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Million Dollar Writing Series
Million Dollar Productivity
Life is crazy and hectic for most of us. We're surrounded with personal and family obligations, jobs, fitness programs, virtual mountains of email, not to mention videogames, TV, smartphones, social networking, and millions of things to check out on the web. With all those distractions, how does an aspiring author find time to write? And when you do find the time, how do you make the most of it? Award-winning and #1 international bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson is one of the most prolific authors in the business. He has published over 125 novels-an average of five novels a year, every year, for the past quarter century. Anderson has taught numerous writing seminars and lectured on productivity, and here he shares his tips on how to find the time to write, and how to make the most of that time."
45 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 11, 2014
13 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Anderson
1,034 books3,112 followersYes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.
I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.
My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
October 10, 2014
Originally Posted at TRGoodman.net
Million Dollar Productivity by Kevin J AndersonFor writers, particularly those of us who work full-time jobs on top of our writing, finding the actual time to write can be difficult. More often than not, it might actually seem impossible. How, between going to work, cooking dinner, and grabbing a stolen moment with our families, are we supposed to squeeze in time to write? In Million Dollar Productivity, Kevin J. Anderson, one of the most prolific writers in the business, aims to share how to do just that.
The Right State of Mind
Anderson spends roughly the first half of the book smashing myths and working to change your perspective on prolific writing. One of the most persistent myths among authors is that fast writing can't equal good writing, and that if you want to write quickly, you have to sacrifice quality.
He cites a few classic authors, such as Dumas, Dickens, and Verne, as examples of authors who wrote very quickly and are still considered among the best of all time. One particularly impressive anecdote involves Anderson finishing 220,000 words, over 900 completed pages, in just 47 days of writing
He doesn't just smash the "fast writing = poor writing" myth. It gets blown up, disintegrated, and scattered on the solar winds to spawn new baby myths all over the universe
11 Secrets to His Success
Actual actionable advice doesn't appear until the second half of the book, during which Anderson outlines "Kevin's 11 Tips to Increase Productivity," that he compiled both from his own experience and that of fellow authors.
The tips and methods attack various roadblocks that prevent us from getting our words down on the page. Writer's block? Check. Never enough hours in the day? Check. Caught in a Charybdis of endless revision with no hope for escape from the siren's song of perfection? Check, and check again.
Most of the advice given boils down to common sense strategies to avoid procrastination, boredom, and perfectionism. If you have been reading writing blogs for a long time, there may not be a great deal of new info for you here, but even my jaded self found some shining jewels of value among the familiar.
Is It Worth The Price?
The books is not only a quick read, it's a very quick read. I finished it over the course of a few hours in between other things. When you consider that the ebook is $6.99 on Amazon, the pages-to-dollars ratio seems a bit unbalanced.
But then, you also have to consider the long-term value to your writing career. If $6.99 can get your butt in the chair and fingers on the keyboard on a consistent basis, it's well worth the price of admission.
Conclusion
Kevin J. Anderson has been one of my favorite authors for many years, and I had a blast getting a peek into the grey matter that spawned so many of the books that I've enjoyed.
Will this book make me as prolific a writer as Kevin J. Anderson? Probably not. Will it have a positive influence on my word count for years to come? Definitely.
My Rating: 3/5
Million Dollar Productivity by Kevin J AndersonFor writers, particularly those of us who work full-time jobs on top of our writing, finding the actual time to write can be difficult. More often than not, it might actually seem impossible. How, between going to work, cooking dinner, and grabbing a stolen moment with our families, are we supposed to squeeze in time to write? In Million Dollar Productivity, Kevin J. Anderson, one of the most prolific writers in the business, aims to share how to do just that.
The Right State of Mind
Anderson spends roughly the first half of the book smashing myths and working to change your perspective on prolific writing. One of the most persistent myths among authors is that fast writing can't equal good writing, and that if you want to write quickly, you have to sacrifice quality.
He cites a few classic authors, such as Dumas, Dickens, and Verne, as examples of authors who wrote very quickly and are still considered among the best of all time. One particularly impressive anecdote involves Anderson finishing 220,000 words, over 900 completed pages, in just 47 days of writing
He doesn't just smash the "fast writing = poor writing" myth. It gets blown up, disintegrated, and scattered on the solar winds to spawn new baby myths all over the universe
11 Secrets to His Success
Actual actionable advice doesn't appear until the second half of the book, during which Anderson outlines "Kevin's 11 Tips to Increase Productivity," that he compiled both from his own experience and that of fellow authors.
