Slow Down, Authors

Reality Check # 2 coming soon, but until then:

Go see Athol Dickson's post at Charis Connection on slowing down the frenetic pace of publishing. Required reading for anyone thinking about writing fiction in CBA, imho.

Comments

[rachelle]

Mmm, yes, that's a great post. I wonder how many will read it and think, "Mmm hmm, that is SO right -- thank heavens it doesn't apply to me!" Meanwhile they're writing three or four books a year.

[Rebecca Grabill]

Agreed, worthwhile post.

[Susan Meissner]

1. I read Athol's intriguing post. 2. I want to offer my very best to God. 3. I write fast.

What's a girl to do? When I begin a new book, the words seem to flow at a speed of their own making. Does that mean they are crappy words? I'd really like to know. No flippancy intended, I assure you.

I cannot help the fact that I typically write 80,000 words in eight weeks. The sprinter who finishes the race first may not have a lot in common with the guy in last place but it seems to me they both are runners and they both cross the finish line.

Searching,
Susan

[Gina Holmes]

I thought that was a great post. I also appreciate Susan's comment and she's not alone. I interviewed Karen Kingsbury and she writes ten thousand words a day or something to that effect.

I wish I could do that. Both Karen and Susan are fine writers.

I could double my writing speed I suppose but wouldn't get the luxury of wordsmithing like I do now. A book with just the right words, sentences, paragraphs is what makes me salivate. Charles Martin's writing comes to mind. It's also what slows the process down to a crawl, for me at least. Everyone is different.

[Cynthia M.Hickey]

I guess it depends on the quality of the work being put out. I could feasibly put out, easily, two books a year. Three if I rush it. Some books go faster than others. But, and it is a big but, if my critique group doesn't have time to read what I've cranked out, is what I finished worth sending to a publisher? Would I catch my own errors being so close to the work? There's a lot of questions raised with rushing through a book.

[C.J. Darlington]

Oh, my word, Susan. To write that fast ... I think I know what your spiritual gift is.