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2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love
"Have you ever wanted to double your daily word counts? Do you feel like you're crawling through your story, struggling for each paragraph? Would you like to get more words every day without increasing the time you spend writing or sacrificing quality? It's not impossible, it's not even that hard. This is the story of how, with a few simple changes, I boosted my daily writing from 2000 words to over 10k a day, and how you can, too." Expanding on her highly successful process for doubling daily word counts, this book--a combination of reworked blog posts and new material--offers practical writing advice for anyone who's ever longed to increase their daily writing output. In addition to updated information for Rachel's popular 2k to 10k writing efficiency process, 5 step plotting method, and easy editing tips, this new book includes chapters on creating characters that write their own stories, story structure, and learning to love your daily writing. Full of easy to follow, practical advice from a commercial author who doesn't eat if she doesn't produce good books on a regular basis, 2k to 10k focuses not just on writing faster, but writing better, and having more fun while you do it. This Revised Edition includes updates and corrections for all chapters!*
108 pages, Paperback
First published October 7, 2012
731 people are currently reading
3795 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Aaron
35 books3,042 followersHello, my name is Rachel Aaron, and I write the Heartstriker books, a new Urban Fantasy series about misfit dragons, starting with Nice Dragons Finish Last. I also wrote The Legend of Eli Monpress fantasy series for Orbit Books about a wizard thief and the poor bastards who have to try and stop him. PLUS I'm also the author of the new, rolicking fun Science Fiction romance Fortune's Pawn under the name Rachel Bach.
I was born in Atlanta, but I currently live a lovely, nerdy, bookish life in Denver, CO with my lightspeed son, perpetually understanding husband, and far too many plants. Besides my own books, the internet knows me best for writing very fast. The best way to get to know me is probably to read my blog or follow me on Twitter.
I was born in Atlanta, but I currently live a lovely, nerdy, bookish life in Denver, CO with my lightspeed son, perpetually understanding husband, and far too many plants. Besides my own books, the internet knows me best for writing very fast. The best way to get to know me is probably to read my blog or follow me on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 825 reviews
November 1, 2018
Despite measuring in at under 100 pages this is one of the most inspirational and impactful volumes on writing that I have ever read.
As the title suggests, this focuses on how to increase your daily word count when writing. In actuality it is so much more than that. This does not just focus on merely quantifying your writing but adding to the quality of it, as well. It guides the reader into creating stronger foundations and aids them in making the writing process faster and more free-flowing. It also provides instruction for the afterwards editing, meaning all areas of the creative process are improved upon.
As the title suggests, this focuses on how to increase your daily word count when writing. In actuality it is so much more than that. This does not just focus on merely quantifying your writing but adding to the quality of it, as well. It guides the reader into creating stronger foundations and aids them in making the writing process faster and more free-flowing. It also provides instruction for the afterwards editing, meaning all areas of the creative process are improved upon.
March 14, 2014
I have never read a 'how to write' book before. Having written nearly 30 books myself, I thought I didn't need one. Then gradually over the last few of my books, my productivity has slowed, and each one got harder and harder, and the last one, I just about gave up on in despair. I'd come across Rachel Aaron's original blog post ages ago, I'd sort of adopted it then forgotten about it. Then (one of those magical moments) I was considering dumping my book, and I saw Rachel was taking part in an on-line conference and I remembered the post and bought this.
Wow! The best thing about it (apart from the fact that it works) is that Rachel has a way of stating the absolute blooming obvious, that really sticks. The sort of thing you know, but you can't articulate, and then when you read it, it's a serious light bulb moment. I was in the middle of my book, so what I needed was to boost my word count. I took her advice seriously, and started measuring my words per hour and that was the first major surprise. Contrary to what I thought, I didn't need a break ever hour, I got faster the more time I wrote, and I wrote more in the afternoon than in the morning. I have always planned scenes, so I already did the 'knowledge' part of her triangle. But the third bit, enthusiasm, was the revelation. I had got so caught up in wondering what people would think about the finished product, I'd forgotten that what I was writing was MY book and no-one else's. I'd thought the reason I spent hours staring at the keyboard and achieving nothing was because I'd forgotten how to write. Actually, there was a great big flaw in my book, and also, much more importantly, I'd fallen out of love with it. These sound like simple lessons, and they are, though they're difficult to take. But once you've reminded yourself of them, the words do really flow. That one big thing - if you don't want to write it, no-one will want to read it - what a difference it made. I averaged 5-6K because I edit as I go along, but I also did hit that 10K, and more importantly for me, I got to be consistent in achieving the 5-6k.
I'm about to start a new book, and I'm going to give her planning process a try now. Okay, hers is a bit genre-specific, but there's plenty in there that's not. And yes, she does use her own books lots as examples, but the examples work, and I've easily been able to transcribe her fantasy-genre advice into my romance genre. And yes, I do work a bit differently from her - I've mentioned that I do a lot of editing as I go along. But nonetheless, I'm going to give her editing advice a try too, when I get the revisions back for my current book. And another big thing I have to mention that I really liked, is that she talks about writing as a craft that can be honed, and not some sort of 'it comes to you in the night and you can or can't' type process. We writers work hard and Rachel knows that and for me she's helped make the process a bit more efficient. Actually, quite a lot.
