As a prepublished author, have you considered what will be expected of you production-wise once you get published? Since January 1st, I've written 125,000 words.
I'm targeting Silhouette Desire. 50,000 words or thereabouts per book. If I wrote 3 per year, I'd be looking at about 150,000 words written (forget about editing, that's a whole different animal.)
Generally when I'm cranking out a story, I write 7 days a week. I average between 1000 and 1500 words per day. Now, I don't do this every month. I pretty much took March and April off. But I intend to continue with this level of output until National.
A lot of single title (and category) authors write one, maybe two books a year. Nora Roberts is at the other end of the spectrum, writing a gazillion books a year (does the woman sleep?) and I'd like to be somewhere in between.
Currently I work 40 hours per week. The drive to and from eats away another 2 hours. Add in my daughter's after school activities and a tiny bit of social life and my writing time starts to dry up.
If I wrote full time and wrote 1000 words per day, I could write 365,000 words in a year. That would translate to a couple single titles and 3 category books per year. That's my production goal. And 1000 words/day leaves me lots of time for editing, promotion, etc.
How about you? What do you see your production rates being? And can you achieve them?
4 comments:
I live in hope that if I ever get a contract it will spur me on to increase my output. Because at the rate I'm going at the moment it would be rough to have a career in category.
Wow, your production is awesome! I really need to strive to be more prolific. My goal right now is to finish a first draft in 2 months.
Having watched my critique partner, Pam Callow, go through the post publication mayhem (her book Damaged was released last week) I've decided when I sign a multi-book deal I'll just have to quit my day job to be able to write, do edits, promotion...but I'm willing to do it. :)
Anne, I didn't want to experience a huge reality check when I do sell.
Jennifer, I think a first draft in 2 months is awesome. That's what I'm targeting too. It's like training for a marathon.
Kelly, It's so cool that Pam sold and got a 4 book contract. I tried to congratulate her, but couldn't get my message to post. I can't imagine the pressure to write, revise, do edits and promote all at the same time.
Next goal, learn to multitask. That should prove challenging for me because I'm easily distracted. So, I'll do a lot, but I won't accomplish much.
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