How to Write 10,000 Words in Four Days

Update #1 on the 25-Day Book Experiment

Well, it’s been an interesting first week in this little book writing experiment. This past week, I ended with about 10,000 words, 8000 of which were written mostly on Day 2, then spent the following three days fiddling around with the words on the page.

I’ve even surprised myself, which I think is a good thing. I’m currently ahead of schedule, a little overwhelmed, and mostly excited about where this thing is headed. I shared the first thirty or so pages with my wife, and she enjoyed what I read aloud to her on Friday evening on the back porch, while both of us sipped our cocktails.

So how do you write 10,000 words in four days?

Well, first, you put off writing a book for seven years. That’s key.

Then, you hunker down and give yourself a ridiculous and impossible challenge in front of a live audience, the watch with bemusement as seven years’ worth of stories and ideas come pouring out.

After that, you freak out a little and then decide to trust the creative flow, letting the book tell you what it is and doing your best to listen.

What began as a relatively simple assignment—write a short book about the craft of writing—has turned into something else. Something else entirely. And I’m trying to let go a little...

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