RinG

I've spent the last few days reading through this thread and being inspired. Sometimes I think all we need to convince ourselves that something can be done is to hear how someone else does it! The last two days I've made myself not open Facebook until I've done my wordcount, and I've managed 2500 words each day. I write in the morning, before my daughter gets up, usually I get 2-3 hours, so I'm pretty happy with that. Hoping to increase my output, if not to a book a month, maybe to one every 3 months.


----------



## twilcox

Thank you so much for this post. It's very inspiring. I'm curious to know how you handle any research that you need to do, or do you try to avoid areas where extensive research is needed?

I am still trying to figure out my writing process. Right now, I'm at 2,000 words a day, but I once wrote 4,000 a day and I know that with practice you certainly can get better. Practice and consistency has huge benefits, and I know all I have to do is get back into the habit and cut back on my distractions.

Thank you again Elle.


----------



## 54706

twilcox said:


> Thank you so much for this post. It's very inspiring. I'm curious to know how you handle any research that you need to do, or do you try to avoid areas where extensive research is needed?
> 
> I am still trying to figure out my writing process. Right now, I'm at 2,000 words a day, but I once wrote 4,000 a day and I know that with practice you certainly can get better. Practice and consistency has huge benefits, and I know all I have to do is get back into the habit and cut back on my distractions.
> 
> Thank you again Elle.


Research ... I do some of it before I write for things I know will be in the book, and then as my story evolves, I do more as the need comes up. If I'm really in the groove of writing and don't want to stop, I'll put in my best guess about something or a [*] symbol so I can go back later and add stuff in.

How much do I do? It depends on the book, but I don't do historical fiction, so my research load is much lighter than many authors in this forum.  The weirdest thing I think I've ever researched is carrier pigeons and training birds of prey. That was kind of cool. I even chatted with a guy who does it for a living in England.

I have recently learned that I get the most done and feel the most relaxed when I write first thing in the morning. When I wait and do it later, I become a mess of nerves and stress. I prefer to goof around on the internet in the afternoon and get my work done before lunch, so this is what I've been doing fairly regularly since I went full time in May.


----------



## Midnight Whimsy

Wow, Elle, great information! Definite motivation for me to really apply myself. I've always been a fast writer, but inconsistent in applying myself (i.e. not writing every day, not leaving myself enough time to make good progress, etc.). I'm definitely going to set word count goals and try out a scheduled writing time!

@Ryan: Great techniques and resources, thanks! Going to try a few of those too. 

M.W


----------



## KerryT2012

Oh my gosh, your now number 12 - you are hitting the roof!


----------



## hunterone

ellecasey said:


