Filmmaker asks "How can 1 author write 6 books in 10 years? Impossible!"

The filmmaker is probably mad he wasn't asked to contribute on either Harry Potter or Game of Thrones, which were written in less than 10 years. I understand what you mean though.

Twick said:

https://web.archive.org/web/2006011...tenposten.no/english/local/article1169209.ece

I came across this on another board, and couldn't help but be astonished how someone in a creative field would think that, say, it's harder to write books that are then translated into many languages than to write books which aren't. As if the author did the translation or something.

And if it's that easy to create megasellers by assigning a committee, I'm surprised more publishing houses don't do it.

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A saying from the Engineering world (and probably other places as well): There's never been a monument for a committee.

I just finished reading the article, and I'm wondering if that woman formulated her theory after watching the Simpsons episode where Homer, Bart and some friends (including Neil Gaiman, who brought pizza) got together and committee-wrote a best-selling YA novel. All the elements she talks about are in that episode, from the lit majors hacking out pages in cubicles to the actress used in the author photo for the "Angelica Button" series. I can see how people watching that would get confused. Cartoons wouldn't lie to us, right?

Disclaimer: I don't know the woman involved and I mean no disrespect. But I do love that episode. Lisa and I have similar problems with procrastination when it comes to writing.

I wrote six books in 2005 alone. I lost three of them, but I remember writing them.

Writing 1-2 books per months is the norm for successful indies.

I assume he's never heard of Izzie Snows and her many many many novels. She does hire a publicist. Maybe that counts as a committee?

I will say that I have no idea how it's possible to write more than two or three books a year, let alone the ten or more many self-published authors seem to manage. I mean, I can type that fast, but actually coming up with something I'd want to share with people?

I know everyone works at different rates, but sometimes it feels like I'm in a walking race against people in Ferraris...

I'm super impressed by all the indies who can get a solid draft together in eight weeks. I'm doing the best I can to learn from them--after all, the best way to improve as a writer is to write, and these folks have it nailed.

Following the '20Booksto50k' group on Facebook, where tons of indies are pushing forward to create a 20-book backlist, has been an eye-opener for me.

Everyone is different, though. I'm dreaming of building up to a three-books-a-year level and then higher (mostly it's just getting out of my own head and away from my own doubts, I think) but it'll be a slow build-up. But oh man, how exciting will it be when I get there? I can't wait to start moving all the projects in my backlog into 'finished', it'll be such a good feeling.

Aiming to write more books is a solid writerly goal, I think. And definitely more achievable than some of my other writerly goals.

onesecondglance said:

I will say that I have no idea how it's possible to write more than two or three books a year, let alone the ten or more many self-published authors seem to manage. I mean, I can type that fast, but actually coming up with something I'd want to share with people?

I know everyone works at different rates, but sometimes it feels like I'm in a walking race against people in Ferraris...

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Hi.

Well, it all depends on the writer. Some writers are faster than others. It depends on many factors. Some writers write a first draft and edit in one pass and then they publish, and for others it takes longer. I can write 1,000 words in one hour, so I can produce a first draft really quickly. It all depends on you, how experienced you are, and how long you've been writing.

Given how slow I type, I'd be happy to settle for one novel, one novella, two short stories and part of the next novel in a year. Could I do more ... maybe, but occasionally coming up for air is good too.


(Mind you, that allows time for editing in there too. If I was just doing first drafts, I could obviously knock out more.)

They should check out Dean Wesley Smith and Kris Rusch, among others. Dean just did 30 short stories in 30 days. He also cranks out a magazine every month, and I'd guess between the two of them, they probably do 50 books a year.

Harlequin said:

Writing 1-2 books per months is the norm for successful indies.

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Wow. That's impressive!

Makes me feel like a woosie!

The actual writing is the easy part after a few years of writing, writing, writing. GOOD actual writing can come too, eventually.

I've managed both after a lot of unfinished or poorly finished works. Good stuff flows from my keyboard with little effort. Practice DOES make better.

It's the thinking that underlies writing that takes time, whether you do most in one go before writing, or bit by bit as you write. THAT is the part I'm still working on.

onesecondglance said:

I will say that I have no idea how it's possible to write more than two or three books a year, let alone the ten or more many self-published authors seem to manage. I mean, I can type that fast, but actually coming up with something I'd want to share with people?

I know everyone works at different rates, but sometimes it feels like I'm in a walking race against people in Ferraris...

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I suspect most, if not all, who can do such a thing are the kind of writers who churn out short books that are all substantively similar and read by people who look for the same thing each time. They write all those generic sexy (cowboy, doctor, pilot, cop, etc) stories that are of no literary value but that have a large readership who don't like to read anything too taxing intellectually. I imagine it's much easier and quicker to write such books than anything with artistic aspirations.

Harlequin said:

Writing 1-2 books per months is the norm for successful indies.

I assume he's never heard of Izzie Snows and her many many many novels. She does hire a publicist. Maybe that counts as a committee?

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It takes me about six months to get a novel out the door. I guess I’ll remain happily unsuccessful then, but I am happy with what I do and am content.

I can write a novel in about 3 months, then edit in about the same. I find the delay comes when I need beta readers and cover art etc. But while that's happening I start writing the next one.

J.T. Marsh said:

I suspect most, if not all, who can do such a thing are the kind of writers who churn out short books that are all substantively similar ...

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That sounds awfully contemptuous of writers. Some people just are fast writers who are lucky enough to have the time to spend on their craft.

J.T. Marsh said:

I suspect most, if not all, who can do such a thing are the kind of writers who churn out short books that are all substantively similar and read by people who look for the same thing each time. They write all those generic sexy (cowboy, doctor, pilot, cop, etc) stories that are of no literary value but that have a large readership who don't like to read anything too taxing intellectually. I imagine it's much easier and quicker to write such books than anything with artistic aspirations.

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There's a central principle on AW; respect your fellow writer. You just managed to insult a large number of writers, and more importantly, many readers.

Don't do this ever again. It's not OK.

AW Admin said:

There's a central principle on AW; respect your fellow writer. You just managed to insult a large number of writers, and more importantly, many readers.

Don't do this ever again. It's not OK.

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I don't think I've insulted anyone, unless we're required to assume that all stories are of equal artistic merit and to reject the inherent tension between commercial and literary value. You can't possibly think it's not a fair statement to assess, say, Fifty Shades of Grey has having vastly less literary merit than any of Jane Austen's novels.

J.T. Marsh said:

I suspect most, if not all, who can do such a thing are the kind of writers who churn out short books that are all substantively similar and read by people who look for the same thing each time. They write all those generic sexy (cowboy, doctor, pilot, cop, etc) stories that are of no literary value but that have a large readership who don't like to read anything too taxing intellectually. I imagine it's much easier and quicker to write such books than anything with artistic aspirations.

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Yet again, I point to Georges Simenon, who wrote hundreds of novels -- many of them written in less than two weeks -- for which he was elected to the Royal Academy of Languages and Literature of Belgium and named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America.

Just because something is written quickly doesn't make it dross; just because something is written slowly doesn't make it good.

Many authors write six books in one year.

Helix said:

Just because something is written quickly doesn't make it dross; just because something is written slowly doesn't make it good.

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My favorite thing on AW I've read today!

Well said! : D

It takes me about two months to write a 160,000 word first draft. Editing? I don't know how long it'll take me because I don't know how to do it properly. I need to buy books about editing.