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Fiction Writing Basics #3
Nine Day Novel: Writing Faster: 10K a Day, How to Write a Novel in 9 Days, Structuring Your Novel For Speed
Are you ready yet?
Are you tired of waiting for the novel in your head to magically appear? Tired of being told to “write a little bit a day every day?” How’s that advice working for you? It’s not … is it?
If it was, your novel would be done. But I hear you. When I first learned how to write a novel, that “helpful” information … wasn't. I went slowly, plodded along, writing a little each day like all the authors told me to. Then I would get disinterested or distracted and my novel would get DEStructed!
You’ve listened to the podcasts, taken the writing workshops, read how to write a novel guides, but your novel still isn't written. Are you still waiting for that “1 hour a day” conventional wisdom to pay off?
Let's face it, it's a new ballgame for indie authors!
A numbers game. The number of books you publish, reviews you get, and downloads you can expect are all partly a function of how many words you write—how many books you publish. Conventional “wisdom” is getting us indie authors nowhere.
It’s time to take a different approach!
Wouldn't it be great to have something to show for all your hard work? Forget next year! What about sitting down to proofread your first draft next week?
That's what this book offers. That's what I want to show you how to do, because I've been there.
In this step-by-step writing workshop—feels more like boot camp adrenaline sprint—Steve Windsor walks you through how he writes novels in 9 “days.” With concrete examples of how to apply story structure, outlining, and plotting, you learn to drive your hero through his or her story.
You CAN write a novel in less time than it takes you to need your next haircut. Steve shows you how blockbuster novels and movies use a formula that’s as old as Aristotle to produce hits.
Packed with examples!
Using examples from his own novels, best selling books… He even makes up a story right before your eyes! Steve is a hands on hardcore writer who will show you just how “easy” it is.
Make no mistake, the Nine Day Novel series isn’t for everyone. Some people like pacing themselves on their way to the death of their dreams of becoming an author. Then again, you aren’t them.
In this motivational writer’s retreat disguised as a fast-paced writing workshop, you'll learn:
How story structure can help you write faster.
Through mainstream examples and Steve’s own brand of “Darth Vader” humor, Nine Day Novel will keep you pumped up to write.
And the FREE resources?
Inside the Nine Day Novel, you’ll get access to a starter file for one of the most popular writing software packages out there—Scrivener. Rather than spending hours or even days learning and creating a story structure outline, Steve did it for you.
There's not one, but three FREE writing tools to download inside!
So whether you are a yet to be discovered best
Are you tired of waiting for the novel in your head to magically appear? Tired of being told to “write a little bit a day every day?” How’s that advice working for you? It’s not … is it?
If it was, your novel would be done. But I hear you. When I first learned how to write a novel, that “helpful” information … wasn't. I went slowly, plodded along, writing a little each day like all the authors told me to. Then I would get disinterested or distracted and my novel would get DEStructed!
You’ve listened to the podcasts, taken the writing workshops, read how to write a novel guides, but your novel still isn't written. Are you still waiting for that “1 hour a day” conventional wisdom to pay off?
Let's face it, it's a new ballgame for indie authors!
A numbers game. The number of books you publish, reviews you get, and downloads you can expect are all partly a function of how many words you write—how many books you publish. Conventional “wisdom” is getting us indie authors nowhere.
It’s time to take a different approach!
Wouldn't it be great to have something to show for all your hard work? Forget next year! What about sitting down to proofread your first draft next week?
That's what this book offers. That's what I want to show you how to do, because I've been there.
In this step-by-step writing workshop—feels more like boot camp adrenaline sprint—Steve Windsor walks you through how he writes novels in 9 “days.” With concrete examples of how to apply story structure, outlining, and plotting, you learn to drive your hero through his or her story.
You CAN write a novel in less time than it takes you to need your next haircut. Steve shows you how blockbuster novels and movies use a formula that’s as old as Aristotle to produce hits.
Packed with examples!
Using examples from his own novels, best selling books… He even makes up a story right before your eyes! Steve is a hands on hardcore writer who will show you just how “easy” it is.
Make no mistake, the Nine Day Novel series isn’t for everyone. Some people like pacing themselves on their way to the death of their dreams of becoming an author. Then again, you aren’t them.
In this motivational writer’s retreat disguised as a fast-paced writing workshop, you'll learn:
How story structure can help you write faster.
Through mainstream examples and Steve’s own brand of “Darth Vader” humor, Nine Day Novel will keep you pumped up to write.
And the FREE resources?
Inside the Nine Day Novel, you’ll get access to a starter file for one of the most popular writing software packages out there—Scrivener. Rather than spending hours or even days learning and creating a story structure outline, Steve did it for you.
There's not one, but three FREE writing tools to download inside!
So whether you are a yet to be discovered best
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2015
71 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Steve Windsor
13 books35 followersSteve Windsor was born in Augsberg Germany to US Military parents. So he doesn’t know a bit of German.
University of Washington—check—alumni association after me for money.
MBA—almost—too much beer.
Mortgage—check—check—check—no mas, por favor, no mas.
Wife—she’s wonderful
Kids—wonder-fuller
La la la. You don’t want to read about that do you? Here’s the good stuff
Me? I'm just a guy who wants to watch the Apocalypse with some 3D glasses, a monster bucket of popcorn, and a Pina Colada. (Hey, don't judge me. I like the foo-foo drinks. They taste better.)