So whether you're new to writing or like me, in need of a major enthusiasm and productivity boost, I highly recommend this book. And I hardly ever give 5 stars.
Wow! The best thing about it (apart from the fact that it works) is that Rachel has a way of stating the absolute blooming obvious, that really sticks. The sort of thing you know, but you can't articulate, and then when you read it, it's a serious light bulb moment. I was in the middle of my book, so what I needed was to boost my word count. I took her advice seriously, and started measuring my words per hour and that was the first major surprise. Contrary to what I thought, I didn't need a break ever hour, I got faster the more time I wrote, and I wrote more in the afternoon than in the morning. I have always planned scenes, so I already did the 'knowledge' part of her triangle. But the third bit, enthusiasm, was the revelation. I had got so caught up in wondering what people would think about the finished product, I'd forgotten that what I was writing was MY book and no-one else's. I'd thought the reason I spent hours staring at the keyboard and achieving nothing was because I'd forgotten how to write. Actually, there was a great big flaw in my book, and also, much more importantly, I'd fallen out of love with it. These sound like simple lessons, and they are, though they're difficult to take. But once you've reminded yourself of them, the words do really flow. That one big thing - if you don't want to write it, no-one will want to read it - what a difference it made. I averaged 5-6K because I edit as I go along, but I also did hit that 10K, and more importantly for me, I got to be consistent in achieving the 5-6k.
I'm about to start a new book, and I'm going to give her planning process a try now. Okay, hers is a bit genre-specific, but there's plenty in there that's not. And yes, she does use her own books lots as examples, but the examples work, and I've easily been able to transcribe her fantasy-genre advice into my romance genre. And yes, I do work a bit differently from her - I've mentioned that I do a lot of editing as I go along. But nonetheless, I'm going to give her editing advice a try too, when I get the revisions back for my current book. And another big thing I have to mention that I really liked, is that she talks about writing as a craft that can be honed, and not some sort of 'it comes to you in the night and you can or can't' type process. We writers work hard and Rachel knows that and for me she's helped make the process a bit more efficient. Actually, quite a lot.
So whether you're new to writing or like me, in need of a major enthusiasm and productivity boost, I highly recommend this book. And I hardly ever give 5 stars.
March 5, 2014
Much better than I thought it was going to be, and immensely valuable. I have a feeling I'll be revisiting this often, though many of the methods Aaron uses are ones I put into practice as well in my writing endeavors. Review to come soon.
October 31, 2018
I liked the author's practical, no-nonsense approach.
I've decided to take a quote from the book and make it my daily affirmation:
I've decided to take a quote from the book and make it my daily affirmation:
I'm not a temperamental artist enslaved to the whims of her muse.In other words: Get your ass in gear. :-) Hopefully it takes.
January 30, 2018
I had read Rachel's blog post about how she went from writing 2k words a day to 10k, some time ago and decided I should try her book.
One thing I liked was that she tells you right from the start that there is no RIGHT way to write. Everyone is different, and the things that work for one person, might not work for another. That is so true, but it seems that many authors have either forgotten that, or choose to ignore it.
The first part of the book told the story of how she went from 2k to 10k, and broke it down into thing that any author can do, or try. It was a good refresher. I need to get back to some of those things.
The second part of the book dealt more with the dynamics of actually writing. Things like planning your story, your characters, your plot, writing it, and then doing the dreaded editing. While I don't think much of this second part will be useful to me, since I am not a planner, it was interesting to read about how someone else does it.
My one complaint really, is the language this author uses. While not very often, there is one use of the Lord's name taken in vain, and then several other more mild words that I didn't appreciate. Like I said, it wasn't everywhere, but I wished it wasn't there at all.
One thing I liked was that she tells you right from the start that there is no RIGHT way to write. Everyone is different, and the things that work for one person, might not work for another. That is so true, but it seems that many authors have either forgotten that, or choose to ignore it.
The first part of the book told the story of how she went from 2k to 10k, and broke it down into thing that any author can do, or try. It was a good refresher. I need to get back to some of those things.
The second part of the book dealt more with the dynamics of actually writing. Things like planning your story, your characters, your plot, writing it, and then doing the dreaded editing. While I don't think much of this second part will be useful to me, since I am not a planner, it was interesting to read about how someone else does it.
My one complaint really, is the language this author uses. While not very often, there is one use of the Lord's name taken in vain, and then several other more mild words that I didn't appreciate. Like I said, it wasn't everywhere, but I wished it wasn't there at all.
July 1, 2015
There is nothing really new in this book, but that doesn't mean it isn't with a read.
