Don't Let Your Writing Get Sidetracked by Distracting Questions

by Larry J. Leech II @LarryJLeechII

Write at home or at a coffee shop?

With friends or by oneself?

Music or no music?

Short chapter or long chapter

Write or edit?

A popular villain in Batman Forever movie said near the end of the movie in an exasperated tone, “Too many questions. Too many questions.”

Writers often face a number of questions. Sometimes the answer is cut and dried, black and white, or simply this and not that. But most of the time, the answer relies on the writer’s personal preference.

In all my years of working with writers, particularly those new to the publishing journey, many want a concrete answer. They often get frustrated when there isn’t one. 

3 Frequent Questions from Writers I Hear Are:

• “How long should my chapter be?

• “How many words should I write a day or how many hours?”

• “When should I write?”

All great questions, but none of which have a concrete answer. Chapters can vary in length, depending on the topic or the story. I teach that 2,300-2,700 words works best, but a chapter of 1,200 words can work, if it fits the flow of the story. Thirty-five hundred words can work too. 

The most important thing to remember about chapter length: don’t bog down the story with unnecessary details or information that could make the reader lose interest. If the reader does, reading becomes work and they’ll likely stop reading.

As for the second question, whatever works best for the author, which is something I say often. Some people are capable of writing 1,000 words a day. Others 500. The key is not committing to a total that will eventually overwhelm the author and they stop writing. I do stress to NOT try and write for eight straight hours on a weekend. Most new writers just don’t have the discipline to write for that length of time. 

Remember, 500 words a day equals 2,500 words a week, 10,000 words a month, 60,000 words in six months. And I would discourage an author from writing seven days a week early in their writing journey. That’s just too demanding. 

The third question depends on each person. Jerry B. Jenkins wrote many of his first books at night after his kids went to bed. Ted Dekker wrote late at night early in his career. Each person must find their peak writing time. Several writers I’ve coached have said they write best in the morning, around 4:00-5:00 a.m., before the family gets up. I always reply, “Hats off to you. I do one thing at that time. … Sleep.”

I’m sure you’ve heard this, and read this, over and over: Writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint.

So, don’t wear yourself out at the beginning and flame out. Pace yourself. Find what works best for you. Enjoy the journey. 

In the end, you want to make sure you finish what you started. And celebrate. And rejoice!

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Editor-in-Chief at Bold Vision Books and writing coach of award-winning authors, Larry J. Leech II has spent more than forty years writing and editing. He started his career as a sportswriter in southwestern Pennsylvania where he covered prep, college, and pro sports, including the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers. 

In 2004, after 2,300 published articles, Larry moved into the book publishing industry. Since that time, he has ghostwritten 30 books, edited more than 400 manuscripts, and coached hundreds of authors through the writing and publication process. You can find him online on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.