The tips and methods attack various roadblocks that prevent us from getting our words down on the page. Writer's block? Check. Never enough hours in the day? Check. Caught in a Charybdis of endless revision with no hope for escape from the siren's song of perfection? Check, and check again.
Most of the advice given boils down to common sense strategies to avoid procrastination, boredom, and perfectionism. If you have been reading writing blogs for a long time, there may not be a great deal of new info for you here, but even my jaded self found some shining jewels of value among the familiar.
Is It Worth The Price?
The books is not only a quick read, it's a very quick read. I finished it over the course of a few hours in between other things. When you consider that the ebook is $6.99 on Amazon, the pages-to-dollars ratio seems a bit unbalanced.
But then, you also have to consider the long-term value to your writing career. If $6.99 can get your butt in the chair and fingers on the keyboard on a consistent basis, it's well worth the price of admission.
Conclusion
Kevin J. Anderson has been one of my favorite authors for many years, and I had a blast getting a peek into the grey matter that spawned so many of the books that I've enjoyed.
Will this book make me as prolific a writer as Kevin J. Anderson? Probably not. Will it have a positive influence on my word count for years to come? Definitely.
My Rating: 3/5
May 5, 2019
Oh, wow. this book is great. full of helpful tips and ideas. It makes me want to go hiking in the Rockies just to try out dictation :)
April 6, 2015
This is a book that all writers need to read through at least once. It provides options and details on how writers can make time (not just find the time) in their already hectic schedules to get some solid writing down. And who better to provide this guidance than a man who solidly stands behind his advice by actually living it? Anderson writes no less than four books each year by following most of the suggestions, tips and advice laid out for writers.
If you want to be a writer you have to write, and this book is chock-full of support, ideas and solid methods that will help a writer to do just that. This book helps you toss aside those excuses and get down to the heart of it all.
Highly recommended.
If you want to be a writer you have to write, and this book is chock-full of support, ideas and solid methods that will help a writer to do just that. This book helps you toss aside those excuses and get down to the heart of it all.
Highly recommended.
December 20, 2015
The first half of this book wasn't very helpful to me, but the second half was filled with lots of great tips and inspiration.
November 7, 2025
I bought this as part of special-deal 13-book story bundle. It speaks to my enjoyment of how-to books, and also to my interest in multi-best-selling authors. It is unlikely that I will read Anderson's fiction (though who knows, I may one day) as it is in genres I don't frequent (Dune prequels, for example) but I respect his thoughts on novel writing as he has published So Many for So Many Decades (over 140 books, of which over 50 were bestsellers).
How can he be so prolific? He gives his simple explanation: he just writes all the time, as much as someone with a full-time job as a lawyer or other. The fact of being so immersed in a world gives a heightened sense of focus and momentum.
"Literary elitists often frown on prolific authors." (p.23) Well, Anderson debunks the idea that "high productivity equals poor quality." And he speaks from a position of authority as someone who has been a bestseller and a winner of major awards. I do agree with this. I learned this lesson from my own experience; the more you write, the better you get.
Nice nuggets:
"Every author has heard this suggestion from a friend or a fan, and the proposition never ceases to amaze me: 'I've got a great idea for a novel. I'll tell you the idea, you write the book, and then we can split the money.' (As if the idea is the hard part!) [...] 'Why don't we try it the other way around first? I'll tell you an idea off the top of my head, then you do all the research, the plotting, and character development.'" (p.12)
It is salutary to be reminded that ideas are a dime a dozen; it's execution and completion that counts. Also, the above gives a flavour of the funny, pleasant writing style of Anderson.
The most hilarious bit is when Anderson comes up with some 'mathematics of productivity'. He cites critics who find that prolific authors write "too much" as considering one book a year the acceptable amount to be writing. Writers who only write one book a year cannot possibly be making a living by writing so they all have full-time jobs and therefore have circa 520 hours spare to write and edit a novel per year. He then maps these 520 hours onto his own full-time writing career where it would equate to eleven weeks. So 520 hours full-time produce 5 or 6 books a year.
Practical advice:
Procrastination is the writer's deadliest enemy. (Who knew? Well, we all did, I suppose...! Always good to be reminded.)
Finish the story. Send it out. Then write another one.
Finishing is the key, not endless polishing.