> I've had several people ask me how I've written so many books (1 in such a short period of time (15 months), and I've answered the questions as they've come up; but I was thinking that maybe it would be worth posting a thread about it, so people could discuss their thoughts or ask more detailed questions of me (I'm happy to answer any questions). I know many writers say they'd like to increase their output but don't know how, so I'm sharing my way of doing things, and if it helps anyone increase her or his output and makes that person happy about it, then it will have been worth doing. I really should be writing a book right now.
> 
> Before I lay it out, some other thoughts. First, I know this is not for most writers. Most writers take a much longer time to craft a story and that's cool. There is no _one_ way to do things. There are many paths to the meadow, and I think they're all worth taking at least once. I know there are still people out there who believe that it's impossible to write a good story in such a short period of time (some may even come on this thread and say so). My opinion on this is that _it's the readers who decide_ what a good story is, and my readers have decided I am fully capable of putting out a good story in a month, over and over again. So that myth is debunked in my world, but if other people want to stick to their beliefs, that's fine. It doesn't affect me at all. You decide if it affects you.
> 
> My theory on why I'm able to write so many books, other than the mechanics that I outline below, is this: My introduction to writing came from reading an article about Amanda Hocking and then Darci Chan. I'd always wanted to write a book but never tried, never bothered, because I wasn't interested in entering that Lotto (suffer-rejection-a-thousand-times-to-find-an-agent-and-then-again-to-find-a-publisher-which-you-probably-never-will-find). But when I realized I could just self-publish to readers and let them decide, that's all it took for me to start. The thing is, no one told me that it takes a year or more to write a book. I've never taken a creative writing class or gone to a workshop or even known an author. If someone had told me that, I probably wouldn't have even started. Amanda spoke in her article of writing one of her books in two weeks. So the idea that one could write a good book fast was a seed that was planted, and it just grew like a weed for me. As I typed, the words flowed, and the story came out in just a matter of weeks. I tweaked, I paid someone to edit, I paid someone to make a cover, and I tweaked some more. But 6 weeks later, I was ready to publish. Have I gone back and re-edited? Yes. It was my first book. After gettting some reader feedback about POV issues my editor missed, I fixed them. I get better with every book.
> 
> I think the key is to know "it's possible". For years the publishing industry and other authors said, "This is how it has to be". Now we know that they were wrong! A world of change, opportunity, new ways of doing things has opened for all of us. Maybe my little contribution will be to show other writers who want to write more books that they _can_ increase their output with some strategies in place. So ... on to the good stuff...
> 
> Here's how I write 1 quality, publishable, readable book a month:
> 
> 1. I type fast (about 2,500 good, usable words per hour)
> 2. I don't use outlines, my characters take the stories and run with them while I just take dictation. I never know what's going to happen in my books or what my characters are going to say until it happens. I have a general sense of the storyline and the ending, but even then, I'm often wrong. I've tried to use outlines, but they stifle me. They stifle my character's voices. I know they work for other people to help them work faster. To each his own.
> 3. I have a very active imagination. I come up with new stories several times a day (in fact, I've considered posting a list of story ideas on my website just to make sure someone writes them). I suggest letting your mind wander and asking "What if?" a lot if you need prompting. My brain needs no prompting.
> 4. I have a truly supportive husband who handles our life while I'm locked away (he is most def not the negative nelly), and my children are all 9 years old and older, so fairly independent
> 5. I use word count goals each day I write and don't stop until I reach them. My favorite days are the 5,000 words days (I am done by lunch, and I use the rest of the day to goof off or interact with my lovely readers). My least favorite are the 15k days. The most I've written in a day is 23,500 (done twice) which included editing along the way. If I just wrote and didn't edit anything, I could probably get to 30k or a little more, but then I'd be ready for the looney bin and my wrists would be unusable for a few days.
> 6. I take a nap, every single day without fail. I break my writing day up into morning and afternoon sessions. And if I'm on a roll, I add an evening session (those are the days I write more than 10k words). I can easily write 10k words a day, but I don't do that often. Only if I've had many days of zero writing and a deadline looming.
> 7. I have a great writing environment. Comfortable, quiet (or I make it that way with headphones and white noise), and on my most productive days, without Internet.
> 8. I set up word count goals at the beginning of each month so that I can publish a book on the last day of the month
> 9. I edit as I go, re-editing previous chapters on average of 3 times before moving on to the next. My first draft is therefore very close to final draft quality.
> 10. I have beta readers and proofreaders on call to finish my drafts with a one- or two-day turnaround
> 11. And last but not least (probably would be #1 on this list if done in priority order), I have seriously kickass readers who motivate me to write, even when I don't feel like writing
> 
> I view my writing as a business and treat the process accordingly. And the result is so good for me, it's all I need to keep me wanting to do more of it. I think some writers (not all) are capable of great output - good quality great output - but they don't think it's possible or they don't have a system that works for that kind of thing, so they just don't. Other people are missing one of my links above (for example, have kids at home or other work that gets in the way). I do have a second job that takes up 2 days of my week, but I also write on weekends. Now that I've put in notice at my job to quit, I will quit working weekends and just work Monday-Friday. What I do is possible in 5 days a week of writing, including tons of social media contact and time off.
> 
> To answer a question I get frequently: No, I did not have ANY material when I started. I just began writing and that was that.
> 
> I hope this was helpful to someone out there. Happy weekend, everyone!


