New Blog – Of Typewriters, Computers, & Bitching
First, my website at https://www.laurellkhamilton.com is finally updated and a bit more user friendly for us and all of you. The Anita Blake books, and the Merry Gentry books are now in order of publication, for all who have asked. Second, I’ve answered some of the questions that were prompted by my latest blog.
A lot of people have been bitching that I do page count, rather than word count on my daily writing quota. First, why should you even care one way or the other? Second, I think everyone forgets that I’m 51, which means when I wrote my first short stories at age 17 it was on a manual typewriter. There was no word-processor to show me my word count at the bottom of my page. If I wanted a word count I had to do it the old fashioned way by counting average lines per page and then estimating words/characters per line, and then adding your pages in, and by the end of a writing session I wasn’t up to the math. I did it before I sent a story out to a magazine and put the word count at the top of the story as was professional format at the time, but my daily writing quota was pages, not words, because the math seemed laborious after my brain was fried from actually writing, or I’d had a really good writing session and my brian was euphoric with endorphins and I was too happy to do math. Math at the end of a day of wonderful creativity seemed like punishment to me, and still does. (Sorry all you math lovers, but it’s not my cup of happiness. )
But that’s why I do page count, instead of word count for my daily writing quota. Most writers form habits early on and if it works most writers, and artists, are loath to change it. I think we’re all a little superstitious as if changing one small thing will somehow make the magic go away. I know it sounds silly, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and setting myself 4 pages a day works better for me than saying I owe myself four thousand words before I can take a break, or quit for the day.
And onto my typing speed – I posted my typing speed in a bid to help some of the beginning writers feel better about not hitting my page count on my best days when I can do 20-40 pages in 6-8 hours. That’s counting only the pages I kept, not the ones that didn’t work. The pages that are completely unsatisfactory as I type are usually just toggled lower down on the page so that all my rough drafts have this enormous garbage section at the end of manuscript file of writing ideas, plot twists, or character breakthroughs that just didn’t work. I don’t delete it, because sometimes I find the scene really did work and I need it. If I deleted the “garbage” at the end of the day I’d have to rewrite the scene. (This was learned the hard way early on when I switched from typewriter to computer. It’s too damn easy to delete on a computer screen, at least with typed pages the pages are still in your office to dig through.) I wouldn’t type 200 words a minute on a standard typing test, because that’s not me writing my own fresh words. I have no idea how fast I type when copying, or taking dictation, because why would I bother copying someone else’s words, or take dictation from anyone, but my own imagination? But using my own writing as the speed test on the online tests it did come out to 200 wpm, and that is subtracting for mistakes. I spent years with computer buffers unable to keep up with my typing speed. The blinking cursor would sit at the end of the line beeping and complaining at me, and I would have to wait until the text on screen spilled out what I’d just typed, and then I could continue on, until I out typed the buffer again, and again, and . . . I love how fast computers are now, and that they don’t complain with noise that I’m typing faster than they prefer. (The picture attached to this blog is me today with my very first typewriter. We found it as we sorted through things recently. I’d totally forgotten where it was. Thanks to my Aunt Juanita, who loaned me the machine when I was in high school. Without her kindness I couldn’t have sent stories in for publication. I owe her a typewriter, but I’m keeping this one out of sentiment. )
And, yes, I actually have had writers with long standing and lovely careers of their own ask me how I produce so much in one writing session. (Writers are like all career people, we talk to each other. We share tricks of the trade, and talk shop, even those of us who are all bestsellers.) Most writers find that 2-4 hours is the maximum usable time for them to be writing, or trying to write. If they stay longer, it gains them nothing and makes it even harder for them to write the next day. On some glorious muse-driven days I can get 10-20 pages done in 2 hours, but usually it takes me 4-6 hours to do 4-8 pages. I’ve timed it and the first two hours of my writing is usually not very productive for pages to be kept at the end of the day, which are the only pages that go into my daily page count. I actually get the lion’s share of my pages done in the last 2-3 hours of the 5-8 hour session. I’ve tried to skip that first unfruitful 2 hours, by shortening my writing sessions to only 4 hours, but my process needs that 2 hour window of noodling at the keyboard, staring off into space, and basically banging my head against the computer, before something breaks free and the words flow. I hate that my writing process works this way, because it means that if I can’t get a huge block of uninterrupted time to write that my productivity suffers, a lot.
