indie books: May 2010 Archives

Last Friday I had a meeting with Tom to check over the latest chapters of the book. It was an interesting gauge of the progress that I blogged here. Talking about how many words per session you need to be doing.

So, I meet with Tom for feedback every time I finish three chapters. In the post we looked at a model that had an average chapter at 5 000 words. That is shooting for a 250 page book. Mine is slightly shorter, an average chapter is between 3 000 and 3 500 words. 

So, I meet with someone to get feedback, revisit the writing and chat about the ideas therein about once every 10 000 words. 

I give Tom new material at every other meeting. So I suppose I'm writing this at a rate of 5000 words per week. I generally fit in three sessions a week, so between 1-2 000 per sit down. I'd prefer to be doubling that rate by one way or another ... but I'm closing in on 70% done, 12 out of 18 chapters. 

At the current rate I should be finished the full draft around 5th July 2010.

These book posts are coming out in no real order. Sorry about that.

Today: having someone check your work and feedback

*You want feedback at the draft stage

*You need a specific type only: personal response

*You need to find someone to do this

Part of the attraction of DIY book writing is that you can have complete control of your content. Various forms of checking and feedback are very useful and necessary but there is a definite culture of abuse in big publishing and pro journalism that we can happily avoid. I will write a separate post on that then come back and link it.

But but but. Especially for long form writing, you do want feedback. In our world though, you can choose to ignore it.

I use Shanghai based writer and musician Tom Mangione.

I try to do it once a week - especially since I'm trying to hit good quotas