Wow, powerful post!!!


----------



## Sarah Stimson

I am replying to this post soley to say I have read it all and deserve a medal because it took me all day to take it all in!

Great advice Elle, and all the others who have contributed too.

I do not write that fast for three reasons: I work full time, I have a toddler, I like to procrastinate

I'm working on the third one


----------



## Alex Rogers

Great advice all around on here! I'm looking to up my word count in 2014 and this is so helpful! Thanks!


----------



## Jim Johnson

Ryan Casey said:


> *1.) The Pomodoro Technique*
> 
> You may or may not have heard of the Pomodoro Technique. I hadn't up until a couple of weeks ago, but since I've started implementing it, my daily wordcount has doubled, and I feel refreshed and a sense of achievement because of it.
> 
> Basically, the Pomodoro Technique is this: you set a timer for twenty-five minutes and you do whatever task it is you want to do (in our case, writing). You work solidly on that task for twenty-five minutes, and then when the time is up, you take a five minute break, no matter what. Nip to the loo, refill your glass of water - Pomo' don't discriminate.
> 
> Then, you repeat the cycle again. After four full cycles, you take a longer break.
> 
> Can you see how beneficial this is to writing? I usually start writing somewhere around ten-thirty in the morning. I complete four cycles and then take a lunch break. On a typical day, I'll have four-thousand words written by the time I take lunch. On a good day, I'll have hit 5k already.
> 
> The Pomodoro Technique has helped me realise my potential. It really is as simple as that.


Thanks for posting this. I didn't realize this technique had a name. I stumbled upon something like it last year and it works really well for me. What I do is write for 30 minutes, take a 10 minute break, then do another 30 minute writing session. I string together as many of those 30/10 sessions as I can until I need a longer break or until my fingers are too achy to continue. I find my word average goes way up when I'm following this in a disciplined fashion--I hit an average of about 1,200 words per 30 min session on my last WIP. I find I write much slower when I'm not in a disciplined writing session mode.

Great stuff.


----------



## 54706

RobCornell said:


> Elle,
> 
> I don't know if you still check this thread, but I was wondering about Scrivener. I received the software (Windows version) for a birthday present a couple years ago, but have yet to give it a shot with my own work process. I was wondering if you could tell us how you use it while writing. I'm especially interested because you don't outline (I don't either, usually) and the software seems more suited for writers who do outline. I also wonder about doing edits, since you said you do edits in Word. Do you somehow plunk the edited Word file back into Scrivener?
> 
> I'd love to hear anybody's input on this, actually. I wouldn't mind getting away from composing in Word, especially since Scrivener can do all the e-formatting, too, which is very appealing.
> 
> Thanks!


Hi, Rob.

I use Scrivener for all my books now. I would never go back to Word.

What I do is start with scene one in a manuscript folder. I just write a chapter in the scene file (it's a white file, not one of the blue folder files) and then start a new scene file for the next chapter. When I wrote in Word and then transferred over to Scrivener, I had many scene breaks inside chapters, so I had an extra level of blue folders that were the chapters and then the white files were the individual scenes. I don't generally do it that way now. I don't do scene breaks, I just do chapter breaks.

When it's time for edits, I compile to a Word document that goes to my editor. She does redlines and sends it back. I have both the Word redline and my Scrivener manuscript open on the screen side-by-side, and I click that "next" button on the Word review pane and then go over to my Scrivener and do a "find" to locate the correction and then make the correction. It doesn't take long at all. Nowadays I don't have a whole heck of a lot of edits. Mostly it's just proofreading.

One of my beta readers sends me her comments on a Word document that is a copy/paste of her Kindle highlights. I just do the same thing: find the sentence she's highlighted and make the spelling fix or whatever.