It's like this: some years ago I was a seasoned Army captain working with officer candidates. The candidates were about to do a night map & compass test, and I decided to try my hand to show my skills were still sharp. We were issued our maps and tests, the sergeant said "Go!" And most of the guys and gals plunged into the bushes to find their first points. The old guy, me (I was 31ish), sat down on a rock and used the last bit of fading daylight to plot all my points, as well as the most efficient route. I finished quickly easily, and was able to help find lost candidates when the test was over.
What does this have to do with this book? Everything! 2k to 10k gives the reader common sense tips to make the process of writing and editing more efficient and fun.
When I wrote my first novel I dove into the woods. Sure, I had sort of made an outline, and I eventually built a timeline, but I spent literally months wandering around.
After getting halfway through 2k to 10k I stopped work on my current novel and started scene mapping it. I immediately changed the order of two of the chapters, linked scenes far more effectively, and found ways to squeeze more "juice" out of many scenes. Now, when I actually write those scenes, I will know where I am going and how I will get there.
2k to 10k is not the last word on writing fiction, but I wish I'd read it before I started wandering through the woods. It is a short, easy read, written by an author who earns a living by her writing. I strongly recommend it to anyone who writes fiction, or is thinking about doing so.
It's like this: some years ago I was a seasoned Army captain working with officer candidates. The candidates were about to do a night map & compass test, and I decided to try my hand to show my skills were still sharp. We were issued our maps and tests, the sergeant said "Go!" And most of the guys and gals plunged into the bushes to find their first points. The old guy, me (I was 31ish), sat down on a rock and used the last bit of fading daylight to plot all my points, as well as the most efficient route. I finished quickly easily, and was able to help find lost candidates when the test was over.
What does this have to do with this book? Everything! 2k to 10k gives the reader common sense tips to make the process of writing and editing more efficient and fun.
When I wrote my first novel I dove into the woods. Sure, I had sort of made an outline, and I eventually built a timeline, but I spent literally months wandering around.
After getting halfway through 2k to 10k I stopped work on my current novel and started scene mapping it. I immediately changed the order of two of the chapters, linked scenes far more effectively, and found ways to squeeze more "juice" out of many scenes. Now, when I actually write those scenes, I will know where I am going and how I will get there.
2k to 10k is not the last word on writing fiction, but I wish I'd read it before I started wandering through the woods. It is a short, easy read, written by an author who earns a living by her writing. I strongly recommend it to anyone who writes fiction, or is thinking about doing so.
March 26, 2017
I think I need to read this over again because I read it while prepping for an international move and finishing off a novel, and it basically went in one ear and out the other.
There was a point at which writing fast and hitting huge word counts per day was a Big Effing Deal in the writer world, and I guess Aaron was one of the gurus of this movement. Lately, though, I haven't been hearing much about writing fast, probably because the proponents of this method have burned out. And most people who raved about dictation seem to have gone back to good old-fashioned fingers on keyboard.
My feeling is that you're either a naturally prolific writer or you're not. It's worth trying to up your word count (using whatever method appeals to you) and seeing if it helps, but if you just can't work that way, don't make yourself miserable about it. Develop your own process, and stop looking over your shoulder at the other writers. Just try to finish what you write and do your best to get your work in front of readers.
There was a point at which writing fast and hitting huge word counts per day was a Big Effing Deal in the writer world, and I guess Aaron was one of the gurus of this movement. Lately, though, I haven't been hearing much about writing fast, probably because the proponents of this method have burned out. And most people who raved about dictation seem to have gone back to good old-fashioned fingers on keyboard.
My feeling is that you're either a naturally prolific writer or you're not. It's worth trying to up your word count (using whatever method appeals to you) and seeing if it helps, but if you just can't work that way, don't make yourself miserable about it. Develop your own process, and stop looking over your shoulder at the other writers. Just try to finish what you write and do your best to get your work in front of readers.
April 20, 2014
This little book has a huge ambition. The first part provides a system formed of a few hacks on how to radically increase your writing productivity. In the second part, the author describes how she writes her own books, dealing with the character, plot, settings and editing.
The essence of how to get faster, described in the first part can be summarized easily: Know what you are writing about, choose the best time for writing and write with enthusiasm. All these elements seem obvious, but we often overlook them... at least I do. It is difficult to both create the large plot and write at the same time. That is why you should plan your writing before starting to write. For the beginning, spend a few minutes to jot down your ideas. In the second part of the book, Rachel will get more into the large scale planning. The time when you write can be extremely important, too. And you may not know exactly what your best time is; so keep track of your work. Rachel thought, initially, she is most productive in the morning, but after analyzing her data, she figured out that it is in the afternoon. That is not all; you should get a big chunk of time set aside for writing, as it takes an hour or two to get in to the writing mindset. The place matters, as well, as no internet connection helps to increase productivity. The third ingredient is enthusiasm. If you are not enthusiastic about a part of the book, how would you expect your readers to be?! So, dump the idea, or find what the problem is. Usually, you may not have enough information. Discovering the issue, by being honest with you, leads the solution.