I like a good bad-guy … or bad good-girl, for that matter. What's wrong with that?
I think the world needs some good anti-heroes. Ones that we can rely on to set things right. An ornery brute or brutess who can clean up everything that needs cleanin' up ... except themselves.
And I would use an ellipsis ... for a dramatic pause ... and another one ... just to piss off my editor ... right before I tell you that sometimes … I mess up movie quotes.
My editor says that ellipses are annoying—I don't use many of them. (Totally lying—she made me put that in here)
I think Vin Diesel was too nice in Pitch Black. (Probably his best movie) So was Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill, for that matter. (1 and 2, thank you)
Andrew Vachss is my hero. You should definitely read his novels.
And I love George R.R. Martin because he’s not afraid to whack a hero.
You think I'm harsh? Two words—Chuck Wendig. Trust me, you should read him.
Sarcasm—Flirty chit-chat.
Cynicism—A little toe tickle under the dinner table.
Condescending contempt—ooh, talk dirty to me.
Straight-up stringing a long line of colorful profanity together as speech—Check please! Call us a cab!
On Profanity:
Battlestar Galactica (the new one) I mean, come on, “Frack?” That was profanity genius.
Betty White—Lake Placid. All I'm sayin'.
X-files—episode… I don’t remember, but they “bleeped” all their cursewords … by actually saying “bleep!” Genius!
Also, HBO—The Wire. Where my two favorite detectives carry a whole scene with one word as continual dialog. That word? "Firetruck." (It's a SNL skit—Google it)
And Firefly? Get outta here. Cussing in Chinese? Frackin genius.
So I guess you can tell I like a colorful vocabulary in a character.
I'm Steve Windsor, and I approve this bio message
University of Washington—check—alumni association after me for money.
MBA—almost—too much beer.
Mortgage—check—check—check—no mas, por favor, no mas.
Wife—she’s wonderful
Kids—wonder-fuller
La la la. You don’t want to read about that do you? Here’s the good stuff
Me? I'm just a guy who wants to watch the Apocalypse with some 3D glasses, a monster bucket of popcorn, and a Pina Colada. (Hey, don't judge me. I like the foo-foo drinks. They taste better.)
I like a good bad-guy … or bad good-girl, for that matter. What's wrong with that?
I think the world needs some good anti-heroes. Ones that we can rely on to set things right. An ornery brute or brutess who can clean up everything that needs cleanin' up ... except themselves.
And I would use an ellipsis ... for a dramatic pause ... and another one ... just to piss off my editor ... right before I tell you that sometimes … I mess up movie quotes.
My editor says that ellipses are annoying—I don't use many of them. (Totally lying—she made me put that in here)
I think Vin Diesel was too nice in Pitch Black. (Probably his best movie) So was Beatrix Kiddo in Kill Bill, for that matter. (1 and 2, thank you)
Andrew Vachss is my hero. You should definitely read his novels.
And I love George R.R. Martin because he’s not afraid to whack a hero.
You think I'm harsh? Two words—Chuck Wendig. Trust me, you should read him.
Sarcasm—Flirty chit-chat.
Cynicism—A little toe tickle under the dinner table.
Condescending contempt—ooh, talk dirty to me.
Straight-up stringing a long line of colorful profanity together as speech—Check please! Call us a cab!
On Profanity:
Battlestar Galactica (the new one) I mean, come on, “Frack?” That was profanity genius.
Betty White—Lake Placid. All I'm sayin'.
X-files—episode… I don’t remember, but they “bleeped” all their cursewords … by actually saying “bleep!” Genius!
Also, HBO—The Wire. Where my two favorite detectives carry a whole scene with one word as continual dialog. That word? "Firetruck." (It's a SNL skit—Google it)
And Firefly? Get outta here. Cussing in Chinese? Frackin genius.
So I guess you can tell I like a colorful vocabulary in a character.
I'm Steve Windsor, and I approve this bio message
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 20, 2015
I'll start with the good parts. This book is a fast, amusing read, and it's full of handy plotting information. Save the Cat helped me come up with my own take on the four parts of a novel, and it's interesting to see a similar plotting outline that's subtly different.
That said, other aspects of this book drove me nutty. First of all, there's the whole premise of the book --- writing a novel in nine days. The author fills up an absurd number of pages telling you how to cram 10 hours of writing into your day, but who really cares or is likely to follow his lead? If it's going to take so much pain and suffering to cram a novel into 9 days...why not split it up into a month? Writing the first draft of a novel in a month would make for a much less sensational title, but is pretty feasible for most people. From this section, the only useful takeaway point I got was: writing in longer blocks of time can help with your flow. Yep, this is true --- I do best when I write for about 2 to 3 hours at a stretch.
Then there are more minor nitpicks. Like the way the author pushes Scrivener (writing software), for which he is an affiliate. Yes, I do think that basic word-processing software made my life easier compared to when I used to write solely on paper. However, I think it's awfully easy to think "Once I get the perfect tool and finally learn how to use it...*then* I'll produce my masterpiece." Real art should be just as possible to create out of sticks and clay tablets. Why waste money and time learning Scrivener when you can write a great novel in Libre Writer?
