Recently, author Dean Wesley Smith began a series of daily posts where he documents his days while writing a 70,000 word ghostwritten novel in 7 to 10 days. The process is illuminating and there are many great comments below each post. I've learned a lot and I know other writers (and would-be writers) have too.
As Smith has said many times in past, there are a great many myths believed by writers and perpetuated by the publishing industry and academia. Most new writers swallow them hook, line, and sinker. I know I did for a while. I credit both him and his wife, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, for their willingness to break down those myths and give writers a different perspective on all of it--the view of the long-term professional, working writer. I've thanked them profusely in private and on this blog in the past.
They have certainly paid it forward hundreds of times over for me over the last couple of years. This series of Smith's is a great refresher and the perfect illustration of the methods and the perspective he has mentioned in numerous posts. I know I didn't believe that a novel could be written within a week, but Smith has stopped telling us and now offers to show us what it takes. I know I'm thankful for that.
If you want to read Smith's daily entries so far, here are DAY ONE, DAY TWO, DAY THREE, DAY FOUR, DAY FIVE, DAY SIX, DAY SEVEN, DAY EIGHT, DAY NINE, AND DAY TEN. Read THE DAY AFTER too. (Remember to read the comments too. Lots of value information there too.)
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