Now, once I hit the groove of a book then things change. Sitting down at the computer means words come immediately. The words flow and it’s all I can do to type fast enough to keep up with my thoughts, but that doesn’t happen until between 150-250 pages into a book. For the those first pages its more brute force than muse-driven, but I’ve learned without that force at the beginning of a novel I’m never going to get to the happy, dancing muses at the end.
57 thoughts on “New Blog – Of Typewriters, Computers, & Bitching”
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People work differently. Sure, there are certain similarities in professions but not everyone works or processes everything in the same way. Just as people are entitled to their opinions, and the manner they express them, people can work in ways they feel are best for them. When I’m writing chapters for my blog I do between three and four MS word pages in the standard font, because I know that is about the limit before the post becomes too, ‘wall-of-text,’ for my taste.
One thing I’ve learned about writing and taking advice from other writers is to pick and choose what works best for me. I’m lousy at writing outlines, so I go with a vague outline in my mind and work on it as I go. Some writers are outline purists, others aren’t. It doesn’t make one way better than the other. The creative writing process is not one size fits all, and anyone that thinks it is is welcome to think that all they want, but it does not make it true.
Also, for everyone who wonders if she reads the responses–there’s your answer! Hah!
If she actually listened to the hordes of former fans and readers she had, maybe her sales wouldn’t have taken such a huge nosedive. She doesn’t have to listen if she doesn’t want to obviously – they are her characters and her world. However, instead of blogs complaining about things such as typing speed questions and page vs word count, she should focus on plot. I mean honestly, if you are flying on a keyboard at world record pace (still don’t buy it if she is just guessing), how are you actually putting real thought into your work? My guess is she isn’t which is way there is way too much repetitive dialog. You see that time and again in her book reviews – readers who give her decent marks still say too much description, too much pointless dialog and way too much filler
You’ll note I said read, not listen. 😉 I won’t deny I’ve also noticed quite a lot of repetition in the descriptions, phrases, and so on, especially in the Merry books. It certainly made me a little sad to get this book and have to skip over much of it, simply because of the repetitive dialogue. We waited around five years, I believe, for the next Merry book? It almost seems like she was listening to fans too much and the book was thrown together hodge-podge to appease everyone who wanted a Merry book.
As for how she writes and operates, that is her choice, and whether we believe her or not will likely have no impact on how she continues to do so. I recognize blogs bring about the full spectrum when it comes to feedback, but I also feel we should be able to logically point out fault and weaknesses in an argument; not necessarily the person. The minute someone criticizes the person, not the points in an argument, situation, or claim, is usually the minute no one wants to take the one giving the, ‘feedback,’ seriously.
I believe a lot of her former fans began to make it a little personal when she posted that insulting, ridiculous DNR letter a few years back. Before that rant, readers and fans were giving legitimate and honest feedback/critism about the change in the novels. She ranted at her disappointed readers that perhaps those readers were too scared or stupid to continue reading her books and they should just go away. She crossed the line from professional to personal IMO. I don’t believe she will listen to kind or gentle critism nor the blunt kind. If the drop from 250,000 in sales to about 10% of that former glory doesn’t jar her then nothing will. She proved that ever present first instinct of irritation and defensiveness by rushing out a second blog the next day after 2 critical posts.
So, I just say what I believe whether it’s about her claims, her writing, or her attitude towards her readers. It might help her career tremendously to take everything in and really evaluate both sides of her fandom instead of complaining about one side just ‘bitching’.
I was also extremely disappointed in Shiver of Light and those of us who follow her own words on social media know that she put that novel together in just a few months as she was contractually obligated to for her publisher. If she did it for her fans who waited 5 long years, it would have been a much better book.
I guess I’m just tired of the outrageous claims that she can’t back up, such as stating before SOL was released that she now believes she writes epic fantasy ala Game of Thrones. Somehow I don’t think Mr Martin has a thing to worry about.
