How To Write A Novel Fast (The Gentle Way)
After spending years writing my first novel (and shedding plenty tears) I vowed to do things differently next time. Writing books is my passion, surely it didn’t have to feel so hard?
I’m grateful to say that I have found another way. A process that restored my creative confidence and passion for writing after my first novel left me doubting everything. A process that gets meaningful words on the page fast.
Not fast because we should strive to be productivity machines, but fast because it feels good which inspires me to write more.
If you’re reading this and can relate to questioning your passion because it feels like a slog, I want to reassure you of one thing: writing doesn’t have to be a struggle.
Writing gets to be stress-free. Writing gets to be joyful. Dare I say, writing gets to be easy.
Yet why is this so hard to believe? Perhaps it’s because even accomplished authors disregard writing as a foolish pursuit at best and masochistic torture at worst. Just look at this quote by James Joyce:
“Writing in English is the most ingenious torture ever devised for sins committed in previous lives."
Or this gem from Virginia Woolf:
"For once the disease of reading has laid upon the system it weakens so that it falls an easy prey to that other scourge which dwells in the ink pot and festers in the quill. The wretch takes to writing."
Among writers I’ve noticed that there’s still reverence for the ‘tortured artist’ myth, where great art only comes with great suffering.
I subconsciously subscribed to this myth for many years, too. I silently believed that:
· Writing a novel is hard
· My first draft would be terrible
· It takes years to write a good novel
· Creation requires big sacrifices
· Writing is lonely
It’s taken me a long time to realise it, but I don’t resonate with this ‘struggle mentality’. After the pains of writing my first novel I started questioning if the opposite of the above might be true.
What if:
· Writing a novel is easy
· My first draft is a complete and enjoyable story
· I can write a good novel in months, not years
· Creation is fulfilling and joyful
· I get to be part of a community of writers
Over the years I’ve slowly shed my deeply negative beliefs around writing. I began to realise that these beliefs made my entire writing process a chore. Some days, I even hated writing. How sad for an aspiring author!
So, how do you write a novel fast?
As stated above, I believe it’s possible to write a novel fast without burning out.
Most writing productivity tips suggest minimising distractions, using writing sprints, and outlining to finish your novel quickly. All these tips are helpful, but I’ve found that working on my author mindset, alongside gentle productivity, was the biggest barrier to being able to write a complete, coherent novel quickly.
Today I’m sharing how I overcame my writing struggles to draft a novel in two months—and enjoy every part of the process.
Use the One Page Novel Method
If you’re a writer struggling to become an author who hasn’t heard of Eva Deverell’s One Page Novel, then allow me to let you in on some true writing magic.
One Page Novel is a storytelling method that condenses the plot of your novel on one A4 page. It’s a simple, magical method that helped me finish a novel fast – 2 months to be exact (and a complete turnaround from my first novel which took years to complete).
All you need to get started with are a piece of paper, pencil, rubber and scissors and Eva’s know-how.
If, like me, you’ve struggled to finish writing a novel or find it difficult to bring characters to life, One Page Novel simplifies the entire process. Simply follow the steps to reach the heart of your novel and build a rock-solid plan to start writing from.
You can complete the entire course in a morning or afternoon, but I recommend taking a day to really soak up Eva’s storytelling wisdom. The beauty of One Page Novel is that you can redo the course as many times as you like.
I’ve probably taken it 3-4 times and used it plot all my short stories for Fireside Fairy Tales and Fireside Magic. I think the reason I return to One Page Novel so often is that Eva is a gentle, encouraging teacher and fellow storyteller. She understands the power of stories to transform people’s lives and gave me the confidence to believe that my story mattered - I just needed to find a way to tell it.
You can learn more about the course here.
If you decide to take the plunge you can get 10% off using the code KATE10 (the code is also valid for Eva’s World Building and Heroine courses).
If writing your novel is stressing you out, please don’t struggle any longer. Eva’s course is truly magic. Now, whenever I get an idea for a story, I simply grab a sheet of paper, follow the steps, and arrive quickly and easily at a complete story.
