Michael Potts's Blog: Bits and Pieces: Book Reviews and Articles on Writing, Horror Fiction, and Some Philosophy - Posts Tagged "novel-writing"
How to Write a First Draft of a Novel in a Week
Although I do not recommend this for everyone, it is possible to write a first draft of a novel in a week, provided the novel is short enough. The bulk of my first drafts of my two novels were done in ten days and a week respectively. These novels were around 70,000 words each. I would never claim that the steps below will work for everyone--I can only tell of my own experience.
1. Before you begin writing your novel, have a list of your main characters and their character traits as well as a short summary of each chapter. In my case the summary was three or four lines consisting of the main events in the chapter.
2. Find a place without distractions, preferably in a beautiful setting. I wrote at the Weymouth Center in Southern Pines, NC, which sponsors free residencies for North Carolina writers. If something like that is not an option for you, rent a cabin in a state park or a hotel room with a great view. It is best if you have a place outside where you can relax or walk.
3. Get up with the intention of writing--and after breakfast, start right away.
4. Do not censor yourself. Travel into the world of the novel and live there as you write. There will be plenty of time for revision after you finish.
5. Write for a full hour, then take a walk outside. If there is something else you find relaxing, do that. My walks took about 20 minutes. After you finish your break, write for another hour. Only break the cycle for meals.
6. Write down any ideas for additional chapters or for deleting chapters in your original outline--this process continues the entire time you write.
7. Internet access is okay, especially for information you may need for your book, and checking e-mail is fine. Do not fall into the trap of continually surfing the web--tempus fugit!
8. My goal was 30-40 pages a day, and most of the time I succeeded. Your goal will depend on your speed of writing--it may take you longer than a week to write an entire first draft, and that is okay.
9. When you leave, set aside the finished draft for at least a week. Get some rest. Then you can worry about the many revisions that are essential to create a quality work of fiction--and that will take many, many weeks!
1. Before you begin writing your novel, have a list of your main characters and their character traits as well as a short summary of each chapter. In my case the summary was three or four lines consisting of the main events in the chapter.
2. Find a place without distractions, preferably in a beautiful setting. I wrote at the Weymouth Center in Southern Pines, NC, which sponsors free residencies for North Carolina writers. If something like that is not an option for you, rent a cabin in a state park or a hotel room with a great view. It is best if you have a place outside where you can relax or walk.
3. Get up with the intention of writing--and after breakfast, start right away.
4. Do not censor yourself. Travel into the world of the novel and live there as you write. There will be plenty of time for revision after you finish.
5. Write for a full hour, then take a walk outside. If there is something else you find relaxing, do that. My walks took about 20 minutes. After you finish your break, write for another hour. Only break the cycle for meals.
6. Write down any ideas for additional chapters or for deleting chapters in your original outline--this process continues the entire time you write.
7. Internet access is okay, especially for information you may need for your book, and checking e-mail is fine. Do not fall into the trap of continually surfing the web--tempus fugit!
8. My goal was 30-40 pages a day, and most of the time I succeeded. Your goal will depend on your speed of writing--it may take you longer than a week to write an entire first draft, and that is okay.
9. When you leave, set aside the finished draft for at least a week. Get some rest. Then you can worry about the many revisions that are essential to create a quality work of fiction--and that will take many, many weeks!
On "Writing Storms"
I use the term "writing storm" to refer to a burst of material for a novel or other fictional work that overwhelms the mind. It is difficult to type fast enough to get the material down.
Writers have different styles. Some write a certain number of pages every day--Stephen King is one example. Other writers work very slowly and may take years to finish a novel. Then there are writers like me who work in bursts of energy, writing a first draft of a novel in less than two weeks. I wrote 90+ percent of my first novel in ten days. I wrote about 80+ percent of my second novel in five days. Now these were first drafts; the first novel required many, many edits--if you count minor tweaks, the number of drafts was in the 30s. My second novel required surprisingly few drafts given the speed of writing the first draft. Some writers may ask, "Can I work that way, too?"
The answer depends on your personality, how much you can deal emotionally with writing a great deal every day, and, most importantly, the amount of preparation you do before you began writing the novel proper. I wrote most of a novel in five days because I had previously outlined each chapter on index cards--one index card per chapter. I had prepared data sheets on each character. Since I was using the same general fictional world in my second novel as I did in the first, that saved me a great deal of time. When I was writing, I was caught up in that "divine madness" in which the words have to come out to relieve the tension in my mind and body. Exercise helped make those emotions manageable so that I could continue to write instead of continually pacing around the room.
If you have a similar personality, my suggestion is do a great deal of preparatory work on your plot, characters, and setting before you write your first draft. If you do this well, characters will seem to act on their own, and the plot development may diverge from your original plan--but that is okay. Adjust accordingly, deleting chapters that are unnecessary and adding those that are needed given the changes you (or your character) has made. You must find a quite place where you are alone to write. As I have noted before in this blog, put the novel away for a while, then edit, edit, and edit until you have a work ready to show the world.
Most people do not write out of the blue, even in a "writing storm." Even if the author does not use written notes, some ideas have been percolating in the author's head for a long time. No novel is created ex nihilo, "from nothing;" unlike God, authors have to work with pre-existing material. With proper sorting out of that material a person with the temperament for fast writing can finish an entire first draft of a short novel (around 60,000-80,000 words) in a week. I find such an experience exihilarating, and should you choose to go this route, I hope your experience is also enjoyable.
Writers have different styles. Some write a certain number of pages every day--Stephen King is one example. Other writers work very slowly and may take years to finish a novel. Then there are writers like me who work in bursts of energy, writing a first draft of a novel in less than two weeks. I wrote 90+ percent of my first novel in ten days. I wrote about 80+ percent of my second novel in five days. Now these were first drafts; the first novel required many, many edits--if you count minor tweaks, the number of drafts was in the 30s. My second novel required surprisingly few drafts given the speed of writing the first draft. Some writers may ask, "Can I work that way, too?"
The answer depends on your personality, how much you can deal emotionally with writing a great deal every day, and, most importantly, the amount of preparation you do before you began writing the novel proper. I wrote most of a novel in five days because I had previously outlined each chapter on index cards--one index card per chapter. I had prepared data sheets on each character. Since I was using the same general fictional world in my second novel as I did in the first, that saved me a great deal of time. When I was writing, I was caught up in that "divine madness" in which the words have to come out to relieve the tension in my mind and body. Exercise helped make those emotions manageable so that I could continue to write instead of continually pacing around the room.
If you have a similar personality, my suggestion is do a great deal of preparatory work on your plot, characters, and setting before you write your first draft. If you do this well, characters will seem to act on their own, and the plot development may diverge from your original plan--but that is okay. Adjust accordingly, deleting chapters that are unnecessary and adding those that are needed given the changes you (or your character) has made. You must find a quite place where you are alone to write. As I have noted before in this blog, put the novel away for a while, then edit, edit, and edit until you have a work ready to show the world.
Most people do not write out of the blue, even in a "writing storm." Even if the author does not use written notes, some ideas have been percolating in the author's head for a long time. No novel is created ex nihilo, "from nothing;" unlike God, authors have to work with pre-existing material. With proper sorting out of that material a person with the temperament for fast writing can finish an entire first draft of a short novel (around 60,000-80,000 words) in a week. I find such an experience exihilarating, and should you choose to go this route, I hope your experience is also enjoyable.
Bits and Pieces: Book Reviews and Articles on Writing, Horror Fiction, and Some Philosophy
The blog of Michael Potts, writer of Southern fiction, horror fiction, and poetry.
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