I use the Mac version and I hear the PC version isn't quite as robust. Also, it has steep learning curve, but I highly encourage any writer to just bite the bullet and learn it because it's just that awesome. I compile to mobi, epub, doc, whatever I need. I even format for paperbacks on Createspace and LSI. It can do whatever I need.

Hope that helps!


----------



## Andrzej Tucholski

Aaah, white noise. It was my secret weapon for cafes and libraries


----------



## Christine Kersey

tkkenyon said:


> And here's the mondo-cool app that I use. Works on a desktop.
> 
> http://www.focusboosterapp.com/
> 
> TK


TK - thanks for posting this app. I've used it this afternoon and already I can see that it's going to help!


----------



## PatriceFitz

I just did a quick scan of this extraordinary thread, which I'm so glad you began, Elle.  I see that I responded, too, back in May!  I'm having a slow writing period, so my last-spring self was very encouraging to me.  Hmm... like time travel.

I'm going to send some folks to check it out, because there's spectacular and practical wisdom here.


----------



## 54706

PatriceFitz said:


> I just did a quick scan of this extraordinary thread, which I'm so glad you began, Elle. I see that I responded, too, back in May! I'm having a slow writing period, so my last-spring self was very encouraging to me. Hmm... like time travel.
> 
> I'm going to send some folks to check it out, because there's spectacular and practical wisdom here.


I go back and re-read good threads to refresh my memory and my plans. You're right ... it is like time travel a bit.


----------



## RM Prioleau

Drew Gideon said:


> Elle, I've been lurking for a while and finally registered just to say THANK YOU for this thread.
> 
> It took me in two directions:
> 1. I'm really excited at the prospects of what anyone can do (including me) with self-publishing.
> 2. I'm frustrated and angry when I think of how old, traditional contracts have kept our favorite authors from sharing more of their stories with us.
> 
> Case in point - Kim Harrison participated in NaNoWriMo back in 2011 and completed a novel with an entirely new main character. She was very excited about it on her blog, and when I saw her in Boston in 2012 at an author signing she was still excited to talk about that story. She couldn't wait to share it with us. She's *still* excited about it and talks about Peri, the protagonist, now and then on her Facebook and her blog.
> Due to her publishing contract, we won't get to read it until 2015. (That's only if the publisher doesn't push it back further, which they might.)
> 
> Finished writing it in November 2011. Publishing date: sometime in 2015. Maybe.
> It's almost *criminal*.


I did a Google search for the publisher name....
That's disheartening 
Is it an e-book only contract? No print?


----------



## OwenBaillie

Best thread ever, hands down. I read just the first entry, and wrote 30,000 words in 9 days to complete a draft. I occasionally save special threads to a word file and print them out. This is one of them. Thanks Elle, and everyone else who followed, for the massive dose of inspiration!


----------



## 54706

Thanks, y'all!  So glad you found it inspirational/helpful.


----------



## C.G.

I'm really impressed that you can write so many books in such a short time one right after another. I once finished a book in a month & 1/2, and afterwards I felt so burnt out that it took me almost a month to really get into writing my next. I try to write at least 2,000 words a day, but more often than not, my day job or family responsibilities get in the way (or procrastinating seeing as I'm here in the forums instead of writing!  ).


----------



## Guest

Good Lord!  I can't believe I read every post in this thread. Ha Ha!

Thanks for your thoughts, Elle.

I type fast, and I'm fine with good old fashioned Word. (I like to keep it simple.)

I'm not going for a book a month.  But a book every other month I can do.  My first indie book will be published in June.  By this time next year (Feb. 27, 2015) I'll have five novels out, plus a novella or two over at Wattpad.  

I'm cool with that.