In the second part, Rachel gets into details of her own process of writing. Initially, she thinks about the character, plot and settings. Afterwards, she makes a time-line, a map, a list of scenes, a character sheet. This simple idea, that a novel has these 3 elements, was rather insightful, especially in the way Rachel states it: 'put your characters in a tree', 'light the tree on fire' and 'get your characters off the tree'. You should get this structure into your entire series, if you write more than one book, the book, the chapter, and the scene!
How a student writing non-fiction could apply these suggestions, was my question? The first part seems rather obvious: plan, find a time, and check your enthusiasm. Can you view, however, a research paper in terms of characters, plots and settings? Why not, I thought? The characters will be different trends of thought, schools, and writers. The Plot represents how these ideas interact, how you play them one against each other. While the Setting is the general discussion and problems this paper is written in. I guess, if we will set-up research papers like that, they will get more readers!
The essence of how to get faster, described in the first part can be summarized easily: Know what you are writing about, choose the best time for writing and write with enthusiasm. All these elements seem obvious, but we often overlook them... at least I do. It is difficult to both create the large plot and write at the same time. That is why you should plan your writing before starting to write. For the beginning, spend a few minutes to jot down your ideas. In the second part of the book, Rachel will get more into the large scale planning. The time when you write can be extremely important, too. And you may not know exactly what your best time is; so keep track of your work. Rachel thought, initially, she is most productive in the morning, but after analyzing her data, she figured out that it is in the afternoon. That is not all; you should get a big chunk of time set aside for writing, as it takes an hour or two to get in to the writing mindset. The place matters, as well, as no internet connection helps to increase productivity. The third ingredient is enthusiasm. If you are not enthusiastic about a part of the book, how would you expect your readers to be?! So, dump the idea, or find what the problem is. Usually, you may not have enough information. Discovering the issue, by being honest with you, leads the solution.
In the second part, Rachel gets into details of her own process of writing. Initially, she thinks about the character, plot and settings. Afterwards, she makes a time-line, a map, a list of scenes, a character sheet. This simple idea, that a novel has these 3 elements, was rather insightful, especially in the way Rachel states it: 'put your characters in a tree', 'light the tree on fire' and 'get your characters off the tree'. You should get this structure into your entire series, if you write more than one book, the book, the chapter, and the scene!
How a student writing non-fiction could apply these suggestions, was my question? The first part seems rather obvious: plan, find a time, and check your enthusiasm. Can you view, however, a research paper in terms of characters, plots and settings? Why not, I thought? The characters will be different trends of thought, schools, and writers. The Plot represents how these ideas interact, how you play them one against each other. While the Setting is the general discussion and problems this paper is written in. I guess, if we will set-up research papers like that, they will get more readers!
October 17, 2012
I've read a lot of writing books over the last fifteen years, from the inspirational anyone-can-write fare to the daunting slush-pile-avoidance and plot-doctoring books that operate on the assumption that I already have a complete manuscript. I don't, because I basically have not figured out how to get my shit together.
Finally, I think this might be the book that helps me get my shit together. Writing processes are highly individual (and Rachel Aaron acknowledges that!), but there's so much here that makes sense for refining mine. She covers much of it in her 2K to 10K blog post and the Kindle version features additional sections on plotting early in the writing process, keeping editing as painless as possible, and getting through those times when you dread even looking at your novel (hint: it's not you, it's the novel).
I'm looking forward to implementing her techniques. For me, this was 99 cents well spent.
Finally, I think this might be the book that helps me get my shit together. Writing processes are highly individual (and Rachel Aaron acknowledges that!), but there's so much here that makes sense for refining mine. She covers much of it in her 2K to 10K blog post and the Kindle version features additional sections on plotting early in the writing process, keeping editing as painless as possible, and getting through those times when you dread even looking at your novel (hint: it's not you, it's the novel).
I'm looking forward to implementing her techniques. For me, this was 99 cents well spent.
October 14, 2012
Game Changer
I purchased this book based on a recommendation. And now, after the results I've seen, I definitely need to send that person flowers!
I'll admit when I first saw the title, it made me think of all those crazy diet claims you see. Like - "Lose 50 pounds in one week!" But I can assure you, this is no joke. This is the real deal.
After reading through the book, I immediately put Rachel's techniques into action. After just three days I've seen pretty amazing results. My daily word count has more than doubled, and that's without increasing my writing time! Some of the concepts in the book aren't new, but it's the way in which her techniques are laid out that really helped me to focus during my writing times.
The section on Editing is phenomenal, and I can't wait to put those steps into practice after I'm done with my first draft!
This is without a doubt the BEST 99 cents I've spent in a while!
I purchased this book based on a recommendation. And now, after the results I've seen, I definitely need to send that person flowers!
I'll admit when I first saw the title, it made me think of all those crazy diet claims you see. Like - "Lose 50 pounds in one week!" But I can assure you, this is no joke. This is the real deal.
After reading through the book, I immediately put Rachel's techniques into action. After just three days I've seen pretty amazing results. My daily word count has more than doubled, and that's without increasing my writing time! Some of the concepts in the book aren't new, but it's the way in which her techniques are laid out that really helped me to focus during my writing times.