I love that you count pages and why should you change? I work at a creative field not related to writing and I measure my productivity differently from my peers and have had people jump all over my method because it isn’t the “standard”. I tell them, “well I’m not standard either, and that’s why you come to me. If you want what everyone else does then you’d be going somewhere else.”
You are a wonderful and creative writer and whatever it takes to create the worlds and those who live in them obviously works. Keep going and do what works for you!
Reading blogs like this helps me think I’m not so weird or, on those days I spend banging my head on the desk or staring at the squirrels outside my window, useless because I haven’t been able to get anything real productive down on paper. Especially in those first pages, where I am at now, when I’m not totally happy with what I have already written. Hopefully soon, as the page counts rises, I can figure out what it is that is missing. It’s usually how it works for me. 🙂
I have come to the conclusion that those of us who learned to type on those old manual typewriters do type much faster on a computer. For the longest time I thought there was something wrong with me or the word processor then computer that I could type faster than it could process. I had never thought myself an especially fast typist. So I get it! But then, I actually have a few years on you. Been there. 😉 Kids today just don’t know, let alone understand the “old ways” anymore. Heaven forbid that they get introduced to the pencil/pen and paper method of writing. Then they would count pages too!
Are you aware that the qwerty keyboard we use today was instigated to slow typists down? Also to spread out letters that were often typed in sequence so that they were far apart? On the manual and pre-Selectric typewriters the physical keys were on a rod in a “basket”. The first typebar was the number 2 (back then we used the lower case L if we wanted the number 1) followed by “q, a, z, 3, w, s, etc. If the q and u, for instance, were closer together on the keyboard a fast typist would press the keys in such quick succession that the typebars would jam together, slowing the process down and damaging the keys, resulting in murder mysteries that were solved because the typewriter on which the crucial clue was written had an A that was a little below the line and a T that tilted slightly to the left. Yes, I’m a typewriter geek. I was never a very fast typewriter, but I was responsible for correcting the alignment of IBMs pre-Selectric typewriters. I always thought that if I wrote an important clue as soon as I finished writing it I would go and either adjust or replace the significant typebars. If I were a career criminal I’d probably keep some deformed typebars around that I only put in the typewriter when I was writing something criminal and then stayed somewhere else when the police came to try a sample of the writing from my machine.
Hey now, some of us young ones prefer paper! If I’m having a hard time getting words out I have to switch over to paper. When I try to “just write” in a word processing program without being sufficiently motivated it’s like the creativity just gets sucked out of me, where as on paper it’s more like the creativity is bouncing back to me.
Laurell, good for you. I’ll turn 49 this year and I also learned to type on this model of typewriter. Since I used to be a ‘manual’ type of gal, I ALSO count productivity in pages, until it’s time to deliver it to the customer (I’m a copywriter and a translator). I really, really like the way you answered those comments on the last blog. And for the record, I’ve started writing novels about 5 years ago, and my own imagination DOES flow at around 200 wpm. When I translate, I can only reach something like 55 to 60 wpm. Reading takes time! And copywriting is an entire other process for me, so I’m not even going to get into that.
Happy to read Merry again. I’ve missed her. But Anita really does it for me! We need more strong women types who are not conceited or arrogant in literature.
And, as John Green would say: Don’t ever forget to be awesome (oops! forgot you always over deliver) 😉
I love the picture of your first type writer. I bought my 1st type with birthday money for my 7th birthday. I couldn’t spell cat but I could copy what the books said. Was a great way to learn reading and lead to some of my own short stories. I’ve never tried to get published and probably won’t since all my stories are just for fun.
Well said, as always. I pray that I can someday radiate the same serenity and self assurance that you do.
I’m glad you posted this. As an inspiring writer people who know me still find it funny that I prefer to use my typewriter over my computer. I think it has more to do with the constant clacking, but I find I write more when I use the typewriter. My errors also decrease, probably because I pay better attention as I work. And also, you’re correct about the speed too because if it’s me having to type some boring whatnot lines like what you’d do in Keyboarding in school my speed is ridiculous. However, when I’m writing my own thing it’s a whole nother story. I get lost in my own world and eventually have to stop and take a step back because I’ll get so caught up I’ll start feeling what my characters are supposed to be feeling instead.