Next, there's the actual fact of the author's lack of novel-writing success. Aside from this non-fiction book (which is currently selling like gangbusters), the author has four novels out, published over the course of over a year and a half. Does that mean he writes an average of two days a month? And when I look at the novels' Amazon rankings, the books are currently selling about two copies a week apiece despite presumably getting some spillover from the popularity of this title. That seems to suggest that, even if you *can* write a book in nine days...maybe you shouldn't?
And, finally, there are the editing issues. Usually, these don't bother me much. But when I'm reading a book about writing, I just feel like the author should know how to, well, write. But now I'm just being grumpy.
So, to cut a long story short --- if you've got Kindle Unlimited, by all means borrow this for free. But when it starts getting repetitive and you start rolling your eyes, read 2k to 10k instead, which promises to solve the same problem (finding time to write a novel), but does it better. Plus, the novel I've read by Rachel Aaron is awesome and sells in proportion to its awesomeness. 'Nuf said.
That said, other aspects of this book drove me nutty. First of all, there's the whole premise of the book --- writing a novel in nine days. The author fills up an absurd number of pages telling you how to cram 10 hours of writing into your day, but who really cares or is likely to follow his lead? If it's going to take so much pain and suffering to cram a novel into 9 days...why not split it up into a month? Writing the first draft of a novel in a month would make for a much less sensational title, but is pretty feasible for most people. From this section, the only useful takeaway point I got was: writing in longer blocks of time can help with your flow. Yep, this is true --- I do best when I write for about 2 to 3 hours at a stretch.
Then there are more minor nitpicks. Like the way the author pushes Scrivener (writing software), for which he is an affiliate. Yes, I do think that basic word-processing software made my life easier compared to when I used to write solely on paper. However, I think it's awfully easy to think "Once I get the perfect tool and finally learn how to use it...*then* I'll produce my masterpiece." Real art should be just as possible to create out of sticks and clay tablets. Why waste money and time learning Scrivener when you can write a great novel in Libre Writer?
Next, there's the actual fact of the author's lack of novel-writing success. Aside from this non-fiction book (which is currently selling like gangbusters), the author has four novels out, published over the course of over a year and a half. Does that mean he writes an average of two days a month? And when I look at the novels' Amazon rankings, the books are currently selling about two copies a week apiece despite presumably getting some spillover from the popularity of this title. That seems to suggest that, even if you *can* write a book in nine days...maybe you shouldn't?
And, finally, there are the editing issues. Usually, these don't bother me much. But when I'm reading a book about writing, I just feel like the author should know how to, well, write. But now I'm just being grumpy.
So, to cut a long story short --- if you've got Kindle Unlimited, by all means borrow this for free. But when it starts getting repetitive and you start rolling your eyes, read 2k to 10k instead, which promises to solve the same problem (finding time to write a novel), but does it better. Plus, the novel I've read by Rachel Aaron is awesome and sells in proportion to its awesomeness. 'Nuf said.
April 8, 2015
I saw this book on Kindle Unlimited and felt compelled to read it. Write a novel in nine days? I wasn't sure why anyone would WANT to do that, but I was willing to give the author a chance.
POSITIVES: The writing is clear and concise and the book was a quick read, so there was no major time investment involved. I enjoyed the author's sense of humor, even if it was a bit hokey at times.
NEGATIVES: Where do I start?
* I was bothered by the assumption that we're all capable of writing 1000 words an hour, which is the basis for the entire strategy. Yes, that figure could be adjusted to suit the writer, but that's barely taken under consideration in this book. The author just keeps beating readers over the head with this 1000 words/hour figure, because of course, the objective here is to spit out words as fast as possible.
* The book itself stands as proof that writing with frenetic speed has consequences. It feels rushed, poorly structured, and is often repetitive. As the author says, it took him less than a week to complete it. That definitely shows.
* The author is dismissive of the "slow and steady" approach, ignoring that this method works for countless writers. He goes overboard in presenting his strategy as the RIGHT one, as if "write as fast as possible" is the only way to get anything accomplished. I'm not bothered by this for my own sake, but it makes me worry about newer, more impressionable writers. Fact is, the majority of people won't be able to manage 10K words a day (or anywhere close to it). And other than the 5K concessions, writers really aren't given any alternatives.
The author presents his method in an "anyone can do it" kind of way, which is misleading, unrealistic, and potentially damaging. There aren't any reassurances for writers who can't keep up, only negative reinforcement thanks to the "Slow and steady? Pfft!" attitude that pervades this book.
* The not-so-subtle pushes for readers to purchase Scrivener (the author is an affiliate) were obnoxious, as was seeing it presented as the only alternative to Microsoft Word. There are dozens of great writing programs out there. Mentioning a few of these programs and encouraging writers to find one that works for THEM would've shown a lot more integrity than repeatedly pushing Scrivener for the author's profit.
Really though, this was hardly surprising, as he's entirely focused on HIS way of doing things. Examples of this are the 1000 words/hour standard I mentioned above, as well as a "set in stone" story structure he pushes to the point of beating readers over the head with it. Even his suggestions for carving out more writing time (ubiquitous throughout the course of the book) are clearly based on his own lifestyle.