The section on Editing is phenomenal, and I can't wait to put those steps into practice after I'm done with my first draft!
This is without a doubt the BEST 99 cents I've spent in a while!
February 26, 2025
Practical advice, well organized, to the point.
October 18, 2017
Me encantan estos ebooks porque son como morale boost que necesito. Este corto ebook es una pequeña joyita para esos días en los que dudas o no tienes ni idea de que estás haciendo.
La autora lo ha llamado de 2k a 10k. No sé si llegaré a tanto pero seguro que aumento mi producción si sigo sus consejos.
¿Son consejos super innovadores? Pues oye, no. Pero aquí cada uno viene de su casa y hace lo que quiere y cree que le funciona y no. También podría llamar a este ebook: De brújula a mapa + un poquito de ilusión pa' tu cuerpo.
La primera parte del ebook va sobre los tres pilares sobre los que la autora se basa para incrementar las palabras: Conocimiento, tiempo y entusiasmo.
En un resumen muy corto: Tienes que saber sobre lo que estás escribiendo, contabilizar el tiempo para conocer tus mejoras horas y localizar tu entusiasmo en lo que escribes. Cuanto más te guste más escribirás. La autora nos hará aprender de sus errores.
La segunda parte se centra en su proceso. Aunque yo de momento no escribo cosas largas me han gustado mucho sus ideas, como la de llamarse arquitecto y deshechar eso de ser un escritor trágico que danza con las musas. Escribir es un trabajo.
De hecho, eso de brújula y mapa lo he visto cambiado a jardinero y arquitecto y me mola un montón más.
También habla del proceso de editar, largo y tendido, y aquí se puede aprender muchísimo. Es un proceso tedioso que hay que continuar haciendo hasta que empieza a gustar. Yo estoy llegando.
Y por último, y por lo que se ha ganado la 5º estrella ha sido por tu queja sobre "La policía de la escritura" que te dice que vende y que no y que puedes hacer y que no. No existe. Haz lo que quieras pero bien. Y luego ya se verá si se vende o no. No se puede seguir la pista a las modas y querer sumarse a la cresta de la ola. Haz lo que te apasione a ti.
A destacar me ha encantado esta cita para cambiar mi pensamiento de jardinera a arquitecta (aunque siempre siguiendo tus instintos): "Trusting your guts is different from being at its mercy".
Tiene un inglés muy accesible y un tono muy humorístico y positivo que se agradece.
Lo necesitaba.
La autora lo ha llamado de 2k a 10k. No sé si llegaré a tanto pero seguro que aumento mi producción si sigo sus consejos.
¿Son consejos super innovadores? Pues oye, no. Pero aquí cada uno viene de su casa y hace lo que quiere y cree que le funciona y no. También podría llamar a este ebook: De brújula a mapa + un poquito de ilusión pa' tu cuerpo.
La primera parte del ebook va sobre los tres pilares sobre los que la autora se basa para incrementar las palabras: Conocimiento, tiempo y entusiasmo.
En un resumen muy corto: Tienes que saber sobre lo que estás escribiendo, contabilizar el tiempo para conocer tus mejoras horas y localizar tu entusiasmo en lo que escribes. Cuanto más te guste más escribirás. La autora nos hará aprender de sus errores.
La segunda parte se centra en su proceso. Aunque yo de momento no escribo cosas largas me han gustado mucho sus ideas, como la de llamarse arquitecto y deshechar eso de ser un escritor trágico que danza con las musas. Escribir es un trabajo.
De hecho, eso de brújula y mapa lo he visto cambiado a jardinero y arquitecto y me mola un montón más.
También habla del proceso de editar, largo y tendido, y aquí se puede aprender muchísimo. Es un proceso tedioso que hay que continuar haciendo hasta que empieza a gustar. Yo estoy llegando.
Y por último, y por lo que se ha ganado la 5º estrella ha sido por tu queja sobre "La policía de la escritura" que te dice que vende y que no y que puedes hacer y que no. No existe. Haz lo que quieras pero bien. Y luego ya se verá si se vende o no. No se puede seguir la pista a las modas y querer sumarse a la cresta de la ola. Haz lo que te apasione a ti.
A destacar me ha encantado esta cita para cambiar mi pensamiento de jardinera a arquitecta (aunque siempre siguiendo tus instintos): "Trusting your guts is different from being at its mercy".
Tiene un inglés muy accesible y un tono muy humorístico y positivo que se agradece.
Lo necesitaba.
April 8, 2014
Radically changed how I write…and that's after having already completed upwards of 50 manuscripts. Injected a degree of joy back into my writing (and my life as a result) that I wasn't ever expecting to find again. That alone completely made this little book fully worth the read.
May 27, 2015
I like this book so much I've read it twice! Great tips. I've definitely noticed a huge uptick in my own productivity since moving from pantsing to plotting. Highly recommended for writers of all levels.
April 3, 2025
This book has some great tips, and offers an interesting approach to writing faster. Perhaps I'm finally ready to put it into practice and spend less time procrastinating.
