By Jonas Saul
Many people say they have a novel inside them.
Is this true for everyone, and only few act on it? Or is just a baseless claim?
Writing a novel means an individual must produce words with pen and paper or at a computer, with the latter being the preferred approach. The act of creating those words is disciplinary in nature.
What I want to discuss is how we approach that discipline.
There are countless methods for building a writing practice. Some authors swear by a daily word count that must be hit without fail. Others prioritize consistency by setting aside a specific time each day to write, focusing less on quantity and more on showing up.
The daily word count method has worked for me for over thirty years, during which I’ve written more than fifty novels.
When I started, my word count goal was modest. I was still learning the craft, and like any other, my “writing muscle” needed regular exercise to strengthen. Writing daily is much like going to the gym: you start small, build stamina, and increase the intensity over time. Initially, I aimed for 1,000 words a day. With practice, I pushed to 1,500, then 2,000.
There were days when my 2,000 words per day were finished shortly after midday, and I had the rest of the afternoon and evening to myself. Finishing that early didn’t sit well with me as story ideas continued to fill every conscious thought. I wanted to write more, so I added five hundred words per day. Then, five hundred more.
Eventually, I wrote several novels at the 3,000-word-per-day rate.
As authors, we’re always reading—partly for inspiration, partly to see how others tackle the craft. It’s a constant study of the industry and a way to learn from those who’ve mastered it. Along the way, we find guidance in the words of the greats.
Many legendary authors have emphasized the importance of drafting quickly and freely. James Patterson advises writers to “freight train through it,” encouraging them to push through a draft with speed and determination. Similarly, John Steinbeck championed the idea of writing “freely and as rapidly as possible,” believing that the intensity of swift writing translates into heightened story tension. Stephen King takes a practical approach, positing that a first draft should never take longer than ninety days.
So, naturally, I increased my word count. I pushed it to 4,000 words per day. Then 5,000.
Once I reached 5,000 words daily, I hit a wall. My writing muscles weren’t strong enough to handle the weight, and I realized I needed to push aside self-imposed limitations and build greater discipline to move forward. As Aristotle said, “If you think someone has held you back in life, you’re right. It was you.”
Determined not to hold myself back, I decided to set a bold new goal: 10,000 words a day as my minimum. How could I expect anyone else to believe in me if I didn’t believe in myself?
In January 2012, I put this belief to the test and wrote an entire novel in a single week. Yes, a full book, writing slightly more than 10,000 words per day. I was inspired by stories of prolific authors who had achieved incredible daily word counts. Michael Crichton reportedly wrote over 18,000 words a day. Ray Bradbury famously typed Fahrenheit 451 in just nine days on a rented typewriter in UCLA’s Powell Library basement. William Faulkner wrote As I Lay Dying between midnight and 4:00 a.m. over six weeks. These feats convinced me that 10,000 words per day was not only possible but sustainable.
I was wrong.
By the end of that week, I was utterly spent—mentally and physically. My body ached from the hours of sitting, my reading time had vanished, and my life revolved around my keyboard. I’d start writing by 8 a.m., work straight through lunch, and often eat dinner at my desk. It wasn’t sustainable, and I knew something had to give.
I scaled back to 5,000 words a day, and after the intense pace of the previous week, this felt manageable—even comfortable. The heavy lifting had strengthened my writing muscles, and returning to 5,000 words felt almost relaxing by comparison.
Over a decade later, I’ve maintained this routine. When working on a novel, I write six days a week, reserving Sundays to rest, read, and recharge. This six-day schedule yields 30,000 words per week. By the second week, I’ve usually reached 60,000 words, and in the third week, I often finish the first draft, depending on the novel’s overall length. Novels like The Woman in the Woods, at 94,000 words, took me just over three weeks to complete its first draft.
Bear in mind that they aren’t all good words in a first draft. I have to reread, revise, and rewrite many scenes, but I have a written outline of the novel and how the story should play out. It goes to the editor once I feel I’ve done all I can. After that, beta readers weigh in, and the manuscript heads to my literary agent.
Here’s the thing: you can’t edit a blank page.
So, get those words written. However you approach the act of writing, get those words written. Find the discipline and avoid research while writing the first draft. Do all the necessary research before typing chapter one. If research is needed during your daily word count, allow thirty minutes. Time it. Then, get back to creating new words. Otherwise, that research rabbit hole will swallow you whole.
Never revise during the first draft. This is one of the biggest pitfalls for writers: if you keep tweaking the first 20,000 words, days will pass without any progress on the story itself. Don’t do this. Write as much as you can, as fast as you can, and save revisions for later drafts.
Once your first draft is complete, read it, revise it, and send it to your editor. Then let it go. Novels are never finished—they’re abandoned.
The best thing you can do for your writing career is to start the next book. Stay in the habit of creating. Writing another book is the most effective way to promote yourself as an author. All the bestselling writers share one key trait: they’re prolific.
So, get out of your own way. Build your discipline. Exercise your writing muscle. And, most importantly, write.
Everyone has a novel inside them.
What’s yours?
If you’re looking to take your writing discipline to the next level—or even discover it for the first time—consider joining me at my upcoming writing retreat. Set in the inspiring beauty of Greece, this immersive week is designed to help authors of all levels refine their craft, find their rhythm, and build tools like daily word counts into their creative routine. Learn more about the retreat and how it could transform your writing journey here.