----------



## jimbro

JRHenderson said:


> Hi Martyn. It's a common belief that when you press the 'Q' key on your (English) keyboard, your keyboard sends the letter 'Q' to your computer. In fact, your keyboard tells your computer that the left-most letter key on the top-row has been pressed. Your computer then looks that up on the Qwerty key-map file which says "Left-most key on the top row = 'Q'". So switching from Qwerty to Dvorak is merely a matter of replacing one key-map file with another, and ignoring the letters that are printed on your keys.


eBay and Amazon both sell transparent Dvorak stickers you can apply to your existing keyboard. The transparent stickers don't necessarily cover up your existing lettering. Then, if you have windows 7, it is a simple matter to toggle between Querty and Dvorak layouts. A google search will turn up several Dvorak Tutor websites.


----------



## vrabinec

By the way, Elle, like I said on your Facebook page, that new cover is fucking amazing. It's one of my faves in that genre in a long time. Quite a piece of art, and tells a tale all its own.


----------



## K.A. Madison

Elle, as you can see this is my very first post.  It's going to be the first of many but I doubt I will catch you or all the other veterans on this site!  

Let me just say that it's your post, like many others here, that have truly inspired me!  Your generosity with advice and your willingness to help people is amazing.  Thank you!  

I have been writing sci-fi fiction on and off for the past few years.  I have a couple of different stories, but nothing published yet because I never really resolved to finish and publish something until recently.  I'm now finishing up my first novel that will end up being 65,000-70,000 words and my pace has been increasing from 300 to 700 and now close to 1000 words per day.  Moving the stories and pictures from my mind to computer is getting easier as I write.  And the more I write, the more I enjoy it!  

Anyway, I need to get back to writing.  Thanks again!


----------



## vrabinec

Welcome, K.A.
You know, it's customary for someone making their first post, and on a Friday no less, to bring something sweet for everyone. I mean, it's okay that you didn't. I'm sure nobody will hold it against you.


----------



## 54706

Glad this old post is still helping people out. 

Thank you, FRED!!!  I really like it too. I made it myself!!


----------



## Heather Hamilton-Senter

I love this thread and read it all through every month or so - soooooo inspiring!


----------



## K.A. Madison

vrabinec said:


> Welcome, K.A.
> You know, it's customary for someone making their first post, and on a Friday no less, to bring something sweet for everyone. I mean, it's okay that you didn't. I'm sure nobody will hold it against you.


Thanks Vrabinec! Something sweet huh... The only thing I can think of right now is that my 3 year old daughter came up to me just now and told me "I love you daddy... I will always, always, ALWAYS love you!" Nothing's sweeter than that!


----------



## briasbooks

I also write as I go along.  The backbone of the book is already planted in my head and I know where it has to go, I just don't know how it's going to get there. It's fun and very creative to let the characters take over and go where they're going to go. Sometimes the chapter goes in a completely different direction than what I originally thought it would. Little side plots are fun and add another dimension to the overall story. Do I sit there at times wondering what my next paragraph is going to be? Of course, but like Elle said, just let the characters write the book. Let their dialog lead the way and see where it goes. Now all I have to do is learn how to put out books faster!


----------



## JoshMorris05

Very inspirational first post and thread, its amazing to see where everyone comes from. 

I have been writing about 1000 words a day for over 40 days now, and I write that 1000 words in about 15 minutes. The most I've done is 7000 words in a day, so  it looks like i need to push myself and do even more. 

Thanks for the inspiration.


----------



## Guest

I had to give Elle Casey's words another read.  Always inspiring!


----------



## Mark E. Cooper

ellecasey said:


> My mom's been a Nora Roberts fan for years (like 20!), and even when her books are all crap, she still buys them, hoping one of them will be awesome again. And every now and then, they're good enough to keep her coming back.


Hey! I'm with your mom, I love Eve Dallas and Rourke! Rourke and Dallas in the In Death series must have been one of the first Billionaire romance books, if not THE first. They're an icon!