Experiment with writing under different circumstances, at various times and places. Which variables allowed you to produce the most words?
Clear-cut goal and mulling ahead of time so that when you sit down at the keyboard, you can 'jump right in.' Write to the finish, only then go back to tweak and fix.
Mechanical warm-up exercises to get the fingers moving.
"Sorry, I can't talk right now. This is my work day." I like this one. I tend to feel awkward telling people 'no' to social invites because I want to be in a café writing; it can be easier to say 'I have a work meeting'.
"Repeat after me: It doesn't have to be perfect, but it does have to be finished." (p.34)
I feel a bit of a cheat adding this to my 'books read' list as it is an extremely short 'book'. But then it was sold as a 'book' and I did read it, and I guess many books that I partially read this year did not make it to my Goodreads so overall, it all comes out in the wash.
How can he be so prolific? He gives his simple explanation: he just writes all the time, as much as someone with a full-time job as a lawyer or other. The fact of being so immersed in a world gives a heightened sense of focus and momentum.
"Literary elitists often frown on prolific authors." (p.23) Well, Anderson debunks the idea that "high productivity equals poor quality." And he speaks from a position of authority as someone who has been a bestseller and a winner of major awards. I do agree with this. I learned this lesson from my own experience; the more you write, the better you get.
Nice nuggets:
"Every author has heard this suggestion from a friend or a fan, and the proposition never ceases to amaze me: 'I've got a great idea for a novel. I'll tell you the idea, you write the book, and then we can split the money.' (As if the idea is the hard part!) [...] 'Why don't we try it the other way around first? I'll tell you an idea off the top of my head, then you do all the research, the plotting, and character development.'" (p.12)
It is salutary to be reminded that ideas are a dime a dozen; it's execution and completion that counts. Also, the above gives a flavour of the funny, pleasant writing style of Anderson.
The most hilarious bit is when Anderson comes up with some 'mathematics of productivity'. He cites critics who find that prolific authors write "too much" as considering one book a year the acceptable amount to be writing. Writers who only write one book a year cannot possibly be making a living by writing so they all have full-time jobs and therefore have circa 520 hours spare to write and edit a novel per year. He then maps these 520 hours onto his own full-time writing career where it would equate to eleven weeks. So 520 hours full-time produce 5 or 6 books a year.
Practical advice:
Procrastination is the writer's deadliest enemy. (Who knew? Well, we all did, I suppose...! Always good to be reminded.)
Finish the story. Send it out. Then write another one.
Finishing is the key, not endless polishing.
Experiment with writing under different circumstances, at various times and places. Which variables allowed you to produce the most words?
Clear-cut goal and mulling ahead of time so that when you sit down at the keyboard, you can 'jump right in.' Write to the finish, only then go back to tweak and fix.
Mechanical warm-up exercises to get the fingers moving.
"Sorry, I can't talk right now. This is my work day." I like this one. I tend to feel awkward telling people 'no' to social invites because I want to be in a café writing; it can be easier to say 'I have a work meeting'.
"Repeat after me: It doesn't have to be perfect, but it does have to be finished." (p.34)
I feel a bit of a cheat adding this to my 'books read' list as it is an extremely short 'book'. But then it was sold as a 'book' and I did read it, and I guess many books that I partially read this year did not make it to my Goodreads so overall, it all comes out in the wash.
October 25, 2025
This is not really a book, but more like a pamphlet. Anderson, a NY Times bestselling author of media tie-in books as well as books set in his own universes (probably less selling), is amazingly prolific and he explains how so in this book. Will it work for you? Most probably not, although some of his tips might be something you can put in place. Why? Because Anderson decided early on to make writing his career and has dedicated his entire life to that prospect, which means he breaths, sleeps, walks, talks, and everything else writing, all the time. He implies that he doesn’t think about writing when he’s engaged in some activities, but I don’t believe it.
He spends some time in this book attacking the idea that “increased productivity = poor quality” and points to his sales record and numerous award nominations as evidence that this hasn’t been the case in his own ouevre. I think he doth protest a bit too much. I’m not saying he’s not a good writer, but Anderson is not a great writer, and that’s sometimes the difference taking a bit more time on a book or story makes. However, one shouldn’t deliberate too much (I’m casting a sideeye at my buddy George R. R. Martin here). Like all things, finding the point of moderation is best—unfortunately, doing so in today’s writing economy likely means not having enough income to survive; one has to make choices, and Anderson’s choice is to write more and to the market. If you are struggling with writing more (as I often do), it’s good to review Anderson’s tips, which even he admits to not using all of. The one truism in writing, as he says, is every writer is different and must find their own path to success.