Recommended to anyone who sits in front of a document a lot, trying to write words. (Emphasis on trying.) Valuable advice!
Recommended to anyone who sits in front of a document a lot, trying to write words. (Emphasis on trying.) Valuable advice!
October 31, 2015
I read this last night to help me get in the NaNoWriMo mood.
It cost me a buck. Money well spent.
June 29, 2014
Disappointing, for the most part. Rachel Aaron's advice is basically to be a heavy planner (as opposed to a "pantser", that is, a "write by the seat of your pants" style writer). If you plan out every chapter and every scene before you actually start "writing", you see, the writing goes quicker.
Stop the presses.
The rest of the book consists of writing advice that's so crushingly obvious as to be trite (Three Act Structure -- it's gonna be BIG folks!) delivered in an irritatingly glib manner. It may be an artifact of originating as a series of "chatty" blog posts, but Ms. Aaron comes off as that one person at the party who keeps telling everyone things most people learned long ago as if it were the secret to life, the universe, and everything. You know, the kind who follows up half her points with "Think about it. Pretty deep, huh?"
It's not a total loss. Some of her descriptions of how she rethought her writing process could have, from a person who actually was a bit deeper instead of just thinking she was, been a springboard for a book useful to all writers, not just newbies (not a pejorative --- everybody's a newbie at the beginning) who've never encountered someone espousing the basics before, and who really, really like outlining everything down to the last detail.
But for anyone who's been writing for more than a short while, or who has encountered more than one or two other "how to write" books, I can't recommend this one. (If you are new, give it a go, but then go off and read half a dozen others that have more substance and utility to them, like Dwight Swain's how to books, and William Martell's screenwriting books.)
Stop the presses.
The rest of the book consists of writing advice that's so crushingly obvious as to be trite (Three Act Structure -- it's gonna be BIG folks!) delivered in an irritatingly glib manner. It may be an artifact of originating as a series of "chatty" blog posts, but Ms. Aaron comes off as that one person at the party who keeps telling everyone things most people learned long ago as if it were the secret to life, the universe, and everything. You know, the kind who follows up half her points with "Think about it. Pretty deep, huh?"
It's not a total loss. Some of her descriptions of how she rethought her writing process could have, from a person who actually was a bit deeper instead of just thinking she was, been a springboard for a book useful to all writers, not just newbies (not a pejorative --- everybody's a newbie at the beginning) who've never encountered someone espousing the basics before, and who really, really like outlining everything down to the last detail.
But for anyone who's been writing for more than a short while, or who has encountered more than one or two other "how to write" books, I can't recommend this one. (If you are new, give it a go, but then go off and read half a dozen others that have more substance and utility to them, like Dwight Swain's how to books, and William Martell's screenwriting books.)
January 10, 2016
Great productivity boost!
I'm not a huge fan of books on writing because honestly, I don't believe you can learn how to write from books on writing; you learn how to write from writing. That said, this book was awesome and exactly what I needed to read because I had successfully blocked myself from doing just that: writing. No, I don't have aspirations of writing 10k a day, but this isn't what this book is about. It's about how to boost your productivity by knowing what you'll be writing, tracking your productivity, and making sure you're excited about what you're writing, because if you aren't, how are readers supposed to be?
This book mentions some new ideas about how to do that along with combining others that I knew about but never thought to combine. Anyway, read it. I'm going to go wrote now.
I'm not a huge fan of books on writing because honestly, I don't believe you can learn how to write from books on writing; you learn how to write from writing. That said, this book was awesome and exactly what I needed to read because I had successfully blocked myself from doing just that: writing. No, I don't have aspirations of writing 10k a day, but this isn't what this book is about. It's about how to boost your productivity by knowing what you'll be writing, tracking your productivity, and making sure you're excited about what you're writing, because if you aren't, how are readers supposed to be?
This book mentions some new ideas about how to do that along with combining others that I knew about but never thought to combine. Anyway, read it. I'm going to go wrote now.
December 6, 2018
This was recommended in Alessandra Torre's writing webinar, "Hit Your Author Goals in 2019." This was such a quick and enjoyable read with gems for new and seasoned authors alike. I believe I found exactly what I need to get my word count higher! I LOVED the positive and uplifting feel. Now to put her tips into practice! ;)
Alessandra's webinar link for any author friends who'd like it: http://events.genndi.com/r/3/0/replay...
Alessandra's webinar link for any author friends who'd like it: http://events.genndi.com/r/3/0/replay...
September 17, 2017
Conciso, corto y con un tono muy cercano. No sé si mi brujulería innata podrá soportar tanta preparación previa, pero ofrece consejos muy buenos que pretendo llevar a cabo. A ver cómo sale.
Relectura: La primera mitad es para enmarcar. Estupendo para darte un chute de energía cuando andas baja. Y Goodreads dice que hace casi un año justo de la primera lectura, juas.
Relectura: La primera mitad es para enmarcar. Estupendo para darte un chute de energía cuando andas baja. Y Goodreads dice que hace casi un año justo de la primera lectura, juas.
