June 4, 2014

Speed Pressure: IWSG & ROW80

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (#IWSG) is a wonderful group put together by the amazing Alex J. Cavanaugh (which now has an equally cool Facebook group). 

The first Wednesday of each month is the perfect opportunity to share my insecurities on the #IWSG therapy couch, get encouragement and support about such insecurities, and to read how other writers are faring. 


I missed May's IWSG post, but for a totally legit reason... it was Release Day for my third book, and second in my planned trilogy, Chasing Shadows. Can I hear a WOOT?

With each book, I grow in confidence and learn something. Conversely, with each one, I realize how much more I could be doing. First on the list, write faster.

I wish I could pump out a book every few months like some authors. After all, they say the best marketing for your previous books is a new book. I believe it. Sales for Chasing Memories, book 1, have gone up since Chasing Shadows came out.

** Oh, and I've sold five times as many copies of Chasing Shadows in the first month of release (actually just shy) than Chasing Memories. **

The bad news... I published my three books in September 2010, May 2013, and May 2014 respectively. Not fast enough, although I'm getting faster.

No matter how hard I try, I have a process that doesn't lend itself to speed. First, I think on a book several months (scribbling notes and general ideas). Then, I write it. This part does go quickly. Both CS and CM were written during NaNo. 

After writing it, I have to walk away for at least a month. In the case of CS and CM, I didn't look at it again until January. Then, I edited it a few times before I sent it to my rocking editor (Love you, Jo!). We do two good edits. Oh, and let's not forget beta readers. 

My goal is to publish Chasing Forgiveness, a companion novella, and Chasing Destiny, final book, before the end of the year. Neither is written. *sigh*

What's an author to do to increase speed without sacrificing quality*?

* Therein lies the rub. I fear speed will result in decreased quality, at least for the way I process things.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think if you sacrifice quality, you will nullify any benefits you may have gained by speed.
One solid book a year is a good pace!
My goal is one release every six months, but not a full novel each time necessarily. Maybe one novel, and one novella or companion story or something. I think that is doable, for me.

Either way I don't think you should have any insecurities about publishing, your pace seems great and you obviously have a good hold on your process and what works for you, which is a huge step. :)

krystal jane said...

Woot! ^_^
We have to do what works for us. I'm only able to write as fast as I do because I have no life. There are people with lives who can draft 3x what I can in a month and it drives me crazy. But I don't think people forget about authors they like. In the traditional publishing world, people are waiting a year for the next book anyway.

mooderino said...

Focusing on what I should/could be doing is one of my favourite ways to procrastinate. Very easy to wallow in that feeling.

mood
Moody Writing

Jo Michaels said...

It's not about how fast someone can write, actually; it's about forcing oneself to sit down every day and write. If you manage to do that, you'll be cranking out work faster than I can edit it :)

Getting it on paper is #1.

WRITE ON!