Novel Writing Secrets For Slow Writers
Being a slow writer is hard.
I was never sure if it was perfectionism or not having the ‘right’ writing process that held me back. Maybe I was just a slow writer, end of story.
That last thought kept me up at night.
In the world of indie publishing time is money. An estimated 50,000 books are published in the Kindle store per month. To gain exposure in a sea of books most indie authors employ a ‘rapid release’ strategy, where they aim to publish a new book every 3 months (or sooner).
That seemed crazy to me until I analysed my own reading habits. Think about it, when you’re obsessed with a story, do you devour it in a matter of days or hours? Either way, you’re soon looking for fresh book blood to satisfy your craving for more.
Readers can’t get their hands on books fast enough. And writers who can meet this demand are pursuing their passion full time.
That’s why, on days when I barely scraped 300 words, I’d spend the night staring at the ceiling. I felt scared that I’d never achieve my writing dreams. Writing a book in a matter of weeks just seemed impossible. Not to mention editing and the dreaded marketing (if any shy writers have tips for self-promotion, let me know!).
Every other indie author seemed to be a hare, publishing anything from three to five books a year. And then there’s me, plodding along on book one, left in the dust.
Maybe you can relate if your writing speed is more tortoise than hare? I was always clicking articles like “10 Ways To Turbo Charge Your Writing” and “How To Finish A Novel Fast” but nothing helped.
During my 2am panics, I knew that the only way forward was to finish things.
I wanted to write fast but also well. Part of me convinced myself that writers who churned out thousands of words a day weren’t writing quality words. But deep down I knew I wasn’t a slow writer because I was writing like Hemingway – sometimes I’d end up deleting my measly word count because it was pure drivel.
My painfully slow progress made me question whether I was cut out for writing. How could I ever be a professional writer if I couldn’t deliver stories in a reasonable timeframe? Even traditionally published authors will finish at least one book a year.
(I also worried more than I care to admit about what family and friends thought and became a ninja at dodging the question, “How’s the novel going?”)
It seems like a silly, self-inflicted problem to worry about, especially compared to world events, but that didn’t stop me thinking night after night, “If only I could write faster!”
What I didn’t realise was that there is a secret to writing fast, even if you’re a slow writer.
Before I tell you about my breakthrough, I just want to clarify: I don’t think you should change the way you write for anyone but you.
Every writer is different and writes for different reasons. I wanted to find a way to write fast because my goal is to make a living writing fiction. However, I still consider myself a slow writer, and believe that writing slow doesn’t make you a less worthy writer (Virginia Woolf took 7 years to write her first novel).
You might be a slow writer because of a busy lifestyle, difficult living situation or health complications. Not to mention that writing a new book every month is a one-way ticket to burnout that most of us don’t need.
And then there’s the virtues of slow writing. Taking your time in a world of haste can feel like freedom. There’s a delight in tinkering around at sentence level and pondering your plot in depth.
The pressure to write a book in a matter of weeks sounds like a sure-fire way to suck all joy out of writing. What’s the point in rapid releasing books if at the end of it you never want to write again?
I didn’t want to take those risks. But that didn’t remove my ambition to write books for a living. Luckily, I found my answer in a wise, gentle teacher.
In January 2020, Eva Deverell asked me if I’d like to take her One Page Novel course.
Maybe you’ve already heard of Eva through her wonderful writing blog? I’d used a few of her free scene idea worksheets to spark some life into the flabby sections of my novel. What struck me about Eva from these worksheets was her logical approach, creative insight and her faith-restoring belief that you already have all you need to tell your story. I knew I was in safe hands.
At this point I was a ‘pantser’ (someone who doesn’t plot their novels), hence focusing on my story at a scene level rather than stepping back and looking at the big picture. I’d heard lots of successful authors claim that outlining was the only way to write a novel, but none of the outlines I tried quite clicked for me. I also didn’t want to ‘waste’ writing time on a detailed outline that might take days or weeks to complete.
And yet my current method clearly wasn’t getting me any closer to finishing my book either.
10 Reasons Why The One Page Novel Is Perfect For Slow Writers
The One Page Novel approach appealed to me instantly because you already have all the tools you need:
- a piece of paper
- a pencil
- a rubber
- and scissors.
Oh, and your imagination!