He spends some time in this book attacking the idea that “increased productivity = poor quality” and points to his sales record and numerous award nominations as evidence that this hasn’t been the case in his own ouevre. I think he doth protest a bit too much. I’m not saying he’s not a good writer, but Anderson is not a great writer, and that’s sometimes the difference taking a bit more time on a book or story makes. However, one shouldn’t deliberate too much (I’m casting a sideeye at my buddy George R. R. Martin here). Like all things, finding the point of moderation is best—unfortunately, doing so in today’s writing economy likely means not having enough income to survive; one has to make choices, and Anderson’s choice is to write more and to the market. If you are struggling with writing more (as I often do), it’s good to review Anderson’s tips, which even he admits to not using all of. The one truism in writing, as he says, is every writer is different and must find their own path to success.
January 7, 2024
This book is filled with lots of writing tips and advice for busy authors who want to increase their productivity. These are the strategies that worked for the author, Kevin J. Anderson, and they could work for me or you. Whether you’re a full time author or one who writes on the side while working at some other job for your livlihood, this book will have something helpful for you. It’s one of those books I will have to go back and visit time and again.
June 24, 2018
Una lectura corta, directa y al grano en la que sin florituras ni adornos innecesarios el autor nos explica cómo aumentar tu productividad usando un ingrediente muy sencillo: tu propia determinación. Fue un agradable cambio después del fiasco del libro de Derek Murphy; aquí no hay recetas mágicas ni trucos para evitar el trabajo, solo verdades bien contadas. Muy recomendable.
June 8, 2024
After hearing Kevin J. Anderson present this short (72 pages) book's 11 points at the 20 Books to 50,000 conference in Las Vegas, I was eager to take a look at it. It's OK, but it doesn't really add much to the 11 points. If you do the first point (Shut up and Write), that will make all the others fall in line.
November 24, 2016
Relatively short read, as it should be, full of common sense and a few techniques to try out. THere's a strong practical attitude to the writing style, and it presents different ways to manage your time and by extension, how you write.
April 30, 2019
Repetitive. Consists almost entirely of advice already familiar to the target audience (from other, better, more popular books). On the plus side, it doesn't contain bad advice, and it's very short: I don't regret reading it; I'm just glad I didn't pay full price.
August 18, 2021
A quick and easy read! Found it to be quite helpful.
September 9, 2014
Spoiler alert: the trick to writing productivity is writing all the time. And you have a lot more time than you think. I promise.
Seriously.
I picked this gem of a book up at Salt Lake Comic Con after a panel that included the author was asked a question along the lines of how they avoid writer's block. Without missing a beat, one of the panelists (Larry Correia, I think) said there's no such thing as writer's block, and each of the panelists agreed. Now, I've never had a problem with writer's block, per se, but there have been times when I've questioned my own ability to accomplish much writing.
Sure, I can bust out a 140 character long tweet without two brain cells, and I can click 'like' on about 19,000 Facebook posts of LOL Catz and cute little babies without losing a single calorie. But writing something substantive? A blog post? Finishing the fourteenth short story that I've begun this summer? Rounding out the outline of that space opera novel I've been working on since my first child was born (alright, it's not the same novel anymore, but the point remains)?
Then it's a bit more difficult.
Back to Salt Lake Comic Con and the author's panel. The panel was a list of fairly illustrious--if also fairly local--authors, including the not unproductive Brandon Sanderson, Larry Correia, Dave Farland/Wolverton, and the currently being reviewed book's author, Kevin J. Anderson. Somewhere in that discussion about writer's block (which was not the panel topic, by the way), Anderson noted that a lot of times it was a productivity problem, not a lack of material to write about, and if you keep working, you manage to blow through the block. Coming from a guy who has busted out 125 novels--a number of which a bestsellers--and doesn't look like he's been parked on the couch consuming potato chips for the last five years, I was interested.
(Did you see the subtle way he plugged his book there? Yeah, me neither.)
So, naturally, I bought it as soon as the panel was over and I could make my way through the crowds over to Anderson's Wordfyre booth.
I read it that night. The book is short because, let's be honest: you should spend more time writing than reading about how to spend more time writing.