----------



## LBrent

I reread this thread, but couldn't find Elle Casey's average word count per book.

Did anyone see it mentioned?


----------



## 54706

LBrent said:


> I reread this thread, but couldn't find Elle Casey's average word count per book.
> 
> Did anyone see it mentioned?


It's around 95,000 words. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but never less than 85,000 unless it's a short story (I have 2 of those). My latest serial romance will throw that average off, though. When done it'll be around 150k words.


----------



## SunshineOnMe

So impressive and inspiring!


----------



## Alexander Gras

Thank you for so generously sharing your experiences, Elle!

What I wonder, if you don't plot before your write, is how you manage continuity. Do you take notes of open threads that you need to pick up?

From reading the descriptions of how you work, I imagine you sitting in front of the computer on an empty desk. The only software open is Scrivener, and all you do is think and write.

I need a sheaf of papers around me that contain all the notes I took all day. If I didn't have them, I'd simply forget all the great ideas I had while taking a shower. Every now and then I have to sort these ideas, cut them up, paste them in the right order. I also maintain a list of characters, places, artifacts in a text editor. I develop my characters in an Excel worksheet (columns are characters, rows are physical characteristics, personality traits, goals within the plot, fears/weaknesses, etc.). I use AeonTimeline to remind me how long a person has been on the road and how long his beard must have grown and how what he does relates to what the other characters do.

How is that for you? All this slows me down, of course, so I imagine you don't do it. But how do you manage this background work to writing. Or if you do similar things, then what do you do and how do you do it?

* * *

Although this is probably not the right place for a critique of your work, I'd like to share my experience with one of your books.

When I happened upon this and others of your threads, I was intrigued and searched for your books on Amazon. I read the descriptions, and chose "Apocalypsis", mostly because I like post-apocalyptic fiction.

I loved how the story began, I was intrigued by the two protagonists, and I enjoyed travelling the country with them. But shortly after their visit to that (I think) souvenir shop, where they got the map, I lost interest and abandoned the book.

That's probably partly due to my aversion to humid swamps. I just couldn't enjoy the idea of "being" there, so I guess I avoided that trip. But there is something else that I feel helped me lose interest:

I couldn't see where this was going.

Your heroes did not (as I remember) have any kind of positive goal they wanted or needed to accomplish, and nothing was keeping them from it. Their objective was to hide from what was going on in their world, and that appeared to be going just fine.

I have written three or four books in the manner you write: starting with an idea and just letting my characters carry me through their adventures until some unknown end.

I had a lot of fun writing those books, but when I re-read them, they appear random and void of narrative tension.

I'm not saying your books don't have a suspenseful plot. I read only some part of one of them, and what I write now is several months after the reading, so how I feel about that one book today might have more to do with my life in the meantime than the book itself.

But maybe my feedback will give you an idea of what specific problems your (and my) approach to writing may bring and help you avoid them.


----------



## 75814

I'm really impressed by your output. I type pretty fast--if I'm just going at a clip, I can get around 90-100 WPM, but when writing a story I do a lot of stopping and starting, so the result is usually around 1,000 UWH (usable words per hour). What really impressed me was that you're able to do it without an outline. While I've managed to do this sometimes, for the most part pantsing it has led to far more unfinished novels than completed ones. I'm pretty much the opposite of you on the outline front--I find having a roadmap gives me more freedom whereas if I pants it, then I just get lost.


----------



## 54706

Thanks, Perry. I tried outlining and it just didn't work for me. To each his own, right?


----------



## 75814

ellecasey said:


> Thanks, Perry. I tried outlining and it just didn't work for me. To each his own, right?


Absolutely. If anything, I'm a little jealous that you don't have to bother with outlining!


----------



## RinG

I don't outline either, though I usually have a rough idea of where the story is going. However, lately I'm discovering that writing a summary of the next chapter or two before I start helps keep me moving when otherwise I might start to lag some days.

