New whine thread...
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I'm the same way. All those "1000+ words an hour is normal for a pro" statements just annoy me.JRTomlin said:Why... why... WHY can't I write faster?
Two hours of solid work this morning and I only produced 800 words. Now I have to go back to work and TRY to manage a decent output so I can finish this sucker.
I probably write an average of 500 an hour. They're usually decent words, but they don't come quickly by any means.
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Yeah me too. First time writing science fiction and it is taking me three times longer to write this new book than anything I've written before.
I decided a few weeks ago to stop pressing and just enjoy the time writing. The story will be done when it is ready to be done.
I decided a few weeks ago to stop pressing and just enjoy the time writing. The story will be done when it is ready to be done.
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Another member of Slow Writers Anonymous checking in. I am always so envious of talented, fast, and prolific writers. They are my idols. But I've long since come to accept I will never be among this elite--despite the ten or so how-to-write-faster books that sit on my shelf. 
Whoever said, "I yam what I yam" said it best.
Whoever said, "I yam what I yam" said it best.
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On a really good day an hour for me is 300-500 mostly usable words that I don't immediately hate right after typing. Usually though it's more like I get 200 probably usable words In an hour after I sift through all of the crap. 
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Malbec! It's the best. Sorry, I can't pass up the pun.
Write at your pace. It will improve some over time, but writing is not a race. (Unless you are a topical writer in non-fiction).
Oh, and drink wine. It won't help speed up the writing but it may make your day more enjoyable.
Write at your pace. It will improve some over time, but writing is not a race. (Unless you are a topical writer in non-fiction).
Oh, and drink wine. It won't help speed up the writing but it may make your day more enjoyable.
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1,388 Posts
It takes me YEARS to write fiction, which is why I only have two novels. Then I tried my hand at non-fiction, and I could not believe how easy it was, how quickly it flowed, and how many words I could crank out in a day. I may be a convert.
After writing as many years as I have, if this is improving over time, I suspect it means I'm getting slower.bmcox said:Malbec! It's the best. Sorry, I can't pass up the pun.
Write at your pace. It will improve some over time, but writing is not a race. (Unless you are a topical writer in non-fiction).
Oh, and drink wine. It won't help speed up the writing but it may make your day more enjoyable.
My wine isn't new though, just my whine.
Have you tried writing with a timer? I used to be slow as molasses, but using a timer has helped me immensely.JRTomlin said:Why... why... WHY can't I write faster?
Two hours of solid work this morning and I only produced 800 words. Now I have to go back to work and TRY to manage a decent output so I can finish this sucker.
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Yes, I need you need to cut yourself some slack. You write historical fiction. Not only that, it isn't historical fiction like mine where the history is the backdrop. Yours is the major story. I can't imagine how often you have to check facts. I just started a part of my book where I am delving into more history in Paris and my writing has slowed down considerably. I understand the frustration, though. Yours just must be 10 times the amount. Can't help but I am lending a sympathectic ear and hoping to point out that it is not you, it is the subject matter.
Can't help but I am lending a sympathectic ear and hoping to point out that it is not you, it is the subject matter.
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Count me among the turtles around here. I have some historical fiction elements that cause me to not only check facts, but to also become massively distracted by the fascinating subject matter I am just "checking".JRTomlin said:Why would a timer help? I already know how slow I write. Of course, I have to fact check every second word which doesn't help.
Terrific fun, though.
You're right. That has a whole lot to do with it. I do try not to get distracted with some stray detail. (Although I just spent 15 minutes correcting something in Wikipedia) That could really be a time killer. But it gets to a certain point and I just want to get the thing finished.Caddy said:Yes, I need you need to cut yourself some slack. You write historical fiction. Not only that, it isn't historical fiction like mine where the history is the backdrop. Yours is the major story. I can't imagine how often you have to check facts. I just started a part of my book where I am delving into more history in Paris and my writing has slowed down considerably. I understand the frustration, though. Yours just must be 10 times the amount.
ETA: On the other hand, I'm not a very fast writer even when I write fantasy. I'm just even slower with historical fiction.
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Why can't I write faster? Why can't I produce more in a day? Why do I need to sleep - it cuts too much time out of the day. Why do I keep getting distracted by....ooooh, shiny.
Why aren't I a multi-bazillionaire yet having sold piles of books?
Why aren't I a multi-bazillionaire yet having sold piles of books?
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I am determined to finish a short story this weekend and so far in the past two hours I have typed 300 words (mostly junk), baked a cake, looked up frosting recipes and surfed the kindle boards. I'm a writing machine I tell you.
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Slow writer here too. 800-1200 of fiction is a good day for me, and that's probably about two or three 45-minute sessions, split up by laundry and blogging and... trying to keep myself off Tumblr, lol! I haven't been having many good days the past few weeks. Only got 400 today, and that was between two stories!
Even so, I'd like to tell myself that if I could just do those 800 words every day, 5 days a week, that would be over 200K of new fiction every year, and that's a good chunk of work! I don't know how to give myself that kick in the pants though. Not consistently anyway. I'm trying to make that one of my goals for 2013.
Even so, I'd like to tell myself that if I could just do those 800 words every day, 5 days a week, that would be over 200K of new fiction every year, and that's a good chunk of work! I don't know how to give myself that kick in the pants though. Not consistently anyway. I'm trying to make that one of my goals for 2013.
You know how it is. Sometimes it is about the journey. And sometimes it is about fricking getting there.JETaylor said:I am much slower now than I first was, but then again, my writing has improved tenfold from when I began. Now the editor in my head slows me down which means a cleaner first draft.
Take your time and enjoy the journey.
I get like this when I'm close to the end.
The idea is that it keeps you focused. You just write - no fact-checking, no taking five minutes to pick the perfect word, just writing. Thirty minutes on the clock works best for me - less time makes me feel too rushed, and more doesn't keep me focused, but thirty minutes is perfect. I used to be horribly, painfully, slow, and then I started writing with the timer, and now, on my good days I can usually manage about 800 words an hour. My best personal best is just over 1200 words an hour.JRTomlin said:Why would a timer help? I already know how slow I write. Of course, I have to fact check every second word which doesn't help.
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