August 20, 2023
This is closer to 4.5 for me, especially after I went through and re-read all my highlighted and tabbed passages and realised I had noted something on almost every page. I suspect that if I hadn't read so many books about writing already, my rating would edge towards 5 stars.
Rachel Aaron writes in a clear, engaging style with no added fluff, which I appreciate. And her advice is sound. As a complete pantser (ahem, "discovery writer") myself, I know that plotting out a whole novel in advance does not work for me. However, the kind of micro-plotting she suggests before each writing session is something I found I can absolutely do. And it makes a huge difference to my usually slow drafting speed. I will be employing this trick from now on.
The editing section is particularly good, setting out steps that make an often murky process crystal clear and achievable.
I would recommend this little book to any fiction writer who would like to improve their drafting speed while not sacrificing quality.
Rachel Aaron writes in a clear, engaging style with no added fluff, which I appreciate. And her advice is sound. As a complete pantser (ahem, "discovery writer") myself, I know that plotting out a whole novel in advance does not work for me. However, the kind of micro-plotting she suggests before each writing session is something I found I can absolutely do. And it makes a huge difference to my usually slow drafting speed. I will be employing this trick from now on.
The editing section is particularly good, setting out steps that make an often murky process crystal clear and achievable.
I would recommend this little book to any fiction writer who would like to improve their drafting speed while not sacrificing quality.
April 2, 2017
Super short but one of the most helpful books I've read on writing. Lots of the ideas can be found in other places but this book seems to take the GREAT ideas from about 15 different writing books and combines them into one book and then adds practical examples. Highly recommend.
February 5, 2024
This has some really excellent tips that I’ll absolutely be incorporating into my writing practice, and it’s such a cheap buy! I totally recommend giving it a read if you’re interested in writing more efficiently.
November 3, 2024
Quick read with nuggets of wisdom for new and experienced writers alike. I was especially intrigued by her approach to editing and will be giving that a go with my current wip, when the time comes.
February 6, 2022
I love this! It was genuinely so realistic and helped me change my viewpoint. I was so stuck and not writing for weeks but this helped me start writing 2k+ in the first few days. I definitely recommend this to any writer but also anyone struggling with writers block.
August 31, 2018
Full title: 2,000 to 10,000: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love.
Rachel Aaron is a professional full-time author of fantasy and science fiction. A few years ago, she did some analysis and self-examination of her writing habits and techniques and managed to successfully apply some theories to take her writing from 2,000 words a day to 10,000 words a day.
Rachel first published most of the information in this book as a series of blog posts, and honestly, if all you’re interested in is the ‘how she did it’ bit of the 2k to 10k, you might as well read the original blog post (at thisblogisaploy.blogspot.com) or indeed just the 10% sample of this book. I won’t give it away here, but it’s a method which is both blindingly simple and not at all obvious unless you’ve done some ruthless self-examination, as Rachel has. I already track my writing time, which is one-third of her method, but applying the other two-thirds is something I hope to see tangible results from over time.
However, increasing your word count isn’t all that’s covered in this book. Rachel also goes into plot structure, character development, outlining, problem solving and effective editing methods. There are some really useful nuggets in here - in fact, one of the questions she posed “Ask yourself, what do your characters want most?” helped unblock me on one of my current works in progress, which alone was worth the price of the book, to me.
I have to say, though, I’m not a big fan of paying for what you can get on the internet (legally!) for free, and though the blurb states there is new information in the book which wasn’t in the blog posts, after looking them over I didn’t really see anything significant. While I found the book useful, there isn’t anything ground-breaking and new in it, and I’d have to suggest you take a look through the blog posts first. If you find Rachel’s method helps you, maybe you could thank her by purchasing the book for your library and leaving a good review!
I’m going to give it four stars; while I definitely added a few notes to the journal I keep writing tips and tricks I’ve gathered in, I doubt I’ll be back to refer to this one on a regular basis.
Rachel Aaron is a professional full-time author of fantasy and science fiction. A few years ago, she did some analysis and self-examination of her writing habits and techniques and managed to successfully apply some theories to take her writing from 2,000 words a day to 10,000 words a day.
Rachel first published most of the information in this book as a series of blog posts, and honestly, if all you’re interested in is the ‘how she did it’ bit of the 2k to 10k, you might as well read the original blog post (at thisblogisaploy.blogspot.com) or indeed just the 10% sample of this book. I won’t give it away here, but it’s a method which is both blindingly simple and not at all obvious unless you’ve done some ruthless self-examination, as Rachel has. I already track my writing time, which is one-third of her method, but applying the other two-thirds is something I hope to see tangible results from over time.
However, increasing your word count isn’t all that’s covered in this book. Rachel also goes into plot structure, character development, outlining, problem solving and effective editing methods. There are some really useful nuggets in here - in fact, one of the questions she posed “Ask yourself, what do your characters want most?” helped unblock me on one of my current works in progress, which alone was worth the price of the book, to me.
