Prolific authors write; they don't just dream about it. A good example is Georges Simenon of Inspector Maigret fame. He writes a book quickly, at one sitting so to speak. The first draft of each chapter is written longhand in a single afternoon. The following morning he transcribes it with his typewriter, revising and rewriting as he types. The afternoon is spent writing the next chapter, but before this happens he outlines a plan for the novel.
Perhaps one should do as Charles Dickens did. Early in his life he learned shorthand as a reporter and would write many of his novels first in this manner. He also was a prolific writer, in shorthand and longhand, no typewriter or computer for him. A man of great energy and vitality, he wrote voraciously but he did many other things as well.
Anthony Trollope, another 19th century novelist was also a prolific writer who adhered to a very strict schedule for work. He invariably arose at 5:30 am and wrote until 11:00 whereupon he breakfasted and spend the remainder of the day in personal activity. As a result, he was able to write 47 novels and 16 books. He was methodical worker who considered writing as a trade, probably one of the reasons his books have lost esteem.
Honor? de Balzac (1799-1850) is another prolific writer of the 19th century who wrote from midnight to dawn almost every day of his life, thus turning out a million words per year. Although he was prodigious he was always poor and that might account for his abundant output.
Victor Hugo (1802-1885) like Balzac was a prolific French writer of the 19th century. He too spewed out poetry and novels at an unbelievable rate. His most famous novels are The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables, but they are a small example of the many works that he produced at the amazing rate of over a million words a year.
If these writers-with paper, pen, and pencil-could effect the volume of writing they did, then writers today should easily do as much. Writers today have computers and word processors, with spell checkers and grammar checkers, and other aids that make the process easy and enjoyable. Probably what is lacking is the focus and vision that these writers had. Perhaps lives today are too full of computers, television, films, theater, music, and other distractions that impinge on the writer's time. Yet is possible with planning and discipline to put ideas to paper in poems, stories, novels, articles, essays, etc. Although the competition to be published probably exceeds that of writer of the 19th century and the 20th century, the way to publication is more varied and available.
Traditional publishers are being replaced by electronic publishers who now print books on demand or to order. Soon the publishing industry and booksellers will have to wake up to this new phenomenon and change the way they do business to satisfy the new prolific writers.
Charles O. Goulet has a BA in history and a BEd in English literature. Several of his novels have been published and are available at Amazon. com, Amazon. ca, Barnes and Noble and many other bookstores.
Batchtown Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareRecently I was watching the Oprah show and it was... Read More
ELICIT, ILLICITElicit means to extract or draw out; illicit means... Read More
These 8 tips on using characters in your stories will... Read More
Rudolph Flesch, a pioneering advocate of readability, put great stock... Read More
Set your journal or diary where you will see it... Read More
When you sit down to write a steamy romance, a... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?We all tackle plotting differently. How you... Read More
Writing a sales letter doesn't have to be that difficult... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?It's no use coming up with a... Read More
As a freelance writer, it is important to present yourself... Read More
Your struggling to sell just a few copies of your... Read More
1. Before you write anything down define not what you... Read More
Becoming an author is probably a lot easier than you... Read More
1 - Join a reading or writing group. Ask members... Read More
Op-ed articles, also known as opinion/editorial articles, are a great... Read More
You know, I really hate it when someone catches me... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Our plotting stage is our testing area.Everything... Read More
Good writing requires self-examination. Why is one writing? What part... Read More
What a wonderful resource the Internet is!Students find information to... Read More
If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing... Read More
Sometimes a freelance writing career can feel very much like... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?You are plotting the story. You write... Read More
Have you ever written a letter to a friend? Ever... Read More
How to Come Up with Fresh Story Ideas When Your... Read More
What do you mean, you don't have a website yet?... Read More
shuttle from Midway Munster are ..Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.Writing, like other forms... Read More
Our Freelance Writing Needs DefinedWe must make freelance niche types... Read More
How many times have you checked out a job board... Read More
Back in my school days, if the teacher demanded a... Read More
When I first started tracking the information preferences of people... Read More
Why would anyone want to write for trade journals? Aren't... Read More
Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My... Read More
You've finished your story, and you're pretty happy with it.... Read More
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More
William Faulkner, the great Mississippi writer, said, "The tools I... Read More
If you want happy customers to use your service or... Read More
Writer's Block can strike like a King Cobra, paralyzing every... Read More
Writing papers and book reports has long been the bane... Read More
Calling all publishers, editors, journalists and freelance writers. It's time... Read More
Complaint letters aren't always fun, but sometimes they need to... Read More
My bookcase take up one whole wall in the family... Read More
In most aspects of business, we will be expected to... Read More
These are some of the snapshots I carry with me:... Read More
EditingExpect, allow, and accept that every first draft will represent... Read More
Interested in breaking into writing or breaking into a new... Read More
Taming the Book Proposal: The BasicsOh, that most maddening of... Read More
It never ceases to amaze me when a prospective writer... Read More
He ran up the steps and knocked on the door.... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More
Writer's block! Even columnist Dave Berry has it. He admits... Read More
Writing |