How Long Did it Take you to Write by Channing Whitaker
Though my first novel has been
out for less than a year, I’ve already noticed there are a few questions that
seem to arise over and over again from the prospective readers I meet while
promoting the book.
“Where’d you get the idea?” “Is it a series?” “Where is it
set?” All are straightforward questions which are easy enough to answer. I
believe, going forward as an author, I should expect to answer those same
questions every time I step out into the world intending to push my stories onto
the public. But then there’s another frequent question: “How long did it take
you to write,” which isn’t quite so straightforward to answer. If you’re an
author, is this one you hear often?
It’s not that I can’t remember
when I first sat down and opened that new Word file which would become my
manuscript, or that I can’t calculate the length of time between then and when
the book came out. That’s simple. The difficulty in answering is in the
implication the question gives of the asker. It is almost certain that they
have an idea they’ve been harboring for their own novel, but have actually
written little or nothing of it, and they’re trying to gain perspective on the
work ahead of them if they move forward with it. Like a person standing at the
bottom of a big hill, shouting to another who’s standing on top: “How far is it
up?”
Knowing that a mountain of work
lies ahead when one undertakes writing a novel, I feel obligated not to mislead
a prospective writer, nor do I want to dissuade them. Writing a novel is likely
to be measured in months and years, not days and weeks. On top of that, for a
first time author, after they’ve finished they’ll likely spend more months, if
not over a year hunting for a publisher, and should they find one, their
publisher will likely spend months, if not a year, preparing the material and
the book’s marketing before it is finally released.
That said, not all months are
created equal. One author might spend 18 months writing their novel, but still
be working a day-job at the same time, while another author might spend 6
months writing their novel, working on the book full-time. Sometimes the writing
process involves waiting time. An author might finish a draft and have to put
it down for a few weeks, or a few months, to return to it with fresh eyes. An
author might also be using the services of an editor or a critiquing group
between drafts, and be subject to weeks or a month, waiting for those notes,
before digging in on the next draft.
I am personally working away on
my next novel, with the intent of working on it full-time, but I find that having
another book already out means organizing and traveling to personal appearances
every few weeks, interviews, blogging and keeping up with social media to
cultivate my audience, plus reading and reviewing fellow authors, which all take
time. Thus, even full-time writing only allows for a part-time schedule of
actually composing the words on the pages of my next manuscript. All of this
makes telling that eager but inexperienced writer “a year,” “eighteen months,”
“two years,” at best incomplete answers.
“How long did it take you to
write?” Recently, I’ve stumbled on a relatively simple way to answer which
fellow authors might find helpful to respond effectively, and which might truly
impart accurate perspective to the asker. Measure the effort in hours.spent about 1,500 hours on my
first novel, from page one of my first draft through the end of the polished
manuscript that actually found me a publisher. (Though that is not the end of
the process, mind you.)
Of course every author and every
project are different, but now the prospective author can calculate a realistic
approximation. If they can spend 40 hours a week on their manuscript, they
might expect about 8 or 9 months for writing a novel similar in length to mine.
If they can spend 50 or 60 hours a week, they might cut that down. If they work
full-time elsewhere and raise a family, and can only spare 10 hours a week,
they might realistically expect the project to take 3 years. In any case,
hopefully the process will streamline with successive books.
To all you prospective authors,
it’s a lot of work. I hope this helps. Good luck.
To all you established authors,
how do you answer this question?
Bio: Channing Whitaker is a novelist, screenwriter, and
filmmaker originally hailing from Centerville, Iowa. An alum of Indian Hills
Community College, Channing went on to study cinema, screenwriting, literature,
and mathematics at the University of Iowa.
Post graduation, Channing began his career in the
production of television news, independent films, and commercial videos, as
well as to write for websites, corporate media, and advertising. His 10-year
career in writing has taken Channing from Iowa, to Alaska, Oklahoma, and
currently to Texas.
Channing has written five feature-length
screenplays, co-written another feature screenplay, and penned a novel. In that
time, Channing has also written and directed over 50 short films.
The April 2015 publication of Channing's debut
novel, “Until the Sun Rises – One Night in Drake Mansion,” comes in
tandem with the first production of one of Channing’s feature screenplays,
“KILD TV” - a horror mystery. “KILD TV” has already filmed, and will premier in
March 2016 release.
Website
URL: www.channingwhitaker.com
Blog
URL: www.aboveallstory.blogspot.com/
Facebook
URL: www.facebook.com/AuthorChanningWhitaker/
Twitter:
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/channing-whitaker-4120a614
Skype: Channing Whitaker (williamchanning@hotmail.com)
Comments
Great post!