How much time should you devote to writing each day? Stephen King suggests that beginning authors write 1,000 words every day. If that's too much, aim for 300-500 words every day. That many words can be written in a 30-minute writing session. Of course, the more experienced you are as a writer, the faster you can write and the less you need to spend on each page.
If you're just starting out, it's best to build up your word count gradually. Aim to write 500 words every morning before leaving for work or school. In the evening, try to write again for at least half an hour longer than you did during the day. Don't worry about quality at first; just get your story down on paper.
Of course, there is no right or wrong way to write. But if you want to become a successful author, you need to set yourself goals that are both achievable and reasonable. As you gain experience, you'll be able to write more frequently and for longer periods.
Finally, don't compare yourself to other writers. Instead, focus on your own progress and what you can improve upon. Only then will you be able to reach your writing potential.
Every writer's style is unique. Some authors, such as Stephen King, make it a point to write a particular number of words every single day, resulting in the production of dozens, if not hundreds, of books over the course of a lifetime. Others, such as Harper Lee, spend their entire lives penning only one or two books. Still others write only when they have an idea for a story or novel, which they then develop further with help from their writing group or through solitary contemplation.
In terms of actual writing time, most authors will tell you that they don't work on their manuscripts for more than an hour at a time. This isn't because they can't produce better material if they put their minds to it; it's because the more you think about what you're trying to say in your narrative, the more likely you are to miss something important. Trying to force yourself to write for hours at a time will only lead to fatigue and frustration.
That said, everyone has off days where they feel like writing nothing but fiction. On these days, you should use them by taking some time out of your schedule each night to write for half an hour or less. You should also keep a notebook by your bed so you can jot down any ideas that may come to you during those sleepy moments before sleep takes over completely.
These are just some of the ways in which many authors continue to produce content for their novels long after they think they're done.
How much should a budding author read? Stephen King suggested that you read for four hours a day and write for another four. It's not about the passage of time, but it does provide context. You must read as much as you must write. The more you read, the better writer you become. These days, there are many ways to get quality reading material for less than $10 a month. Here are just a few of my favorites:
Amazon Kindle Owners' Library. This is an Amazon Prime membership that gives you unlimited access to over one million books for only $9.99 per month. There are also free ebooks available at various levels of literacy.
Borrow from your local library. Most libraries offer a selection of new releases and older titles for check out. They may even have an audio book section if you want to listen while you work out or take a walk.
Goodreads Reading List. Goodreads is an online community where you can rate books you've read, discuss books with others, create your own reading list, and more. For only $6.95 a year, you can receive a digital copy of every book on your reading list.
Audio books are becoming more popular each year because people love being able to travel while listening to their favorite authors.
It makes no difference to the writer how much he has to write. However, many authors make a lot of money from their writing, thus they produce 20 to 30 pages every day, which is more than 6 to 7 articles per day.
The number of words you write is not important as long as you keep working on your project. You can write a lot in a short time but if you stop writing then nothing will be finished. A content writer should be able to write between 500 and 1,000 words per hour. That's a lot of content for the price of a cup of coffee!
You need to decide how much you can write before lunch and after dinner. If you don't have any other commitments and you have enough time to write for three hours then you can do it. Of course, if you want to be successful at writing you should work on your project every day even if you don't feel like it. It doesn't matter if you write only 100 or 2,000 words - as long as you keep going you will get there in the end.
Some people say that you should never write more than 3,000 words per day because after that point you are just spinning your wheels. Others say 10,000 words is too much so choose what works for you.
Stephen King and John Grisham each write 1,000 words a day. "I'm content if I do 1,000 per day." His new 1,000-word-per-day pace is comparable to Grisham's. "A thousand words a day is a good day for me," Grisham stated. "That's three or four hours, and after that, your head is mush, and you need to rest."
Grisham claims to work about 20 hours a week, which means he writes about six books a year. This means that he sells himself short—unless he's giving most of his books away.
In fact, Grisham has said that he hopes his fans will buy several of his books at once because then they will keep reading them instead of just picking up one as an escape from reality. He also loves when people send him fan letters because then he knows what kind of effect he is having on others.
Finally, he says that writing is like running a marathon. You have to run before you can walk. First, you have to put in the time, then the money will follow.
While we do not propose a specific number, we do believe that having one as a daily goal is a good idea. If you establish a daily target of 500 or 1,000 words and stick to it, you will feel like you have achieved something. You should develop a writing habit if you wish to be a published writer. Practice makes perfect!
In addition, write about what interests you. This article on WordStream has some great tips for establishing and reaching your own personal writing goals.
Finally, read! Read novels, non-fiction books, magazines, etc. Reading is very important for becoming a better writer because it gives you more material to draw from. The more you know about your subject, the better writer you will be.
Have fun! Writing is supposed to be fun!