Of course, other days (like yesterday), my characters completely ignore this plan, and do what they like anyway.


----------



## drewavera

Elle, I would assume that going at your pace can get you pretty fatigued over time. Do you allow yourself breaks from writing, or is there always something going on towards finishing the next book? I'm thinking of this from a "I still have my job in the navy" mentality. I am working towards being as productive as I can manage. Now at 11 published works now thatthe kid's book is done...


----------



## briasbooks

Great and inspiring thread. Can't wait until I get to the point of writing a book a month. Right now I'm at a book every 3 months or so.


----------



## rachelmedhurst

Yay! It's great to meet other free flow writers...that's what I call myself anyway. I never plan, I just sit down and start to type and the story flows out of me. I never know what's going to happen or even how long the piece will be. I love it!

I type about 1,300 words an hour at the moment and that's usually with some staring into space for a time. I work 4 days a week, so I have a 1k a day goal that I aim for.

I've just self published my first novel in May. I've had a novella picked up for ebook only going out in October. I've just started to release my serial Avoidables and hope to have three serials of that out by the end of the year.

Also aiming to do the sequel to The Deadliners in August and September if all goes to plan! 

You're a massive inspiration for me as I'm determined to become a full time writer by this time next year.

xxx


----------



## Matt Ryan

ellecasey said:


> It does make the process faster.  And in MY case, better. But I know that's not the case for many others who need outlining to have a cohesive story.
> 
> Anyone claiming his or her way is the only or best way doesn't know squat about writing books. We all have a process or system that works for us as individuals. What works for me obviously doesn't work for everyone. The purpose for this post when I put it up a loooong time ago was to share what was working for me. I got (still get) questions about that all the time, so it is now a reference for me. When someone asks, I point them here. They get not only my way, but the other systems people posted in the comments.


This thread actually really helped me pick up my speed. I added another method since I last posted on this thread:

I disliked outlining for my first four books but I did run into going back a lot and tweaking stuff because the story would take a turn here or there and ripple backwards. I also spent more time staring at the screen than I wanted to. On my fifth book I decided to write out the book in 1000 words. Each paragraph might represent a chapter. It only took me a couple hours or so to go through the plot and figure out a loose path.

When I started writing, I found the words came very quickly(I averaged 1800 wph for the first 30k) because I had a rough road map to move along. Plus, my outline is so short I still felt as if I was mostly pantsing along which is the way I like to write. For me, a brief outline really helped my speed.

Thanks Elle!


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Alexander Gras said:


> Although this is probably not the right place for a critique of your work, I'd like to share my experience with one of your books.


Alexander--

Welcome to KBoards! I'm glad you're finding things of interest here!

One thing, just so you know, the culture here is to not offer critique on works when none is asked for. When you're using an example from a book as an example to support an on-topic question, it does get a bit trickier, but keep this in mind!

Thanks for being part of KBoards!

Betsy
KB Mod


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Alexander--
> 
> Welcome to KBoards! I'm glad you're finding things of interest here!
> 
> One thing, just so you know, the culture here is to not offer critique on works when none is asked for. When you're using an example from a book as an example to support an on-topic question, it does get a bit trickier, but keep this in mind!
> 
> Thanks for being part of KBoards!
> 
> Betsy
> KB Mod


And, may I add a 'thank you' to Elle for her gracious response.


----------



## LanceGreencastle

Rinelle Grey said:


> Of course, other days (like yesterday), my characters completely ignore this plan, and do what they like anyway.


Yes, that's the problem I always have too.
But I am reminded of the saying - No battle was ever won according to plan, but no battle was ever won without a plan either.
So I outline and then revise my outline based on what my characters actually do.