Here’s more reasons to love Eva’s One Page Novel if you’re a slow writer:
1. An entire novel on one page
As the course title suggests, the aim is to fit a whole novel onto one sheet of A4, a process that can be completed in one morning. Being a ‘tortoise writer’ the less time I spend outlining and getting bogged down in details the better.
2. Done is better than perfect.
Slow writers are often perfectionists. But I know that my perfectionism is sometimes self-doubt in disguise. Timed brainstorming is key to the One Page Novel, which stopped my brain from backtracking on an idea. “Just write” says Eva. Often it’s the daft ideas that unlock my story’s secrets, and then I’m so excited I can’t write it fast enough.
3. Plotting out of order.
In One Page Novel we begin at the end. This is genius because you find your novel’s major puzzle piece straight away. From there you discover the beginning by considering the end’s opposite state. This juxtaposition tests your protagonist’s limits, setting them on an impressive arc. After that, we jump to the middle to discover the key event that enables the protagonist to reach their goal. The One Page Novel has eight plot points in total and each performs a specific function within your story. Stripping a story to its bare essentials means you can concentrate on what’s important rather than wasting time on details that won’t make it into your final draft. At the finish you’re left with a masterpiece in miniature!
4. A clear path to the end
Having my novel mapped out on one easy-to-refer-to-page made me excited to write every day, and my word count doubled as a result. Even on low word count days, I knew each sentence counted towards the end rather than being destined for the delete folder.
5. A uniquely portable magic
Your One Page Novel folds down to fit in your purse or coat pocket so it’s easy to refer to if you like to write in the wild (one thing we slow writers are adept at is stealing small pockets of writing time on the go - anything to squeeze in a few extra words!).
6. Plot as you listen
Being a slow writer, I was heistant to try writing courses – shouldn’t I be spending every spare second writing, rather than learning about writing? In the One Page Novel course, Eva’s videos explain while you create, which means minimum learning time, maximum writing time. A boon if, like me, you need more time to reach a word count. As a bonus, Eva’s accent and calm demeanour is so soothing!
7. Banish plot holes
I’ll be plodding along and out of nowhere stumble into a plot hole, landing on my shell, stumpy wee tortoise legs flailing. Eva’s cheat sheets make plot holes a hazard of the past, with scene ideas for every major genre and a plot generator that brainstorms your story elements in one click. Again, anything that saves time and creative energy is beneficial.
8. Self-paced course with lifetime access
A self-explanatory boon to writers who are more tortoise than hare!
9. An automatic process to keep your writing efficient and organised
Maybe I would’ve discovered the secret to writing faster sooner or later…maybe not. All I know is that in a matter of hours, Eva gave me a confidence in writing I’d never had before, not to mention saving me a lot of trial and error into the bargain.
10. Find joy in writing again.
When you’re working on The Novel That Never Ends sometimes you feel like Frodo crawling up the slopes of Mount Doom. You’re questioning why you ever bloody started. Those halcyon days at the start of the adventure feel far off, never to come again.
Eva’s course returned to me a joy that I’d lost. Writing doesn’t have to feel like a slog into the fires of Mordor. Taking control of your story by simplifying everything on one page will make you fall in love with writing all over again. You might even get addicted and overtake the hares.
Mini Novel Masterpieces (if I say so myself!)
Here are some one page plots I’ve created for my stories and novels:
I’ve probably been through the One Page Novel course three or four times, and am now a dab hand at creating mini novels. I’ve used Eva’s system to plot the sequel to The Children of the Mist, Against the Sun and my short stories Seal Baby, The Traveller’s Curse and The Muse (collected in my ebook Fireside Fairy Tales). It’s the perfect exercise for a rainy afternoon - you can create multiple one-page novels and stash them away for a day when you’re low on inspiration.
If you’re a struggling slow writer, I’d like to offer a parting gift. With the code KATE10 you can get 10% off Eva Deverell’s One Page Novel (and any of Eva’s other writing courses).
Rather than plodding in circles with stories that go nowhere, I’d encourage you to try Eva’s course - because all writers have stories to share, and the world is always hungry for more books!
p.s. if you’re after more writing tips you might enjoy my posts How To Edit Your Novel When You Don’t Know Where To Start and My Writing Process.