* I spotted several grammatical errors, including subject/verb agreement issues and misused words ("elicit" and "illicit" mean very different things). I'm not trying to nitpick, but when you're putting out books intended to coach people on writing well, obvious mistakes like these are embarrassing.
Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend this book. The author explains (and reiterates the hell out of) his strategy, but I can't see it being practical for most writers.
POSITIVES: The writing is clear and concise and the book was a quick read, so there was no major time investment involved. I enjoyed the author's sense of humor, even if it was a bit hokey at times.
NEGATIVES: Where do I start?
* I was bothered by the assumption that we're all capable of writing 1000 words an hour, which is the basis for the entire strategy. Yes, that figure could be adjusted to suit the writer, but that's barely taken under consideration in this book. The author just keeps beating readers over the head with this 1000 words/hour figure, because of course, the objective here is to spit out words as fast as possible.
* The book itself stands as proof that writing with frenetic speed has consequences. It feels rushed, poorly structured, and is often repetitive. As the author says, it took him less than a week to complete it. That definitely shows.
* The author is dismissive of the "slow and steady" approach, ignoring that this method works for countless writers. He goes overboard in presenting his strategy as the RIGHT one, as if "write as fast as possible" is the only way to get anything accomplished. I'm not bothered by this for my own sake, but it makes me worry about newer, more impressionable writers. Fact is, the majority of people won't be able to manage 10K words a day (or anywhere close to it). And other than the 5K concessions, writers really aren't given any alternatives.
The author presents his method in an "anyone can do it" kind of way, which is misleading, unrealistic, and potentially damaging. There aren't any reassurances for writers who can't keep up, only negative reinforcement thanks to the "Slow and steady? Pfft!" attitude that pervades this book.
* The not-so-subtle pushes for readers to purchase Scrivener (the author is an affiliate) were obnoxious, as was seeing it presented as the only alternative to Microsoft Word. There are dozens of great writing programs out there. Mentioning a few of these programs and encouraging writers to find one that works for THEM would've shown a lot more integrity than repeatedly pushing Scrivener for the author's profit.
Really though, this was hardly surprising, as he's entirely focused on HIS way of doing things. Examples of this are the 1000 words/hour standard I mentioned above, as well as a "set in stone" story structure he pushes to the point of beating readers over the head with it. Even his suggestions for carving out more writing time (ubiquitous throughout the course of the book) are clearly based on his own lifestyle.
* I spotted several grammatical errors, including subject/verb agreement issues and misused words ("elicit" and "illicit" mean very different things). I'm not trying to nitpick, but when you're putting out books intended to coach people on writing well, obvious mistakes like these are embarrassing.
Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend this book. The author explains (and reiterates the hell out of) his strategy, but I can't see it being practical for most writers.
April 25, 2015
Let me save you the trouble of paying for this book.
Step one: use the monomyth template
Step two: write a book in 9 days, ignoring sleep, food, family, job, etc.
Step three: ta daa
Seriously. Don't expect incredible wisdom from an author of about 6 books with no more than 4 ratings a piece and three or four other books about how to be an incredible writer. Vet the author a bit and see if you think they have any legitimate authority on how to produce. Actually, I guess this book does exactly what it says it does. Tells you how to write a book in 9 days. Like his other work it will probably be as mediocre as... well, as a book you've written and published in 9 days.
Step one: use the monomyth template
Step two: write a book in 9 days, ignoring sleep, food, family, job, etc.
Step three: ta daa
Seriously. Don't expect incredible wisdom from an author of about 6 books with no more than 4 ratings a piece and three or four other books about how to be an incredible writer. Vet the author a bit and see if you think they have any legitimate authority on how to produce. Actually, I guess this book does exactly what it says it does. Tells you how to write a book in 9 days. Like his other work it will probably be as mediocre as... well, as a book you've written and published in 9 days.
May 14, 2017
I love to read, so I thought reading a short book about writing would help me appreciate and understand how the books I love are put together.
This isn't the book for that. This book will tell you about time management, how many words you need to have a novel, how to leave a cliffhanger.
How to get people to buy 6 more books
Nine Day Novel: Outlining
Nine Day Novel: Writing
Nine Day Novel: Self Editing
Nine Day Novel: Self Publishing
Nine Day Novel: Book Marketing
Nine Day Novel: Writing a Series
All the things the author leaves out of this book, nothing really about creating interesting characters, nothing about rewriting or editing. I should have paid attention to the "Structuring Your Novel For Speed" in the title. This book is about writing fast, not really about writing something anyone would want to read.
The worst part of the book, ads.
This isn't the book for that. This book will tell you about time management, how many words you need to have a novel, how to leave a cliffhanger.
How to get people to buy 6 more books
Nine Day Novel: Outlining
Nine Day Novel: Writing
Nine Day Novel: Self Editing
Nine Day Novel: Self Publishing
Nine Day Novel: Book Marketing
Nine Day Novel: Writing a Series
All the things the author leaves out of this book, nothing really about creating interesting characters, nothing about rewriting or editing. I should have paid attention to the "Structuring Your Novel For Speed" in the title. This book is about writing fast, not really about writing something anyone would want to read.
The worst part of the book, ads.
Throughout this book, you’ll find links to books, author pages, and software. These are affiliate links and I make a little money if you buy something.