----------



## 54706

Matt Ryan said:


> This thread actually really helped me pick up my speed. I added another method since I last posted on this thread:
> 
> I disliked outlining for my first four books but I did run into going back a lot and tweaking stuff because the story would take a turn here or there and ripple backwards. I also spent more time staring at the screen than I wanted to. On my fifth book I decided to write out the book in 1000 words. Each paragraph might represent a chapter. It only took me a couple hours or so to go through the plot and figure out a loose path.
> 
> When I started writing, I found the words came very quickly(I averaged 1800 wph for the first 30k) because I had a rough road map to move along. Plus, my outline is so short I still felt as if I was mostly pantsing along which is the way I like to write. For me, a brief outline really helped my speed.
> 
> Thanks Elle!


Welcome, Matt.  I'm happy to see what you're up to!


----------



## CEMartin2

Social media everyday? Well, if that works for you, I guess I'll keep at it too. But dang it's tiring...


----------



## Adrian P

I haven't delved into fiction yet, but this seems like a great approach for me to try later.  Your posts and your results are very inspiring.

I even frequent a certain fanfiction community (I'm keeping that a secret), and this approach seems like it would work amazingly for an approach to being able to put out some work of my own there.  Might be good practice.

My problem is just that I get too emotional and always stop down when I try to write fiction.  It keeps me from keeping up a good pace at all.


----------



## Kenzi

This is one of the most helpful threads I've ever read. Elle, thank you so much for sharing your methods. Your work ethic is amazing and inspiring, as is your willingness to help others here at Kboards.


----------



## 54706

You're very welcome. It's an oldie but a goodie.


----------



## WritersLife

Thanks for sharing your system. I'm a newbie attempting to bash out two short stories a week at about 10k per story. Whoa!

In the meantime, I'm looking for recommendations for freelance editors and proofreaders and I saw that you mentioned that you had a few on tap.

Would you be so kind as to refer me over to those on your team, who may be looking for more work?

Thanks in advance and thank you so much for sharing!


----------



## ALGarces

wow. loved this thread and I haven't read it all, only bookmarked for later reading further. I am new here but wanted to tell you Elli that I found you just a week or so ago on the Rocking Self Publishing podcast! Great interview and recommend it to those who have read this thread at some point. 

I'll be reading some of your books this week. Great to see an 'organic writer' as I call us, for I dislike the word pantser. 

cheers.
Anna


----------



## AkBee

Just wanted to say I love your books and reading your OP makes me know it is possible. Thank you!


----------



## 54706

ALGarces said:


> wow. loved this thread and I haven't read it all, only bookmarked for later reading further. I am new here but wanted to tell you Elli that I found you just a week or so ago on the Rocking Self Publishing podcast! Great interview and recommend it to those who have read this thread at some point.
> 
> I'll be reading some of your books this week. Great to see an 'organic writer' as I call us, for I dislike the word pantser.
> 
> cheers.
> Anna


Organic. I like it.  Glad you enjoyed the post and the podcast.


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## 54706

AkBee said:


> Just wanted to say I love your books and reading your OP makes me know it is possible. Thank you!


Thanks so much! Glad it helped.


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## delly_xo

ellecasey said:


> Thanks so much! Glad it helped.


I heard you on the RSP too and found it so inspirational!


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## 54706

delly_xo said:


> I heard you on the RSP too and found it so inspirational!


Awesome! Simon's so cool. Love that guy.


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## goneaway

So this thread is like 2 years old... I'm just wondering if any thing has changed.  Different process?  Still making 6 figures?  Anything new to add?


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## goneaway

Awesome.  Thanks for the update!  Even more motivational to know it's all still working.


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## Veronica Sicoe

Great thread! Thank you for sharing, Elle! I can always use more inspiration to up my game.


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## 54706

Veronica Sicoe said:


> Great thread! Thank you for sharing, Elle! I can always use more inspiration to up my game.


Happy this thread is still doing that for people!


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## JTriptych

Great thread! I'm new here and finished my first manuscript- wrote it in about 6 weeks (77K words total) and now starting another in a different genre. If I can get to just a fraction of the success of the people in this thread I will be very happy!


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