So many people have used computers for so long that they really can’t appreciate how “life used to be”. My first typing job was in college (to date my high school typing class is the only thing I ever studied that was directly responsible for getting a job). We sent out personalized letters to applicants. We typed the same letter over and over all day and only the names were changed. One mistake we could correct. Two mistakes and we had to start over. In another job I had a boss who really edited his work after he saw it in print. We actually framed on paper he’d edited for all the creative circles, arrows and changes. Now, in the first case, I set up a base file and a database of the names and hit merge. One mistake or twenty, it only matters that I’m a careful proofreader because I’m only writing that letter once and I can take the time to make it perfect. In the second case… you want this paragraph moved to the end? No problem, ten seconds of work and it’s done… I’ve got ten years on you, but I was working for IBM (fixing typewriters, no less) when the PC hit the market so I was definitely an early adopter, we got a great discount and suddenly so many tasks were easier. I wouldn’t go back (except I miss fixing typewriters) but I love remembering the way we were. And I love talking to people who are older than I am who remember not having cars or telephones (I remember being the last family to get a tv) and the origins of so many things I take for granted. My dad grew up when the ice man still came to deliver ice for your ice box. I remember dairies that delivered daily to an insulated metal box on the front porch… so, I fully understand why you would count your daily output in pages. And I’ve done enough creative writing in my life to understand that four really good pages in a day is a great output rate. It’s fun to hear about the working life of a really good author, thanks.
I can’t believe someone would have the nerve to even bring up page/word count. One, it is none of their business how many pages or words you do or don’t do. That has nothing to do with how well someone enjoys the end product. I personally don’t care if you do one page a day, as long as I have my lovely book at the end to enjoy. Keep the up great work.
Only reason it’s even brought up is the fact that she keeps mentioning it, which brings the obvious, unavoidable contrast to how every single author you can name works on a word count- because that’s how book length is determined. It’s as much a publishing standard as capitalizing the first word of a sentence. For any author to disregard it to the point they’re constantly questioned about it- and replying in such a manner that indicates she full well know this- shows a lack of respect for her profession and her readers. It doesn’t mark you edgy; it marks you as unprofessional, even disingenuous as there’s no way of knowing how much progress was actually made. It’s already been pointed out how changing margins, font and spacing will change the page count, which is why it’s not used and manuscripts have a standard format for acceptance- something all these wannabe writers reading this stuff ought to get used to quick. Especially as we’re always told how hundreds of pages are being thrown out- so what the heck was even typed in the first place? Good luck applying this method when submitting to an agent.
As to the typing speed, that one’s not even worth the effort.
I thought it was interesting that you types so expedently. I’ve never typed all that fast (maybe 60-70 words a minute when I’m in a grove). I have typed on a computer, on a typed writer I got as a Chistmas present at fourteen, but my ideas seem to flow best when I put pencil to paper and then do the first round of editing as I input it on the computer. Everyone has a pace and a place they do their best. Like you I tend to write for many hours, usually from the time I get up until around four in the afternoon, not inculding the interruptions from my two small sons.
Hoping to get someone to pick up my first book within the next year. High fantasy seems to be a hard nut to crack. 🙂
I’m afraid there’s still something a bit wonky with the formatting on the site. The text of the entries on the main page is cut off on the right side.
I don’t care if you count pages, words, sheep or chickens… the end result is what I crave!
Thank you so much! After years of denying myself I have finally started writing again. Being a SAHM I found I had 3 to 4 hours a day free with nothing to do. After I started writing again I felt like that was not enough time. However I didn’t want to take away time from my little one. It’s nice to know that once again I need to chill and not force things. I have to admit I don’t go for page count as my writing process is cumbersome. I type for crap so the only way I can keep up with my brain is hand writing, then when I have writers block I dictate everything into the computer. If anyone ever stole my purse I would let them have everything just give me my notebook. It’s worth more to me than gold.
I think the reason people question pages is because the number of words per page can vary greatly. A page full of dialogue is going to take a lot fewer words to fill, while a page with a lot less dialogue is going to take lot more words. Counting words forces the writer to be consistent about how much they achieve each day.
