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How much time do you find to write?

How many hours in a week do you allocate to writing?
Do you write more on week days or at weekends?

I allocate the whole weekend to writing, and about 2-3 hours each week day evening. When I am not editing, I write about thirty hours a week.

I have read blogs where agents have asked the same question. I can only surmise that the time an author spends writing is an important factor when an agent decides whether to represent an author. I believe a dedicated productive author has a better chance of hooking an agent, providing they are recognised as a talented writer.

Asked by: Adrian Sroka

  1. Antoinette Adams on July 30, 2012

    It differs for me, some weeks I can't write, and some I can't stop, if I lived on my own I would write a lot more, but I can write when ever I want too really.

    2

  2. Frank Sonderborg on July 30, 2012

    Hi Adrian

    You do give the impression you are working to a set of an "Old School Writing Success Formula" and good luck to you.
    Why don't you share it with some feed back on shared works. I am sure there is an army of unsure first time writers that would benefit from your absoluteness and certainty about the art of writing a novel.
    Do not take this as a critical attack of your endeavours. Just the thoughts of a very unsure writer.
    Most writers do not have your confidence and I am sure they will benefit by any tips you can throw their way.
    I write from the feeling of the story and make no attempt to organize either chapters or characters.
    They come in and go as the story moves along. I believe in a lot in editing and compressing the story line. I also write when I have the time.
    My mantra is 1000 words a day. But alas this is not always possible.
    When I am happy with my final cut/draft I will self publish on Amazon. As I do believe we are in a golden age of self publishing.
    That will be gone in a flash as the publishers regain control again.
    Sending my work to lie in an unread publishers slush pile has no interest
    for me.

    2

  3. Adrian Sroka on July 30, 2012

    I have firm opinions, but I am no expert. I learned the hard way. I wasted two years on my first as yet unpublished novel, because I did not plan. I had to go back to the beginning.

    Ernest Hemmingway said, 'The first draft of everything is always shit.'

    I decided to invest in a private literary editor and research the aspects of the novel. I read essays and books on the subject by the most respected experts. I highly recommend the books listed below, and advise those that can afford the money to get a literary editor.

    E M Forster - Aspects of the Novel
    George Orwell - ( Essay ) - Politics and The English Language
    Clayton Meeker Hamilton - Materials and Methods of Fiction
    Richard Gill - Mastering English Literature
    Walter Allen - The English Novel

    I am now confident of the aspects of the novel. I now believe I know what I am doing, but I am not comfortable commenting on other people's work. I have commented on Alex and Mark's work, as they were eager for feed back. But that is only because they are regular contributers on this site.

    I am not a confident writer and I hope that I never will be. It is the lack of confidence and fear of failure that makes me strive so hard. I am a perfectionist by nature, and am very hard on myself. I will never achieve perfection, but in seeking perfection, I hope to write to the best of my capabilities.

    Your mantra of 1.000 words a day is fine. Graham Greene advocates 300 words a day, that is 2,100 a week, which is 109,200 a year. When I am not editing my target is 500-600 words a day.

    I am not a fan of self-publishing. I do not believe you can maximise the potential of a novel by self-publishing. Agents and publishers are vital to the success of an author. The best publishers have the resources and contacts to promote novels.

    However, if I do not get what I consider to be a good deal, I will reluctantly self-publish.

    I am determined to be published.

    2

  4. Zaann Jacqueline on July 31, 2012

    When I can. I cant write in the mind set of 'I have to write'. I can only write when it feels comfortable, when i am inspired, and when it feels right. I have to write with meaning, with emotions and love, hate, anger, passion. I believe what I ever emotions i write into the story, the reader will feel it too, if i do it in the right way and that for me takes time and dedication. I cant write, book after book , a book here, a book there. I can only dedicate my energy into one story at a time, no matter how long that will take,so I am able to give all I got and make it worthwhile and i feel i told a story in the right way. =] And then I worry about publishing after wards, because If I were to spend all my time on what to do after a book is written, before its finished, i wouldnt write anything at all.

    3

  5. Gilly Ansell on July 31, 2012

    I am over half way through taking a year out to write a novel and have so far completed one and am working on a second as the first tries to find an agent. It varies how much I write a day but mornings are often no-go times for me - I just don't feel focussed. Then I may write from lunchtime to evening where I my get down 1000 words or on some days 7000 (not often that many though but some days it just happens like that). Sometimes I write all weekend as well as during the week but am never usualy happy if I do less than 1000 words. I tend to edit once I've finished writing the whole thing and I dont often write the story in order. Currently, I have the start and ending for my book and am now working on the middle. Other things I've written, such as stories for children in verse, I have written the ending first.

    2
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