I have to say, though, I’m not a big fan of paying for what you can get on the internet (legally!) for free, and though the blurb states there is new information in the book which wasn’t in the blog posts, after looking them over I didn’t really see anything significant. While I found the book useful, there isn’t anything ground-breaking and new in it, and I’d have to suggest you take a look through the blog posts first. If you find Rachel’s method helps you, maybe you could thank her by purchasing the book for your library and leaving a good review!
I’m going to give it four stars; while I definitely added a few notes to the journal I keep writing tips and tricks I’ve gathered in, I doubt I’ll be back to refer to this one on a regular basis.
November 27, 2019
Do you want to write more every day without increasing the time you spend writing or sacrificing quality? It's not impossible[...].
Yes it is.
If you don't believe it, go read Last Dragon Standing, Heartstrikers 5. Heartstrikers is a really successful series of 5 books where the first one is excellent and the last one is terrible. Sure, it has a high rating but is that everything that defines a book? I don't think so.
In 10k a day, the author makes some excellent points. You should plan where your book is going, clarify your goals, see which scenes work and which should be combined into one (same with characters), remove the fluff, strengthen the writing. All this is top notch writing advice. Moreover, it's clearly written and focused in a way you don't find in many similar books. I highly recommend reading this book because Aaron is a master of identifying ways to make your writing tight and punchy.
But the truth is that you can tell there's a huge quality difference between the first book in the Heartstrikers series and the last one. The last one is supposed to be dedicated to a climactic battle but is in fact a low-tension dialog swamp. It's full of telling and, while the outline was clearly fine, the quality of the writing lags terribly. I've explained in my review what didn't work there. Aaron, subjecting herself to the pressure of writing 10k a day no matter what, simply failed. A master of theory, she failed in her implementation because you can't realistically write however much without sacrificing quality. As the end of the day ticks closer, you stop thinking how to show things and start focusing on chattering out words in rapid fire.
Take her advice to improve your writing but don't adopt unrealistic expectations if you want to write high quality.
July 28, 2013
This is far and away one of the best books I've ever read about writing. Why? Because Aaron breaks down the basics of how she achieved writing 10,000 words per day, how you can, and, most importantly, why she did it. It's not just a numbers game, or even primarily about numbers, but about making the process of writing long form fiction easier by starting out knowing what you plan to write in advance. Her language is easy to follow and she offers practical explanations for every bit of advice, ones that resonated deeply with me. She also explores why we get blocked, what it means creatively, and how to go about tackling the issue. In some ways the whys are a bit more philosophical, but no less practical, because Aaron locates the problem not in some lack of desire or energy or ambition but within the story itself, and offers concrete steps to take to fix issues with the plot or overall story. She also gives advice about editing that is a completely different way of looking at it I'd never considered. No matter what numbers you actually wind up with, this is an ebook well worth its price, which I look forward to putting to use in my writing.
September 18, 2016
There are countless books on writing craft but the author’s personality is stamped on every page of this little gem of a book. Rachel Aaron’s enthusiasm shines through and seems to define her writing voice, along with a sprinkle of humor...which was really appealing.
This book is not really about speed but more about how to use the time you have to increase your word count.
She has a practical, straightforward, easy-to-apply approach and doesn’t come across as a know-it-all. We are reminded that every writer is unique, so what works for one writer may not work for the next writer.
The one thing that really stood out? Writing should be fun. If it becomes painful then you are doing something wrong.
I'll probably re-read sections of the book as I go along.
The only thing that marred the reading experience – too many typos...
This book is not really about speed but more about how to use the time you have to increase your word count.
She has a practical, straightforward, easy-to-apply approach and doesn’t come across as a know-it-all. We are reminded that every writer is unique, so what works for one writer may not work for the next writer.
The one thing that really stood out? Writing should be fun. If it becomes painful then you are doing something wrong.
I'll probably re-read sections of the book as I go along.
The only thing that marred the reading experience – too many typos...
July 5, 2016
This is a stellar book which every writer who actually wants to produce their dreams of fiction should absolutely 100% read.
And then implement.
What Rachel says about passion, how to tap into it, how to channel it.... all theses things are spot on. I've been inspired by her sentiments on the subject to write more bravely, boldly and with less "hedging of bets" and I've become infinitely more pleased with myself as a writer and the results of said writing.
She is a gem of an author, and I am super grateful to her for sharing her tried and true wisdom with us!!!
I wish this came in paperback so I could buy it and pass it out to writers in need. :-)
(Or at least just keep it on my shelf for myself to refer to whenever I feel blue!!!)
And then implement.
What Rachel says about passion, how to tap into it, how to channel it.... all theses things are spot on. I've been inspired by her sentiments on the subject to write more bravely, boldly and with less "hedging of bets" and I've become infinitely more pleased with myself as a writer and the results of said writing.
She is a gem of an author, and I am super grateful to her for sharing her tried and true wisdom with us!!!
I wish this came in paperback so I could buy it and pass it out to writers in need. :-)
(Or at least just keep it on my shelf for myself to refer to whenever I feel blue!!!)
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