I won't give away the million dollar secrets here, because that's how Anderson's going to make his million dollars, but the $10 I dropped on the book was worth it, even if just to inspire me to change my habits and behavior to write more.
And I have: the last half week has been substantially more productive and useful than in a long while. Productivity is a fantastic thing; it builds on itself and creates more productivity and more success. That's worth way more than $10.
Seriously.
I picked this gem of a book up at Salt Lake Comic Con after a panel that included the author was asked a question along the lines of how they avoid writer's block. Without missing a beat, one of the panelists (Larry Correia, I think) said there's no such thing as writer's block, and each of the panelists agreed. Now, I've never had a problem with writer's block, per se, but there have been times when I've questioned my own ability to accomplish much writing.
Sure, I can bust out a 140 character long tweet without two brain cells, and I can click 'like' on about 19,000 Facebook posts of LOL Catz and cute little babies without losing a single calorie. But writing something substantive? A blog post? Finishing the fourteenth short story that I've begun this summer? Rounding out the outline of that space opera novel I've been working on since my first child was born (alright, it's not the same novel anymore, but the point remains)?
Then it's a bit more difficult.
Back to Salt Lake Comic Con and the author's panel. The panel was a list of fairly illustrious--if also fairly local--authors, including the not unproductive Brandon Sanderson, Larry Correia, Dave Farland/Wolverton, and the currently being reviewed book's author, Kevin J. Anderson. Somewhere in that discussion about writer's block (which was not the panel topic, by the way), Anderson noted that a lot of times it was a productivity problem, not a lack of material to write about, and if you keep working, you manage to blow through the block. Coming from a guy who has busted out 125 novels--a number of which a bestsellers--and doesn't look like he's been parked on the couch consuming potato chips for the last five years, I was interested.
(Did you see the subtle way he plugged his book there? Yeah, me neither.)
So, naturally, I bought it as soon as the panel was over and I could make my way through the crowds over to Anderson's Wordfyre booth.
I read it that night. The book is short because, let's be honest: you should spend more time writing than reading about how to spend more time writing.
I won't give away the million dollar secrets here, because that's how Anderson's going to make his million dollars, but the $10 I dropped on the book was worth it, even if just to inspire me to change my habits and behavior to write more.
And I have: the last half week has been substantially more productive and useful than in a long while. Productivity is a fantastic thing; it builds on itself and creates more productivity and more success. That's worth way more than $10.
November 12, 2015
Ah the life of a full time writer. I was listening to a podcast recently and the guy said ‘I needed money so I thought I’d become a writer’ and I laughed so hard, I had to pause it for a few moments. Nobody does this for instant income. And of course, he found that out himself. But he didn’t give up.
Nor did Kevin J Anderson. He’s listed as having 369 distinct works here on GR… I mean he knows his stuff. He says he writes five books a year. Kevin dictates while he walks five minutes to buy coffee, he hikes and dictates, he writes in every possible time gap he can carve out for himself, and then sends the tapes off to a typing service or his own work off to editors.
He can afford to do that, but the principle is the same for a poorer writer. If you want to write, write. It doesn’t matter if it’s bad. I think it was Nora Roberts who said ‘you can’t fix a blank page’ - speaking of prolific writers.
He also said he planned out a Star Wars trilogy with his wife on the white paper table covering at an Italian restaurant.
With the growth of self publishing, a lot of people are finding that the traditional publisher gatekeepers kept a very tight hold on the bottleneck - they released books slowly. Their system was (and still is) all built around the marketing. But if you’re doing your own, you can market as many books as you want to in a year. And so can the next writer. And the one after that…
It’s certain that it leads to a lot of books, but I don’t believe that they are all bad because of that.
As Kevin says:
I love his description of his muse.
Just write two sentences… this is something that National Novel Writing month teaches you. Just keep that word counter ticking up. Worry about editing it later; there is no right way to do it.
4 just keep writing stars
This ebook was part of a bundle deal of 25 books - DRM free and available until the end of 2015 - when I picked it up the price was $25 and I have since seen some of the single books for $8 each. Bargain! Check it out.
https://storybundle.com/nano
Nor did Kevin J Anderson. He’s listed as having 369 distinct works here on GR… I mean he knows his stuff. He says he writes five books a year. Kevin dictates while he walks five minutes to buy coffee, he hikes and dictates, he writes in every possible time gap he can carve out for himself, and then sends the tapes off to a typing service or his own work off to editors.