Probably I’ll sound a bit critical but I hope you read and see my point. I love both Anita and Merry series but especially Anita. Both series has a bit of a problem for me in the beginning of the books. The thing is, they are complete stories on their own yet a continuing story as a whole.. I’m assuming if someone likes one of your books, it is safe to assume, that person will read the whole series probably both in the end. When someone reads only one book of yours it is ok on its own, however if reading all of them in order without the one or two years between their publishing times, there comes the problem of repetition of every characters detailed physical descriptions which is the main part that takes place on the beginning of your every book.. I’m guessing it might be preventing the flow of writing of the story as the muse comes. What happens when I read your books back to back is, after a couple of them I start skipping the characters physical descriptions to get to the story where you left before starting to describe the characters who just joins the scene.. If it’s a new caracter it’s ok to read the description but if it’s one of the main characters being described over and over again throughout the series.. well I’m sure you can see my point. And I’m aware of there isn’t really a solution to that dilemma because every book is a story on its own and needs those descriptions.. Apart from that I’m really enjoying reading your work 🙂 I say go Laurell 🙂
Personally, I feel that people who object about the way an author writes, is not an author, If they were they would realize that it takes alot of hours and hours of hard work and dedication to write a book that most of us can’t wait to read. I can’t write but the things I can do, take alot of effort and it upsets me when people think that it’s ever so easy. I’m glad that you put forth the effort and the dedication and I hope that you don’t take what absent minded people say. I like your books and look forward to each and every one of them and hope there are many moe to come. Thanks for the stories!
I love finding out how different writers work, there are so many differences, so many nuances, it’s a fun topic to explore. That has been one of the treasures I’ve discovered by entering the blogging world and meeting various writers virtually 😀
I’ve found that I have a similar experience where the beginning of a book is difficult (especially when you’re starting a new series rather than writing in one you’ve already established,) but the more into the story and characters I get, the more ‘into the groove’ I get and the faster the pages come. Its a euphoric feeling when you don’t even have to think about it and all of the words just come tumbling out on their own!
I’d also add the obvious fallacy in your word count rebuttal: granted, in the red/black ribbon days, it was mostly up to the publisher to tally the word count so they’d know how to market the book, but also the author’s when told the story had to be a particular length. Nowadays this isn’t even an argument; it’ll take all of what- five seconds?- to generate a word count on any document, so there’s no reason for a writer not to keep track of their progress.
Honestly, I don’t know why you feel that her word count is so important. At the end of the day the pricing structure for publication is based on page count. Manuscripts vary based on House rules, most are double spaced for editorial purposes, so yes, the page count does seem higher than if a manuscript was submitted as single space. Since it is usually double spaced, the page count for what was discarded in the editorial process is also going to seem higher.
The intention of the author writing this blog is not to discourage other writers. She helps them stay motivated. Pulling on frivolous threads and posting rude comments only ruins the positive nature of the community that posts here. If you don’t like the blog posts or her books don’t read them.
I never assumed or thought that she did any of that, so why do you think I do? Do I even have go into the word ‘assumed’? I guess it has something to do with your immediate degeneration into personal attacks since you’re unable to stay on topic.
Her use of page count over word count is deliberate and in your response you just showed how it’s an unreliable measure and all but asked the question again yourself but you failed to see it, so I’ll do it: if when talking to agents, editors, publishers and fellow writers it’s word count but when speaking to fans and readers it’s suddenly all about pages? Is the idea that we’re too plebian to understand the concept or are we being snowed? That anecdote about learning to type is a poor attempt at misdirection- what’s it got to do with anything? That no one had to adhere to a word count just because they learned on a typewriter… same as every other writer? It’s like saying since you grew up in England and learned to drive on the left side and used kilometers, just because you live in America now you refuse to drive on the right and convert to miles. Yet you can’t understand why you keep getting tickets and points on your license.
Saying you did 200 pages sounds like nothing more than a ploy for attention. If you do the math, average word count for a standard format 8.5×11 document is 490 single-spaced and 245 double-spaced. 200 double-spaced pages equals 49,000 words- about a full length novel. And typing at 200 wpm means it only took four hours. Add to that how many times she’s posted about tossing out the 100-200 pages she typed and I believe I’ve made my point.