February 9, 2015
I enjoyed this one. It was filled with excellent tips on plotting, outlining and structure. There's a lot of merit to writing the first draft quickly and the author definitely makes a good case for it.
What didn't work for me were the tips on finding adequate writing time in the day. The author claims that it takes 90 hours to write 90k words, so you must find 10 hours to write each day. The 5k a day tips were reasonable, but the 10k a day tips felt more like satire, especially for people who have jobs outside the home. I can't imagine making up a relative and killing them just to get a free writing day.
If you can take the 10k a day tips with a grain of salt, I recommend this book to any author looking for ways to get the words on the page faster.
What didn't work for me were the tips on finding adequate writing time in the day. The author claims that it takes 90 hours to write 90k words, so you must find 10 hours to write each day. The 5k a day tips were reasonable, but the 10k a day tips felt more like satire, especially for people who have jobs outside the home. I can't imagine making up a relative and killing them just to get a free writing day.
If you can take the 10k a day tips with a grain of salt, I recommend this book to any author looking for ways to get the words on the page faster.
June 10, 2018
If you are considering writing a novel, you should definitely consider giving this book a try. Although promising that you will be able to write an entire 90,000 word novel in nine days is a bit of a stretch (at least for me), the author still presents very doable tips that can at least show you how to free up the time you need to write. In addition, this book presents a formula for writing that suggests ways for the reader to get the most out of the time spent writing, and presents said formula in a way that pretty much anyone can understand. This book would make a great addition to any aspiring writer's bookshelf.
February 21, 2015
Love is too weak a word
I love this book. Steve has done an excellent job of summarizing what structure is and why you need it to tell your story. The four point structure he gives here is SO much more useful than the typical three act structure provided by most books on plot writing. Do yourself a favor and get this book. Even if a 9 day novel sounds ambitious, you can learn to turbo power your writing and get your story down on paper faster than before.
I love this book. Steve has done an excellent job of summarizing what structure is and why you need it to tell your story. The four point structure he gives here is SO much more useful than the typical three act structure provided by most books on plot writing. Do yourself a favor and get this book. Even if a 9 day novel sounds ambitious, you can learn to turbo power your writing and get your story down on paper faster than before.
January 25, 2016
It was ok. A nice summery of the 4 act structure with examples from the author's own work, told in a colloquial style. Too vague and not extensive enough to be helpful for me.
If this is one of your first writing books, worth a try. If you read some of the classics by James Scott Bell, Donald Maass or Larry Brooks, skip it.
If this is one of your first writing books, worth a try. If you read some of the classics by James Scott Bell, Donald Maass or Larry Brooks, skip it.
June 3, 2017
لكي تُفهم الرواية، يستحسن أن تعرف كيف تُكتب من الأساس. أجزاء الرواية وشخصياتها وحبكتها ومشاكلها يتم شرحها بشكل بسيط في هذا الكتاب. ويخبرنا الكاتب أننا كلنا نستطيع الكتابة في خلال ٩ أيام فقط اذا ما استثمرنا الوقت الكافي لذلك.
في البداية يشرح تقسيم مهام هذه الأيام ثم يطرح علينا كقراء وكُتاب في نفس الوقت بعض الأسئلة لنخوض في سياقها. فالهدف من هذا الكتاب هو تزويدك بالإلهام الكافي لكتابة قصص من مخيلتك وإعلامك بالطرق والوسائل التي تساعدك في الكتابة. من تلك الوسائل طرح أسئلة مثل “ماذا لو؟” و “استخدام الوقت بفعالية أكبر”
اليوم الأول- الوقت المتطلب ١٠ ساعات- المطلوب: عصف ذهني، خلق مفاهيم وأهداف للرواية، تقسيم الرواية الى اربعة أقسام.
اليوم الثاني- المطلوب- المقدمة، شد إتباه القارئ بمقدمة حماسية، صناعة البطل ومواجهة مشكلة نجاح أو فشب.
اليوم الثالث - المطلوب- متابعة كتابة أحداث المشكلة.
اليوم الرابع - المطلوب - كتابة حل للمشكلة ورد فعل قوي من البطل.
في البداية يشرح تقسيم مهام هذه الأيام ثم يطرح علينا كقراء وكُتاب في نفس الوقت بعض الأسئلة لنخوض في سياقها. فالهدف من هذا الكتاب هو تزويدك بالإلهام الكافي لكتابة قصص من مخيلتك وإعلامك بالطرق والوسائل التي تساعدك في الكتابة. من تلك الوسائل طرح أسئلة مثل “ماذا لو؟” و “استخدام الوقت بفعالية أكبر”
اليوم الأول- الوقت المتطلب ١٠ ساعات- المطلوب: عصف ذهني، خلق مفاهيم وأهداف للرواية، تقسيم الرواية الى اربعة أقسام.
اليوم الثاني- المطلوب- المقدمة، شد إتباه القارئ بمقدمة حماسية، صناعة البطل ومواجهة مشكلة نجاح أو فشب.
اليوم الثالث - المطلوب- متابعة كتابة أحداث المشكلة.
اليوم الرابع - المطلوب - كتابة حل للمشكلة ورد فعل قوي من البطل.