He can afford to do that, but the principle is the same for a poorer writer. If you want to write, write. It doesn’t matter if it’s bad. I think it was Nora Roberts who said ‘you can’t fix a blank page’ - speaking of prolific writers.
He also said he planned out a Star Wars trilogy with his wife on the white paper table covering at an Italian restaurant.
With the growth of self publishing, a lot of people are finding that the traditional publisher gatekeepers kept a very tight hold on the bottleneck - they released books slowly. Their system was (and still is) all built around the marketing. But if you’re doing your own, you can market as many books as you want to in a year. And so can the next writer. And the one after that…
It’s certain that it leads to a lot of books, but I don’t believe that they are all bad because of that.
As Kevin says:
Slow writing ≠ good writing. Fast writing ≠ bad writing.(Kindle Locations 284-285)
I love his description of his muse.
I, on the other hand, have been blessed (or cursed) with a muse who’s more like a bristle-haired, gravel-voiced drill sergeant who says, “Quit dinking around, Anderson! Sit down, shut up, and WRITE!” No puttering, no procrastinating. Butt in chair, fingers on keyboard, eyeballs on screen. Shut up and write! (Kindle Locations 300-302).
Just write two sentences… this is something that National Novel Writing month teaches you. Just keep that word counter ticking up. Worry about editing it later; there is no right way to do it.
4 just keep writing stars
This ebook was part of a bundle deal of 25 books - DRM free and available until the end of 2015 - when I picked it up the price was $25 and I have since seen some of the single books for $8 each. Bargain! Check it out.
https://storybundle.com/nano
December 25, 2014
This book is broken up into three parts. First, Make no excuses and find the time to write. Then understanding the mathematics of productivity and finally the reason for buying this book, Kevin's 11 tips on increasing your productivity.
Frankly, I only found the third part of the book of any interest. Its great information, but nothing groundbreaking that any writer hasn't already heard before.
The first part comes across as nothing more than the author patting himself on the back for being prolific. The author does give an hour by hour rundown for a typical day which is quite interesting. This is presented with the caveat that his workflow may not work for all writers. And this is what my rating is anchored on. The author has a rather unique workflow that I would venture to say is not relevant to a majority of writers. For the price point of this rather small book, $6.99 at the time of my purchase with maybe 20 pages of good information, I felt a little underwhelmed by this presentation of a single writing workflow and would've liked to have seen more examples of what works for different writers.
The second part seems like an insecure defense against being perceived as a hack.
Overall this book is a quick read for any writer that needs a reminder to sit in the chair and put words to the page.
Frankly, I only found the third part of the book of any interest. Its great information, but nothing groundbreaking that any writer hasn't already heard before.
The first part comes across as nothing more than the author patting himself on the back for being prolific. The author does give an hour by hour rundown for a typical day which is quite interesting. This is presented with the caveat that his workflow may not work for all writers. And this is what my rating is anchored on. The author has a rather unique workflow that I would venture to say is not relevant to a majority of writers. For the price point of this rather small book, $6.99 at the time of my purchase with maybe 20 pages of good information, I felt a little underwhelmed by this presentation of a single writing workflow and would've liked to have seen more examples of what works for different writers.
The second part seems like an insecure defense against being perceived as a hack.
Overall this book is a quick read for any writer that needs a reminder to sit in the chair and put words to the page.
May 15, 2015
I really enjoyed this book and think it partners well with the other books in the Million Dollar series. This was another book in the NaNoWriMo 2014 Storybundle that I bought, so I'd been hoping to get around to reading it for a while.
I've always admired Kevin J. Anderson's books (I devoured Star Wars books when I was in high school) and it was really nice to get a glimpse into such a prolific writer's process. That is the real value of the book here. He talks about his drafting process, his multitasking, how he's written in short bursts and how he writes while he hikes. I really want to start emulating that last part, since I love hiking and I want to do more of it.
I wish more writers would share glimpses into their process as Anderson has done here, it's great to see how different professional writers work to give inspiration to those still starting out or those toying with the idea of writing for a living.
I've always admired Kevin J. Anderson's books (I devoured Star Wars books when I was in high school) and it was really nice to get a glimpse into such a prolific writer's process. That is the real value of the book here. He talks about his drafting process, his multitasking, how he's written in short bursts and how he writes while he hikes. I really want to start emulating that last part, since I love hiking and I want to do more of it.
