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.
best cleaning company Highland Park ..Picture this scene.Your hero is sitting in a bar. He's... Read More
I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More
1. Use Logic: Check for External PressuresAre you under physical... Read More
What is Sense of Place? It's the image of a... Read More
A few months ago, I wrote a guide entitled: 101... Read More
While novels do not usually attempt to convey concepts about... Read More
Welcome to the zany ideas of a productive writer. My... Read More
Boost Brain Power Through WritingHave you ever noticed what happens... Read More
If you are reading this article then you probably have... Read More
Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the... Read More
Here are 3 journaling or diary ideas that can contribute... Read More
In the 7th grade I wanted to be an architect... Read More
The first and final rule of quality writing is this:... Read More
The journey to having my first novel for children published... Read More
A writer writes. Bet you've heard that one... Read More
Structure in the form of frameworks, work processes and goals... Read More
There is no specific formula for children's fiction. There are,... Read More
Summer's here and the time is write for dancing in... Read More
I'm in the process of moving from one computer to... Read More
Sometimes there is confusion about the exact meaning of the... Read More
Chances are, you'll be busy over the next several weeks.... Read More
You can make a lot of money by writing and... Read More
I have added a new word to my vocabulary. Logorrhea.... Read More
Becoming an author is probably a lot easier than you... Read More
SO YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER?Many people have entertained... Read More
high-end home cleaning Winnetka ..Do you consider yourself a storyteller? Do you consider yourself... Read More
If you want happy customers to use your service or... Read More
A few magazines refer to their written idea sources in... Read More
Creating incredible characters can be easy if you know of... Read More
As in all endeavors, toil is necessary to succeed and... Read More
If you want to be a writer, then you must... Read More
Every writer knows that the urge to write is not... Read More
If you are like most writers, you're constantly searching for... Read More
Why should you consider creating a memoir of your personal... Read More
Why would anyone want to write for trade journals? Aren't... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More
Many experts recommend reading as a way to get ideas,... Read More
Maybe you should write a book! This is not as... Read More
Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More
During my 25-year career in a variety of professional positions... Read More
If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing... Read More
Our Freelance Writing Needs DefinedWe must make freelance niche types... Read More
1. Make your goals achievable.By achievable, we mean realistic and... Read More
WRITING THE PERSONAL STATEMENT TO GET INTO UK UNIVERSITYHOW DO... Read More
ESSAY 2Andre Malraux once said that what interested him in... Read More
Mindmapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use... Read More
Ah, writing. For those of us who love to play... Read More
----------------------------------------------------------Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute,... Read More
If you become a writer for any publication, private business,... Read More
"If you're like me, than I'm sure you're pretty familiar... Read More
Writing |