June 21, 2021
Sometimes I read these books just out of curiosity and because they are free. That being said I didn't find a lot of value in it. It's not bad, but I can't say it's good either.
It really exaggerates people's capacity, like working 5-10 hours after spending the whole day at your full-time job and writing 1,000 words an hour. I don't think the author himself did that, (and if he did, I don't think it was for long). I don't think the end product would be a good one either. It's much harder to write 5-10 hours of fiction or to write 1,000 words per hour than it is non-fiction. I know, I tried both.
That being said, there's nothing to lose by reading and see what it has to offer. I believe that all books can teach us something that we can use and update to our own experience. If anything, I would see this book more as a motivator than an advice book.
It really exaggerates people's capacity, like working 5-10 hours after spending the whole day at your full-time job and writing 1,000 words an hour. I don't think the author himself did that, (and if he did, I don't think it was for long). I don't think the end product would be a good one either. It's much harder to write 5-10 hours of fiction or to write 1,000 words per hour than it is non-fiction. I know, I tried both.
That being said, there's nothing to lose by reading and see what it has to offer. I believe that all books can teach us something that we can use and update to our own experience. If anything, I would see this book more as a motivator than an advice book.
September 18, 2021
My fellow good reader Ricky said it the best, after his review no need to write another? Well said Ricky, couldn't be truer words than these.
January 2, 2022
I felt it was a bit vague and basic. There were some okay tips, but it could’ve been better.
February 28, 2019
This book itself was written in two days and it shows. Fortunately for Steve Windsor, the author, it is also a damn useful book, concise and mostly to the point. Full disclosure: I've decided to study writing and hopefully write a novel. This is the first book I have read about the subject.
Meant as a reference, Nine Day Novel: Writing Fiction: How to Use Story Structure and Write Your Fiction Novel Faster is going for covering structure and speed, identifying a commonly used template for fiction and applying it for creating the structure of the book. Windsor then prepares the future author for a nine day schedule in which to write a 100000 word novel - which is at the lower end spectrum of what is considered one, but still technically a novel - even indicating ways to gain the time without making huge changes to your way of life. You know, stuff like not watching TV series (damn you, Steve!!).
He names the template 4PSS (four part story structure) which looks kind of like this:
SETUP
- Opening scenes
- Killer Hook Event
- Establish setting, scene (location), stakes of hero
- Foreshadow coming events
- Set up the inciting incident
- First plot point - inciting incident
REACTION – retreat, regroup, run
- Reaction to first plot point
- First pinch point - allude to evil force – Physical middle of Part 2
- Reaction to pinch point
- Lead up to midpoint
- Midpoint of the story
- Revelation - figure out what you are up against – Physical middle of your Novel
PROACTION - Doomed attempt to take action
- Reaction to midpoint
- Second pinch point - allude to evil force again
- Reaction to second pinch point
- Pre second plot point lull - give the reader a tidbit of info – take a breath
- Lead up to second plot point
- Second plot point - the world changes again
- Start the Ticking Clock
RESOLUTION
- Hero accepts reality of the situation
- Climax battle scene
- Final Resolution
- New equilibrium/cliffhanger if writing a series
Actually, it looks exactly like this. I've downloaded it from his web site. He even goes the extra mile to create a story with us and point out famous books that used this structure.
Bottom line: as a reference, it is a great little thing. It is actually part of a Nine Day Novel series that covers outlining, writing, self editing, self publishing, etc.
Meant as a reference, Nine Day Novel: Writing Fiction: How to Use Story Structure and Write Your Fiction Novel Faster is going for covering structure and speed, identifying a commonly used template for fiction and applying it for creating the structure of the book. Windsor then prepares the future author for a nine day schedule in which to write a 100000 word novel - which is at the lower end spectrum of what is considered one, but still technically a novel - even indicating ways to gain the time without making huge changes to your way of life. You know, stuff like not watching TV series (damn you, Steve!!).
He names the template 4PSS (four part story structure) which looks kind of like this:
SETUP
- Opening scenes
- Killer Hook Event
- Establish setting, scene (location), stakes of hero
- Foreshadow coming events
- Set up the inciting incident
- First plot point - inciting incident
REACTION – retreat, regroup, run
- Reaction to first plot point
- First pinch point - allude to evil force – Physical middle of Part 2
- Reaction to pinch point
- Lead up to midpoint
- Midpoint of the story
- Revelation - figure out what you are up against – Physical middle of your Novel
PROACTION - Doomed attempt to take action
- Reaction to midpoint
- Second pinch point - allude to evil force again
- Reaction to second pinch point
- Pre second plot point lull - give the reader a tidbit of info – take a breath
- Lead up to second plot point
- Second plot point - the world changes again
- Start the Ticking Clock
RESOLUTION
- Hero accepts reality of the situation
- Climax battle scene
- Final Resolution
- New equilibrium/cliffhanger if writing a series
Actually, it looks exactly like this. I've downloaded it from his web site. He even goes the extra mile to create a story with us and point out famous books that used this structure.
Bottom line: as a reference, it is a great little thing. It is actually part of a Nine Day Novel series that covers outlining, writing, self editing, self publishing, etc.