Set A Daily Word Count Goal
Breaking your novel down into bite-sized pieces will make the process less overwhelming.
And there’s no motivation like reaching your daily word goal. Suddenly a mammoth task becomes doable, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll look forward to ticking off another milestone each day.
However, remember to use word counts as a way to measure progress, rather than a stick to beat yourself with. I remember one blog reader saying that word counts were a tool she gave to the logical, critical part of her brain that allowed her imaginative side to do the creative work of storytelling.
This resonated with me as a writer who has fallen prey to the productivity trap and lost her creative spark in the process. Writing paragraphs of description just to bump up your daily word count will give you more editing to do later, and there’s the danger of writing off track if you haven’t followed step one and plotted your novel first.
Schedule Days Off
I’d like to make it clear that a ‘daily’ word count doesn’t necessarily mean you must write every day of the week. It’s possible to write a novel fast and take regular breaks.
It’s so important to schedule days off for two reasons:
Rest is important. Writing stops being fun when it feels like an obligation. Even worse, it can lead to burnout. Trust me, nothing will slow down your novel writing like burnout. Taking regular breaks allows our brains to switch off, have fun, and come back to our writing refreshed. A bonus is that your brain doesn’t really take a break; it will work subconsciously in the background, solving plot problems while you sleep
Life happens. By that I mean family emergencies, falling ill, a chronic illness flare-up or any number of unforeseen circumstances that derail your progress. These situations rightly become your priority. By factoring rest days into your schedule, the stress of meeting your writing goals will be one less load on your mind.
Heartbreathings has an excellent video on a flexible writing schedule.
Join A Writing Community
I feel so grateful to have found a community of supportive writers online. Instagram, YouTube, and Substack are all places where writers encourage and help one another. I’ve found the community on Instagram so friendly and kind—nothing like the tortured misanthropes writers are often portrayed as. Without fellow aspiring author’s encouragement, I never would have had the courage to self-publish my first book.
If you’re writing a novel there’s a community of like-minded folk out there ready to cheer you on. Never underestimate the joyful camaraderie you’ll find among those who get why you need to write a book in the first place.
Use Writing Affirmations
Writing a novel can feel fun, fulfilling, and joyful but there’s no doubt that it’s a challenge, too. That challenge is made ten times harder when you don’t believe in yourself. Or if you believe that you’re meant to struggle through this process.
When I started using affirmations my life changed. Affirmations helped rewire my brain to think positively about my novel so that instead of dreading my writing hours I couldn’t wait to sit down at my desk. All of a sudden I was finishing stories within days, instead of weeks.
So, how do you get started with writing affirmations?
Write them down. I write my affirmations on comforting, textured paper with an inky black pen. There’s a trust factor to the written word and a sensory delight, too. Starting my day with a physical, handwritten reminder that life is always working out for me is supremely reassuring and helps me look forward to the day ahead.
Keep affirmations short & memorable. With repetition you’ll be able to summon a positive affirmation at a moment’s notice to keep self-sabotaging thoughts at bay.
Write affirmations in the present tense. Trick your brain into believing you already have what you with the present tense e.g. My novel is finished and I’m proud of it. Believing that you already have what you desire means your actions and dreams start to align.
Read writing affirmations daily. Positive thoughts are like riding a bike; you’ll have a few wobbles in the beginning (or fall off the bike completely), but with perseverance it’ll soon feel like second nature. I keep my affirmations in my underwear drawer so that I see them every morning!
Surrender to the inevitable. The quickest way to manifest your affirmations is to forget them. Write them down, repeat them in the morning and at night, then in between just let go. Believe that your desire coming true is as inevitable as the sun rising and you’ll find that magic soon follows.
I hope these tips on how to plot a novel fast have shown that writing a novel doesn’t have to be arduous or stressful. After finishing Fireside Magic I realised how far I’ve come in terms of mindset. This time I didn’t feel the need to rush, I enjoyed the process and fell in love with writing all over again. The result is a book I’ll be proud to share with you in November.
I’d love to hear if you’ve overcome any similar writing blocks in the comments below.