I do not advocate for zipping through the writing of any novel.
With the possible exception of NaNoWriMo, the annual young writer’s challenge of 50,000 words in one summer month, writing at top speed implies hack efforts.
Recently, I have noticed writing courses which promise that we can whip up a full manuscript within a week! Please. The real question is why would any worthy writer want to do that?
Respectable Writers Value Quality, Not Quantity.
There is no hard timeline for writing an entire book, and of course the length is a variable, but on average, a book can take 4-12 months, and there are many exceptions in both directions. Yet, the tone of speed in and of itself being the big win is notably a loss. Capitalism should not be the driving force for artistic expression. A higher calling brings integrity – be it an important message, or an important story of poetic strides.
The quality of one’s writing takes a hard turn into the weeds when a writer is under severe pressure. Writing is supposed to be at best a steady, disciplined flow, not a flash flood. Good writing is a thoughtful expression, with attention paid to effective language, originality, and meaningful content. A full book, fiction or nonfiction, would provide an opportunity to go deep, to manage many layers of information, and to organize that information into something impactful, and hopefully, pleasurable. The writer steps into an unexplored world, then returns to that world and pensively builds upon that world with creative musings for months on end, sometimes even years.
Deadlines are Real.
Eventually, there comes a time to be finished, yes. One must be comfortable with time commitments; however, there must also be a balance between staying motivated all the way to completion versus forcing, pushing, shoving one’s book forward like a maniac! When did we decide it was better to be robotic, churning out literature at rapid speed for the undiscerning consumer? I want my writers to have a soul. At a hastened rate, allowing AI to write for you might be the better option. Lose one’s integrity as a literary artist, and you have really stepped away from the whole point.
What is the Point of Writing?
Poor and shoddy journalism might serve poor and shoddy media moguls, but the independent writer remains our last stronghold on worthwhile literature. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard, one that requires the time necessary to revise, contemplate, research, confirm research, discuss, get feedback, reread, edit, and spend several minutes seeking the perfect word again and again. Let us not place mass production over sublime and poignant content. Better to gift us one exceptional book over 100 fair to middlings.