You did the math, which I might point out the author stated she really doesn’t like to do. No one is being snowed, there are some serious hang ups on numbers here which has completely diminished the creative, inspiring aspect of the blog. When people give approximates they are not deliberately trying to be misleading. This is not a handbook, or an instruction guide, she is giving people her perspective. And she measures in pages not word count. She has written 30 books. What would be unbelievable is if she didn’t know how many pages her manuscript should be to meet contract length. When it comes to creativity, for some, anything can throw you off. If doing a page count inspires her to work through the tough parts by all means, measure them in pages. If you were to get discouraged by word count or couldn’t be motivated to keep going after you did the word count wouldn’t it be more productive to measure by pages? I do the same thing. It’s about what drives you not the mechanics of it. Creative types have quirks. More often than not you can’t do the math on it.
None of that fluff addresses the actual question being asked: as she knows the standard is word count and has to use it in every other professional discussion of her work, why is it suddenly different when it comes to readers? What’s the point of making that deliberate change when it comes to social media?
And the math was basic multiplication via Google.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_average_word_count_on_an_8.5X11.0_page
I can understand why there’s so much skepticism regarding your claim that you type over 200 wpm. If an author was this productive, the fans would naturally expect them to be writing more than one full length novel a year.
Maybe you’re new, but she was putting out two books a year for a while, and a couple years, she did three. And just because you can type 200wpm doesn’t necessarily mean you’re more productive in the usual sense of the word. Laurell herself said that there are a lot of pages she saves for later, that she does NOT count toward her page count. For all we know, she actually writes 75 pages on a good day, but doesn’t ‘keep’ it all. She’s said before a lot of the time she stumbles on the plot for a different book, maybe not even the next one. And that she’s gone down that ‘rabbit hole’, following that plot, for pages and pages before coming to realize it just won’t work in the current book. And publishing one book a year is great! A lot of my favorite authors only publish one every two years, some even longer. Plus, she has a family. And a life *outside* of writing. She’s said before that writing more than one book a year keeps her from that life for too long. Was I impatient because it was 5 years for a new Merry book? Yeah, of course. But I’d rather wait longer for a book knowing she is happy, than have her be miserable while writing the book and have it be all dark and depressing like the first of the Anita books were.
All people have lives *outside* of their jobs.
Several of the authors which I read have a family, a full time job, multiple children, AND a writing career on top of that.
For full time writers, however, writing IS their job and they’re able to dedicate at least 40 hours a week to it. So naturally some fans are skeptical when LKH repeatedly claims to type over 200 words per minute, yet consistently has problems completing just one full length novel a year.
How fast she can type when copying something or typing out dictation has nothing whatsoever to do with how fast the story comes out of her brain and gets typed as end useable copy. Sure, sometimes things are pretty fully formed, but I know that when I write virtually anything I stop periodically to figure out how to phrase something or go back and tinker with it.
And frankly, who the hell cares if she measures her output in word count or page count? It’s anal retentive as hell to worry about that. If it’s that big a deal to you google the average words per page and do the multiplication. I’m pretty used to the page number at the bottom of the page as a measurement of book length, myself.
Yeesh. Tempest in a teapot.
@ Michael: I don’t care if LKH measures her output in word count or page count.
I was merely explaining out why so many people are skeptical of her claim that she types over 200 wpm.
LKH is a full time, professional writer who can commit 40 hours per week to her craft. If she actually typed over 200 wpm she wouldn’t consistently have problems completing just one full length novel a year.
Hi, I have the same typewrither of you but all black. It’s my mom buy that for me at age 11. Before i have a standard, no electric very hard for fingers after typing. Thank to share as always.
Annie
I find this very encouraging and helpful as an aspiring writer with an epic story stuck in my brain, that sometimes pours and sometimes dribbles across the page. I’ve enjoyed reading all of your Anita Blake, and Merry Gentry novels, and it’s writers like you, Charlaine Harris, and Jim Butcher that have inspired me to write my own supernatural fiction novel. Now, as far as anyone getting upset with how many words or pages you write…. I don’t care if you write twenty or two thousand of either one, what matters is WHAT you write, not how much. Ten or two thousand pages or words, if it makes me feel, and think, if it sticks in my head, and I can’t put it down…. that’s what matters.