June 3, 2015
Nine Day Novel: Writing Fiction: How to Structure and Write Your Fiction Novel Faster (Fiction Writing Basics Book 1) (Kindle Edition)
Closer to 3 1/2 stars but I rounded off to 4 because I really did learn a lot from this book, especially about the Four Part Story Structure. The author is very detailed in breaking down the 4PSS and I'd be curious to see how much better this book would have been if he had taken more time to finish. His suggestions for making/finding time to write may seem excessive but it is realistic if you plan to actually write and publish a book in this lifetime. I don't subscribe to the idea that good writing should be sacrificed for the sake of rushing to get a book published and sold, but I strongly agree with Windsor in that we waste too much time waiting for the optimal circumstances to write (the right time, the perfect pen or computer program, the right state of mind) or for the elusive muse to suddenly appear and inspiration to strike out of thin air. We have to sit down and actually WRITE. A lot. And after all that writing, lots of editing. So it is not easy. It's hard work. Eventually, hopefully, out of all this writing a book will emerge, maybe even one that is readable and people will want to buy.
One final note. some have complained that Windsor really pushes his affiliate links - Scrivener in particular - but he states up front that he gets financial compensation for it and i didn't find it excessive.
This book is a quick read (finished it in one day) with really great in depth tips. You just have to be able to overlook the sometimes annoying , funny-not-so-funny author's writing style.
Closer to 3 1/2 stars but I rounded off to 4 because I really did learn a lot from this book, especially about the Four Part Story Structure. The author is very detailed in breaking down the 4PSS and I'd be curious to see how much better this book would have been if he had taken more time to finish. His suggestions for making/finding time to write may seem excessive but it is realistic if you plan to actually write and publish a book in this lifetime. I don't subscribe to the idea that good writing should be sacrificed for the sake of rushing to get a book published and sold, but I strongly agree with Windsor in that we waste too much time waiting for the optimal circumstances to write (the right time, the perfect pen or computer program, the right state of mind) or for the elusive muse to suddenly appear and inspiration to strike out of thin air. We have to sit down and actually WRITE. A lot. And after all that writing, lots of editing. So it is not easy. It's hard work. Eventually, hopefully, out of all this writing a book will emerge, maybe even one that is readable and people will want to buy.
One final note. some have complained that Windsor really pushes his affiliate links - Scrivener in particular - but he states up front that he gets financial compensation for it and i didn't find it excessive.
This book is a quick read (finished it in one day) with really great in depth tips. You just have to be able to overlook the sometimes annoying , funny-not-so-funny author's writing style.
June 22, 2015
In diesem Schreibratgeber, welcher Teil einer wachsende Serie ist, versucht Steve Windsor (werdende) Autoren zum Schreiben zu motivieren. Geschehen soll dies durch 10.000 Wörter täglich und fertig werden soll der Roman innerhalb von neun Tagen. Das erklärte Ziel des Ratgebers ist es also, den Entwurf eines Romans mit 90.000 Wörtern innerhalb von neun Tagen zu erschaffen.
Für den frischen und unerfahrenen Autor ist das erklärte Ziel jedoch viel zu hoch gesteckt. Zwar wird versucht, auch kleinere Ziele anzubieten, wenn diese aber als Alternative unter den Hauptzielen stehen, ist man unter Umständen frustriert, nicht das eigentliche Ziel zu erfüllen. Allgemein schafft es der Ratgeber allerdings, die Lust am Schreiben durch Zitate und persönliche Erfahrungen im Unterbewusstsein gedeihen zu lassen. Zusätzlich winken als Boni diverse Videoratgeber und anderes Material für Schreiberlinge.
Für den frischen und unerfahrenen Autor ist das erklärte Ziel jedoch viel zu hoch gesteckt. Zwar wird versucht, auch kleinere Ziele anzubieten, wenn diese aber als Alternative unter den Hauptzielen stehen, ist man unter Umständen frustriert, nicht das eigentliche Ziel zu erfüllen. Allgemein schafft es der Ratgeber allerdings, die Lust am Schreiben durch Zitate und persönliche Erfahrungen im Unterbewusstsein gedeihen zu lassen. Zusätzlich winken als Boni diverse Videoratgeber und anderes Material für Schreiberlinge.
March 31, 2016
I don't think I would ever choose to write a novel in 9 days so it seems odd that I read this book. I think I'd rather take a little more time planning and thinking up ideas than just sitting at a computer thwacking away at the keyboard hoping something comes out. This book was very fast paced, it did have a lot of info in it, the general advice on structure was fine. I'm not sure of the quality of writing this method will produce though. However, if the aim is to simply thrash out 300 pages of text in 9 days based on a rough outline that came straight off the top of your head and then sit down for an extended period of time and edit it properly making changes and rewrites when needed, it might work. Rather than being called the 9 day novel, this technique might be better titled the 9 day rough draft.
August 30, 2015
Some decent inspiration (kinda) in just how desperate this guy is to get more words out... it really did make me consider ways, times, & places I can create writing time... but, I mean, it's not for me. This book isn't for me. If you want to write the next C-grade Hunger Games (I've never read it, but the cynic in me - who is weak & usually too cynically apathetic to even be cynical - tells me that book itself isn't exactly a literary masterpiece), but you somehow can't figure out how to start at all, & on top of that you forgot that you have free time somewhere in your life, this book is an absolute 5-star recommend. I don't even mean that cruelly or sarcastically - if this is your goal, I personally don't know of a better book.
