WANT TO WRITE A NOVEL? 1,000 words a day. You can write that novel in 3 months. 3 months. Do it. The first draft doesn’t have to be perfect. It won’t be, no matter how long you agonize over every sentence and word selection. You’re going to edit anyway.
Fix it in post, as they say in Hollywood.
“How long does it take to write 1,000 words a day?”
It depends. Some days, if you’re wading through unfamiliar territory – writing dialogue for glassblowers or scuba divers when you’ve never been a glassblower or scuba diver – you’ll spend most of the day online or on the phone, getting your facts straight. Those are 500-word days.
Other days, you’ll whip through 1,800 words before it’s time for dinner. Aim for 1,000. You’ll get there. It averages out.
How?
Create a place and time. For me-it’s mornings and anywhere my laptop is, but everyone’s different. I use headphones and Tchaikovsky. You may prefer 2Cellos and a Diet Coke. Whatever.
Turn your phone off. STRONGLY advise friends and family members not to call during your writing time. Don’t check Facebook, email, or get bogged down in detailed research unless it is absolutely necessary.
Write.
A self-admitted book addict, Valerie was the kid with the flashlight under her pillow. A life of travel with exposure to many different cultures led to a pervasive interest in people, with degrees & teaching credentials in Cultural Anthropology & English.