I had to produce a complete page - or two or three - in one day. I took a lot of pride in my work, and I hated to do a mediocre job. Evidently, some of the writers enjoyed my work best of all for that very reason.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Back in my pulp-mag days, I worked from about 8:30 to noon, took an hour off for lunch, and worked again from one to three, for a work day of five and a half hours or so. I wrote 20 to 30 pages of copy in that time, doing it all first draft, so that I was able to produce a short story of 5,000-7,500 words in a single day.
Like so many writers I started writing stories because I didn't have much time for anything else.
At thirty-five, having spent over twenty years running varied businesses for my family, I decided to sit down and write my first novel. I had never written anything longer than a couple of pages till then and was foolishly attempting to write a hundred-thousand words.
I had to prepare physically every day, and I didn't leave many scraps for the writers.
I wrote each book in thirty-five days flat - just to get the darned thing finished.
So I thought I should write five pages a day. And that's what I did. Eventually I had a book.
I wanted to be a writer, but the idea of writing novels or movies seemed really intimidating. I never got more than a few pages into one.
I didn't think I would be an exceptional writer, and I thought I might be a useful publisher. I've never regretted it.
It's still incredibly hard. Not just honing my craft but kicking down doors, getting my work published. Early on, I could have wallpapered my house with all the rejection letters sent my way. I put thousands of hours and pages into four novels that never saw the light of day.
It took me nine months to write 60 pages. It was very frustrating.