June 5, 2015
A call to arms that says: structure your story, and find any means possible - using all available time - to write it.
I'm still struggling to understand story structure, how prose works to get to each beat. For example, he puts Harry Potter into the Aristotle Story Structure, but the placement of the plot points and the fluff in between feels arbitrary. He makes no holds on having written this book in a few binge session, quickly. This shows as his digging into literary lessons on foreshadowing, theme, etc, lead to hyperlinks. A good starting point - but not a lot has stuck around, even after committing time to do homework on it....
I'm still struggling to understand story structure, how prose works to get to each beat. For example, he puts Harry Potter into the Aristotle Story Structure, but the placement of the plot points and the fluff in between feels arbitrary. He makes no holds on having written this book in a few binge session, quickly. This shows as his digging into literary lessons on foreshadowing, theme, etc, lead to hyperlinks. A good starting point - but not a lot has stuck around, even after committing time to do homework on it....
February 28, 2015
This book had a lot of great tips and tricks for carving out time to write. I liked the emphasis on time chunks and how to make them work for you. I have tendonitis so writing 10hrs a day for the "9 Day Novel" isn't a possibility. But using his 5,000 word a day break down, I can complete my novel in the same amount of "time" spread over a few more days. I loved the playful voice of the author and the sample story he works up with the reader. It was helpful to see him do this step by step. I'm excited to apply some of the writing tips I learned from this book.
June 5, 2016
It clicked, is clicking and still mulling it all over! Its the type of book, that ordered both a Kindle and Physical Copy. I loved it and dove right into Outlining - The Basics by Steve Windsor as a followup. I've now taken a few classes and read several books on the subject and happy to get to work on my next steps as a writer and get to that elusive novel *shakes fist at the world. Steve has a way of making everything understandable and relatable. One of the best, "Getter Done" books I've read this year.
September 4, 2017
There are some good strategies in this - I only wish that I had my hands on this baby 20 years ago in my 20's when I was young, dumb, and full of dreams - I will try to use these measures for my future in writing, though to be honest, there are references to other works, which only makes it more research before I begin - But, sometimes, you need the best tools for the job before you begin working. This is a stepping stone to my New Years resolution of writing and completing a novel, and if I follow this well enough, my first series.
Read
July 24, 2016I just had to see how this guy thought you could write a book in 9 days.
I'm not going to put this on my "so you want to be a writer" shelf, but... hey, his crazy laser shark mammal biologist whatever-the-hell-story was amusing.
The 4 part structure... nothing groundbreaking, a lot of reiteration, a lot of filler, but it's a pretty quick read. (It wasn't for me, but that's because I stopped halfway through and then tonight decided to finish it so I could delete it from my nearly-full Kindle.)
Ta-da!
March 24, 2015
A great book to help beginning writers. As the title suggests, it teaches ways to write faster, but what I found more useful is the guide through the four-part story structure (4PSS) of a novel, giving me a clear structure I should follow while writing. Outlining is important in following the 4PSS.
The author is also a big proponent of Scrivener, a writing program. I tried it on Linux, and it works well, but most of my writing is on my Android tablet.
The author is also a big proponent of Scrivener, a writing program. I tried it on Linux, and it works well, but most of my writing is on my Android tablet.
March 2, 2016
This was not for me, so it may be worth 4 or 5 stars to you. Mr. Windsor is clearly an authority, and his approach will work. He presents a template, or structure, on how to tell a story, and this may work out spectacularly for you. You should try it, in fact, because if it does work for you it would likely be life changing.
I'm also going to check out his book on editing, so join me in that book!
I'm also going to check out his book on editing, so join me in that book!
June 29, 2015
3.5. Not a bad book. I doubt anyone could really write a novel in 9 days without it being complete crap, but it's still an interesting perspective on writing. I like the plot sheet, so that helps. I don't think this book is meant to be the only book on writing that you read. It's probably mix and match to find what works best for you.
July 1, 2015
Unless you're really crazy, don't even try the 10K word a day workout. I have written a novel in two weeks - not very good, but yes, I wrote it. This book offers the same thing - you can do it in 9 full days of 5 hours each. Take a vacation and try it. It's doable with this guide. But outline first (sorry, pantsers).
July 4, 2015
There is some decent information here. Mostly the book is about spending as much time writing as possible, but there are some pretty illustrative explanations of the 4 part story structure. A decent read on plotting and craft, not a bad investment of my time or money.
September 14, 2015
This book frightened me silly then I actually tried a couple of Steve's suggestions. Oh my, I did write better when I pushed to do 5,000 words in one day. So I have not yet written a novel in nine days but I have certainly shortened the time line. This is definitely a thought provoking book.
September 17, 2015
Any other book on writing will discuss the four-part story structure -- you don't need to get it here. The thing I found most beneficial in Steve Windsor's instructional nonfiction was that it effectively showed me that I'd probably never be interested in reading Steve Windsor's fiction.
May 9, 2016
You know that horrible place in the slogging middle? This book will guide you to avoid the worst of it and -- if you happen to stupidly gotten yourself into it -- through it. Formulaic can be a good safety net. Especially for stupid beginners. Like yours forever and ever truly. #mwah
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