John Green. You assume she doesn’t keep track of the word count that shows up easy and pretty for her at the bottom of MS Word Document. I assume that she does and is basically explaining why she doesn’t think to mention it when she posts a blog.
We’re not her editors, or her publishers. We’re her fans. Well, some of us, anyway. Some of us come here to troll and nitpick blogs and somehow take the leap that instead of not instinctively putting out both word and page count for all of us in the internet verse because it didn’t occur to her, instead, that withholding is deliberate and then you make another leap that she’s ‘hiding’ it from her editor and publisher too.
Because it’s not as if they couldn’t look at the bottom of the MS Word Document and see the number for themselves.
The fasted official typing speed is 163. I do not believe anyone can type 200 wmp for an extended period of time. That is ridiculous. As a person who types for a living, I just find it impossible to believe. I also agree with several people who have noted the repetitive nature of the last several books. When I bought SOL I bought my last LKH book. It makes me sad, I loved the earlier books and always looked forward to new ones. But until I read reviews that say the books are back to the way they once were, without all the repetitive nonsense and that there is actually a decent plot, I won’t be wasting my money.
Robin as someone has already stated each book is a stand alone and part of a continuing series, as a stand alone you need to be introduced to the characters this is where much of the repetition accures, but sometimes if your in a good relatioship you just keep noticing things about your partner. As I stated earlier if you don’t like something don’t read it but for those of us who do like it don’t be so negative. Remember Thumper in Bambi “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all.”
Laurell tries to be a positive and inspiring person, it is my belief that negitive posts are just detractive. If you don’t like her books don’t read them, but for those of us who do your opinions just are aggraving. I certainly don’t appreciate them and I can see from other posts I’m not alone. Laurell is happy and healthly now,and as someone who has had cancer and heart problems, one book a year is great. Certainly I like more but her health and happiness is more important to as a caring human being. Maybe those thing aren’t as important to those of you who post negatively. All I can say is I read a lot of authors they all say they throw out pages so we the readers can have a better book and isn’t that what’s important not word count vs. page count. Stay postive Laurell and keep inspiring others.
I’m sorry for your health issues, but what does any of that have to do with what’s been discussed? And I can see from other posts that I’m not alone in my opinion, either.
I was not discussing my health but Laurell’s when she did two books a year she was more stressed and less healthy with a much less positive attitude. Your posts are extremely negative and the world could use less negativity.
How are they negative? I asked a question that several people keep wondering about and I’m still not getting a straight answer for it. Everyone’s responses pretty much amount to “Go Laurell, you’re the best! I love your books! Mean people suck!” Which is nice and probably exactly what Hamilton was looking for, but has nothing to do with nothing.
If you want less negativity in the world start with keeping things real, as they say. Stay on point. Since everyone’s intent on defending her, how about playing devil’s advocate and put yourself in her shoes for a moment and come up with a reason for always doing this other than the obvious one?
And for the record, the obvious one is the immediate visual that comes to mind when someone says ‘pages’: you imagine a ream of paper stacked up and think to yourself- wow, they did all THAT? Only to find out it’s all been tossed out. Lather, rinse, repeat. And the final product is not only stuffed with endlessly repetitive dialogue that could’ve come from anywhere it’s also LATE (by her own admission) and you have to wonder exactly how much work was ever done in the first place. And if that’s not how you see it, feel free to come up with another scenario.
Would you have been happier if like so many authors she killed herself or harmed someone, a happier, healthier author keeps writing and better late than never. H. Beam Piper is a perfect example all he got was negative critism and his publisher never let him know how well his books were selling, he killed himself and it was decades before his final manuscript was found. Every author I’ve ever followed has stated they’ve thrown out pages to chapters to make a better story. As I’ve said before if you don’t like something don’t buy it but don’t ruin it for the rest of us, and I counted at least sixteen others that basically feel simpliarly.
