Jon Michael Galindo

~ writing, programming, art ~

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22 September 2015

Write Faster / Write More


I have often often wanted to be able to write faster and to write more. Life is so short! The first time I wrote a book, it took nearly three months and felt like trudging through leech-filled mollases. The second time took less than three weeks and I loved every second. I can’t tell you how to write a book in three weeks, but I can tell you what made the difference for me; and maybe I am not unique.


If my experience is anything to go by, there were two factors involved in writing faster and writing more.

Firstly, you must love what you are writing. Don’t worry about what the reader will think; write what impassions you. Fill the pages with characters who are extensions of yourself; not people that you think your readers want to read about. However, I don’t necessarily mean to write whatever comes to mind. My stories are always outlined and then sub-outlined and written and then re-written and edited a dozen times over the years. Regardless of how I write, if I love it, the writing flows relentlessly, rather than clogging up my mind.

Secondly, write for someone specific. Maybe you have someone you care about, or maybe you want to write to a founding father or to an ancestor or a fictional character. The problem with writing what you love is it can feel a little lonely, and we are inherently social creatures. Writing for someone you care about and whom you feel you understand might clear away a lot of that hesitation. Don’t write to impress them; write to share what you love with them. Don’t worry about their criticism, just pour your heart into the pages and dedicate it to them; there’s nothing more you can do.


Personally, I have found the difference to be tremendous. I don’t really know what writers mean by “the zone”, but in this mode I suspect I may have found it. Again, I can’t promise that what worked for me will work for you; but, who knows? Maybe someone who reads this will gain from it the same benefit that I gained and produce ten books in their life instead of two, and my lengthy learning experience will have been worth it. Give it a try!



© Jon Michael Galindo 2015