Sunday, March 1, 2020

Can You Really Write an eBook in a Week

Can You Really Write an eBook in a Week If you could write a book every week, what would you write about? Is it even possible to write a book in a week? Browse Amazon, and you’ll find all kinds of writing books promising to teach you how to write a book in just a few days. I used to be cynical about these claims. I was a plodding writer. I believed you had to write slowly, otherwise you’d create shoddy work. The promise of writing a book in a week was hyperbole – or so I thought. Things began to change for me when I discovered that Isaac Asimov wrote over 500 books in his lifetime. On further examination, I found that other authors had equally prolific outputs. Belgian novelist Georges Simenon also wrote and published more than 500 books. Meanwhile the children’s writer Enid Blyton authored over 750 novels and story collections. Still I clung to my old beliefs. â€Å"Sure, they could do it,† I told myself. â€Å"But they had special gifts. For most writers, slow is normal.† I believe I was right that for most writers, slow is normal. But in all other respects, I was wrong. Fast writing continued to seem impossible to me until I had no choice in the matter. I’d been a professional blogger for several years, and then I got my first ebook client. I was thrilled. But the work came with a special request. My client needed the ebook finished within one week. Could I do it? I was terrified, but I wanted to give it a try. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. Now, I could discover what I was capable of. That week, writing slowly was no longer an option. I got up early on Monday morning and began work. I started writing at 7.30 a.m., pushing myself to write as fast as I could. I poured my heart into every word. If anything, my writing seemed more vibrant for not being churned around my brain before being committed to the page. I finished the first draft I’d done it. I’d pushed through all my misconceptions and fears about writing. I’d learned I was capable of far more than I previously imagined possible. What’s more, I knew I’d created something good. My clients were delighted with my work. But what would readers think? Eventually, the first review came in. Five stars. I’d really done it! How much did I write that week? Ten thousand words. A relatively short book, but a respectable length ebook. Looking back, and knowing what’s possible for me now, 10,000 words doesn’t seem like a whole lot. But at the time, it seemed like a miracle. If you’ve never tried writing fast, I recommend seeing what you’re capable of. Challenge yourself to double your daily output. Even if what you write isn’t perfect, because you’ve written twice as much as usual, you’ll have an extra day free for editing. And chances are, you won’t need to do nearly as much editing as you think. You’ll only discover what’s possible So why not give fast writing a try today? I’d love to hear how you get on.

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