Every write has their own process, and every writer who gets into their writing zone has to let their minds wander to the world that their creating. I don’t think that LKH meant for her fans to focus on the repetitive nature of the newest Merry book, but focus on the characters. Come on how many mothers have had postpartum depression. You cry, you worry, you can get repetitive in your fears and worries. Merry definitely had much to worry over in the last book. I wonder how things will go for Merry now.
And as for Anita each book gives her new challenges and new abilities she has to learn how to control. I think LKH puts previous things that have happened in past books in so readers don’t have to back track to find out where or what happened to cause more stuff to happen to Anita.
You can read and enjoy Laurell’s two worlds or hate them, but know that most writer’s let their characters tell the story. Some things can be hard to write and words may be hard to find for some scenes, but we writers work hard to keep true to the story in our heads. For some it comes easier than others, but we do work hard to tell the readers about the worlds and peoples that dwell inside us.
Please keep up the awesome stories you tell Laurell! I for one will keep reading, especially Merry books!
Thank you!
As only one of your many readers, and as a fan in general, I look happily forward to your next story. Whether it is done at a page a day, 6 words a minute, or 30 pages and 300, I so enjoy what you create! Keep on keeping’ on.
Roxanna says:
28 July, 2014 at 12:30 pm
–Would you have been happier if like so many authors she killed herself or harmed someone, a happier, healthier author keeps writing and better late than never. H. Beam Piper is a perfect example all he got was negative critism and his publisher never let him know how well his books were selling, he killed himself and it was decades before his final manuscript was found. Every author I’ve ever followed has stated they’ve thrown out pages to chapters to make a better story. As I’ve said before if you don’t like something don’t buy it but don’t ruin it for the rest of us, and I counted at least sixteen others that basically feel simpliarly.–
And once again the bulk of your respone has nothing to do with nothing, winding up with the all-time classic “don’t like it, don’t read it”. You should be pleased as the vast majority of her (former) audience is doing just that. And that last bit isn’t even a word, let alone made any sense. Which should be expected at this point. Now that we’ve digressed again, let us know when you’re ready to return to the topic.
And once again, you seem to be missing the obvious. Which is everybody telling you to shut up and stop being an ass
<>
Personal Attacks: the last refuge of those who’ve nothing of substance to say.– Edmund Burke.
—Laura says:
30 July, 2014 at 8:30 pm
And once again, you seem to be missing the obvious. Which is everybody telling you to shut up and stop being an ass.—
Personal Attacks: the last refuge of those who’ve nothing of substance to say.– Edmund Burke.
Nope. I already gave you a proper reply earlier, so did a lot of people, who politely asked you to ‘stop spreading negativity.’ Whatever that means. but some people have to live butthurt lives and then makes everyone else butthurt like them in order to be happy. You’re one of those types.
You’re the guy who is always happy to find one small detail about someone to harp about to anyone who proclaims they like that person. You’re the worst coworker, the worst ‘hang out buddy’, and the worst guest because you have to pick on someone over something, anything. I already pointed out that she probably does either tell her editor the page count, or he opens up the word document of the book and sees it for himself.
So you’re basically being indignant that she’s not telling us. So? I need to know that? The only thing we the fanbase want to know is when publishing companies will find a way to magically transport the hardcover to our homes the minute we hit the ‘Yes’ on the payment button. The only people who you’re waying to your side are the people who already decided something along similar lines. The rest us us? Just want you to shut up and go away.
“The smaller the mind the greater the conceit.”-Aesop
I just really want to know when the next book in the anita Blake series is going to come out
Seeing that typewriter makes me think of all the paper authors must have used in those days. That must have been expensive to get those first books out before computers came along.
Thank you for writing this post. It feels good to know I’m not the only one who’s only good, writing-wise, for a few hours a day. Now I no longer have to feel guilty, because I know I’m doing all I can to be as productive as possible.
Also, I am totally with you on the math-hating thing. It may not be a popular position, but dangit, numbers are like death. ;-P
I wish that Anita would finally become a shifter and if there would be a story involving jaguars. I love big cats and I think it’s high time that Anita finally gets an animal form for her trapped beasts