TL; DR - Give the market what it wants and quickly! That’s loose and fast theory of Rapid Release. If you’re looking to make a good profit by hitting your target audience, then this method is for you. If you want to write the next Great American Novel, the stop here and move on. Beware Work/Life Balance issues. Start cheap and quick. This method requires a lot of hard work, so don’t expect “easy” money. Hard work pays off, and fairly quickly at that if you know what you’re doing.
Full Review Below…
In a few ways at least, this method goes against the idealistic view of the creator, turning a writer into an author whose primary goal is to earn revenue. Is that terrible? No. Writer’s need to earn a living too, and it’s a tough market to break into through traditional publishing. Earning a profit off of escapist literature isn’t a bad way to get started. Though, if you plan to do any serious writing down the road, I recommend the use of a pen name. That said, we live in a digital world. It won’t be hard for someone to figure out who you are, plus Allen suggests that connecting with your fan base is a key part of the success of this method, so I’ll leave that to you to figure it.
Still, there is something that rubs me the wrong way in this book. Allen claims that she and other authors can produce quality writing as a result of using this method and its variations, but on that point, I’m inclined to disagree. I believe that you can produce quality escapist literature, but prose drafted, edited, and released in such a short time period cannot be up to a standard of true masters of the craft. Allen points out though, that this method is NOT for writing the next Great American Novel that most budding writers are hoping to create. Not to say that there isn’t some value to writing fast! I know many renowned authors publishing several books in a year. However, I believe that attributed mostly to their persistence and consistency in the craft. Overall, this method allows you to produce drafts primed for quick publication and profit, not timeless masterpieces. I want to reinforce that that’s okay. Money is money, but writers who write for the art of it may struggle to get past that obstacle.
Still, there are two points which concern me about this method, and which I think the method can still work with tweaking.
1. Work/Life Balance.
This method is taxing on your time and potentially on your health. And while several of these authors are doing this method is no wonder that Allen herself acknowledges the struggle to balance her work and the rest of her life. We all to do I suppose, but I imagine many of them experience a great deal of burnout. I think her suggestion to stockpile drafts is good, and unless you need money ASAP, I recommend taking your time to stockpile several manuscripts before applying the method. It is a little dangerous in that part of the method is behavioral. As you are rewarded with success, your drive to write escapist literature increases! My suggestion? Set strict deadlines and keep to them! Easier said than done, I know. I can’t tell you how many deadlines I’ve missed, but deadline management is key here if you want to be successful in this method. Get the books written and ready to publish as fast as possible, especially if you’re stockpiling. There is also the temptation here to forego your health and relations for the sake of achieving your goal. Regardless of profit, this should be a firm, No, for most everyone. Being available to your closest relations, and caring for your body should always take priority over your career. After all, what good is a profit if you lose everyone and everything important to you. This doesn’t rule out long and hard days altogether; however, be realistic about your goals to finish a novel so its interference with your health and family is minimal.
2. Investment
This method can be expensive, especially if you have no idea what you’re doing! Take your time, do your research and make smart invests. I live by the ideal of “Do it cheap; Do it quick.” A cheap quick start requires little investment and lets you take the method out for a spin. If you feel that, it’s working for you, and by that, I don’t necessarily mean profits because it can take 6-12 months before a solid profit is seen. Are you enjoying the process? And if you’re not enjoying the method, are you willing to bite the bullet and do the work, anyway?
Overall, I think this method is good, provided you are careful and smart about your approach to it. It’s not by any means easy. So if you’re about to embark on this journey, buckle up because it will be a fun, but bumpy ride.