I wish more writers would share glimpses into their process as Anderson has done here, it's great to see how different professional writers work to give inspiration to those still starting out or those toying with the idea of writing for a living.
January 19, 2015
I was put off by the title if this book, but I owned it from a book bundle, and it was a short read with some nice little tips on being productive. The information wasn't new to me, and as I personally make time to write, it wasn't perhaps as useful to me as it may be for someone else. As a little e-book for someone who struggles to find time for things, it has some good points.
Kevin made some pretty good points about how much time a novel takes to write well; comparing different authors and how different schedules may still allow for the same number of books to be released, which was really interesting and made me think about my perceptions.
I'd give it 4 stars for being interesting, and it has some information/reminders for those who need to make time for their craft.
Kevin made some pretty good points about how much time a novel takes to write well; comparing different authors and how different schedules may still allow for the same number of books to be released, which was really interesting and made me think about my perceptions.
I'd give it 4 stars for being interesting, and it has some information/reminders for those who need to make time for their craft.
May 24, 2015
I have just finished reading this short but incredibly inspiring book last week.
Since reading this 'kick in the pants' book by Kevin J. Anderson, I have found that my writing mind-set has changed to make the most of every minute I have to write.
I loved how he describes his muse too.
This book has got me writing more words and taking small but significant steps toward the realisation of my own novel.
I think if you have trouble sitting down and writing and want to create a viable career from writing, then you need to read this book.
It was worth every cent I paid for my copy.
Since reading this 'kick in the pants' book by Kevin J. Anderson, I have found that my writing mind-set has changed to make the most of every minute I have to write.
I loved how he describes his muse too.
This book has got me writing more words and taking small but significant steps toward the realisation of my own novel.
I think if you have trouble sitting down and writing and want to create a viable career from writing, then you need to read this book.
It was worth every cent I paid for my copy.
February 10, 2015
Short, precise advice with nothing new under the sun
It reminds me that there is only one thing to get something done - you do it. Butt in chair, fingers on the keyboard, and one word at a time you write a book.
All of us know what we have to do to be more productive - prioritize, make time for writing, keep at it... This little book is a good reminder of the basic rules for more porductivity, though hardly original. After all, we're all using the same letters of the alphabet :-)
It reminds me that there is only one thing to get something done - you do it. Butt in chair, fingers on the keyboard, and one word at a time you write a book.
All of us know what we have to do to be more productive - prioritize, make time for writing, keep at it... This little book is a good reminder of the basic rules for more porductivity, though hardly original. After all, we're all using the same letters of the alphabet :-)
September 6, 2014
Million Dollar Productivity is a great cogent collection of advice for new writers. It is a bit ironic because the underlying premise is 'no excuses - find time to write.' Why spend the time reading this book? The form fits theme, because it is a small book and a quick read. Take the advice and get back to your craft.
February 20, 2016
Short enough to be read in a sitting, and if anything, not quite as much detail as the live version I've heard Kevin give at Superstars. That said, it's practical, quick, and a good reminder of how anyone who is serious about writing can make time if they choose to. It's something one can choose to do. You don't need anyone's permission but your own.
April 30, 2016
A short but good kick in the pants by a bestselling and prolific author. Anderson smashes the myth that "slow is better" that some literary and academic types espouse, and offers 11 techniques for boosting your productivity. I was glad to see that I already did most of them, although Anderson showed me how I could do them better. That made it worth the price.
October 21, 2014
Offers some useful advice for writers to write more and be more productive while writing. Good information for beginners, but more experienced writers probably already know most of the advice in this book. A short but inspiring read.
December 10, 2014
The secret to writing more is to write more....
An easy read, this is perhaps a kick-up-the-bum sort of motivation ("just do it") rather than any real techniques to speed up your writing productivity or such.
An easy read, this is perhaps a kick-up-the-bum sort of motivation ("just do it") rather than any real techniques to speed up your writing productivity or such.
October 9, 2014
Very good advice on how to act professional as a writer.
October 19, 2014
This entire series is stellar.
January 7, 2015
While interesting, it didn't really say anything that could not have been heard elsewhere. Just that it came from someone who has a million dollars.
January 17, 2015
You know what you have to do to write more. More hours in the chair. More words in a day. More days writing. This book has done good tips to help you do that.
May 10, 2015
Key brilliant idea from this book: Dictate your novel while you're out hiking. Get someone to do the transcript for you, then edit it that section a few days later. Repeat.
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