Writing a Novel in 15 Minute Increments {+Giveaway}

I’m delighted to have author Cynthia Swanson joining us today to talk about writing her debut novel, THE BOOKSELLER, in 15-minute increments.

Thanks to Cynthia and the lovely Meg at Tandem Literary, I have a print copy of THE BOOKSELLER to give away. Please see the end of the post for more details.

An IndieNext Pick for March, THE BOOKSELLER ponders the tantalizing question, "what if." The story follows a woman in early-1960's Denver who must reconcile her reality with the alternate world of her dreams. 

Kitty Miller, a single woman in her late 30s, owns a bookshop with her best friend Frieda. Kitty begins to have nightly dreams of an alternative reality in which she's a married woman with children (and no more bookstore). Reminiscent of Sliding Doors (the 1998 movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow), The story explores the butterfly effect - how one small change of circumstance can set off a cascade of entirely different events. It's a fast, engaging read that is great for discussion and introspection.

For those who enjoy mid-century design, you'll love the 1960s clothes, music, architecture, and books that make up the backdrop of the story. 

Now, please join me in giving Cynthia a warm welcome to Thoughts. Cynthia, welcome and please tell us how you can really write a novel in 15-minute increments.

It’s the classic paradox: the more time we have, the less likely we are to use it wisely. 

When I wrote first draft of my novel The Bookseller, time was in very short supply. I had a freelance technical/marketing editing career and a house that was under construction. My twins were in kindergarten. My youngest child, at three, was up and at ‘em every morning before the birds started singing - precluding the possibility of rising early, making myself coffee, and serenely writing fiction while my kids slept. I know a lot of authors work that way, but it wasn’t an option for me.

So when did I write? Well. Writing had to happen in very small increments, whenever I could squeeze it in during the day. Sometimes that meant I got in only fifteen minutes of writing time per day. 

“That seems impossible,” people have said to me. “It takes me fifteen minutes just to settle into my work day. I’d never get anything done if I only had fifteen minutes.”

Ah. Yes. But that’s because their work days are eight hours long. Fifteen minutes is a small percentage of an eight-hour work day.

Fifteen minutes, however, was often 100% of my fiction-writing day.

So how did I do it? To begin with, I’m blessed with the ability to write very fast - when I set my mind to it. If I’m really cranking, if I’m focused, I can write 1,000 words - that’s about four double-spaced pages – in an hour. 

The first draft of The Bookseller was 50,000 words. (The final copy was double that.) Those first 50,000 words - when I do the math, it took me around 50 hours to write them. 

That’s not much more than a typical employee’s full-time work week.

“Sure,” one might say. “But how good could those words be, really?”

The answer is: not very. But that’s beside the point. I aspired to write 250 words in 15 minutes - 1,000 in an hour - and that meant one thing was key: no stopping. No going back and re-reading. No taking out my thesaurus to search for the perfect word. No getting online and doing research. All that came later, in successive drafts.

With time being so restricted, for that first draft I just got the basics down and kept going. 

When I got stuck, I’d make a note of the problem and move on. Sometimes I discontinued entire sections, or I’d have to expedite my way out of a sub-plot, because I had no idea how to resolve something. I didn’t allow myself to get hung up on that; I made a note, let it go, and forged ahead.

In subsequent versions, once that first draft was complete, these issues generally resolved themselves. Either that, or I found their part of the storyline wasn’t necessary in the first place, and I removed it completely.

Writing this way takes discipline and focus. Neither are my strong suits, but I find that when I’m in the groove, nothing makes me happier than my fingers flying on the keyboard, transmitting what’s in my head onto the printed page. 

That kept me going. Often for only fifteen minutes at a time - but nonetheless moving in the right direction.

Cynthia, thanks so much for visiting with us and sharing this look at your writing. Your 15-minute working periods just goes to prove, if you want to write you will find the time.

Here’s a bit of background on Cynthia (in her own words) for those who aren’t familiar with her.

My name is Cynthia Swanson...and I'm a writer and designer.

I started out in college (a long time ago) majoring in Architecture, because I have always loved design, and I thought I needed to pursue a "practical" career. But after 2 years, I went back to my first love - writing - and changed my major to English. I was a freelance technical/marketing writer for many years.

All the while, I aspired to a creative writing career. Now that I have a debut novel coming out, I concentrate on writing fiction and personal essay.

Still, the design world continues to draw me in. I especially love mid-century design, and I'm constantly thinking of ways to enhance and improve our mid-century home. I'm also thrilled to discuss home design projects with others.

For more on Cynthia and her writing, visit her website.

Praise for THE BOOKSELLER:

        "This is a stunner of a debut novel, astonishingly tight and fast paced. The 1960s tone is elegant and even, and Kitty/Katharyn's journey is intriguing...This will especially resonate with fans of the movie Sliding Doors and the authors Anna Quindlen and Anita Shreve." (Library Journal, starred review)
        "Dexterously traversing past and present, fact and fiction, Swanson's clever first novel ingeniously explores the inventive ways the human spirit copes with trauma." (Booklist)
        "What if? These words tantalize and haunt us. In The Bookseller, writing with a sharp-tinged empathic pen, Cynthia Swanson takes us on a startling journey where a woman is thrust into the alternative world that might have been, had she made different choices." (Randy Susan Meyers, author of Accidents of Marriage)
        "Cynthia Swanson's The Bookseller is both a delightful and haunting exploration of identity, love and loss. With great style and compassion, the author asks the age-old question: 'What if my life were different?' The answers in this affecting debut novel are truly surprising." (Joanna Hershon, author of A Dual Inheritance)
        "I inhaled The Bookseller. I loved both of Kitty's worlds, and refused to put the book down until I saw how the tension between the two worlds resolved. A deeply satisfying read." (Ann Napolitano, author of A Good Hard Look)

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for one print copy of THE BOOKSELLER. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and will end at 12 a.m. on Sunday, March 29. 

To enter, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and following the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load, so please be patient. The winner from this giveaway will have 72 hours to respond after being contacted or another winner will be selected. The email will have ‘Thoughts in Progress Cynthia Swanson’s Tour’ in the subject line, just so you know what to watch for (in case it goes into your spam folder).

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Cynthia’s visit. Do you write in increments or do you have to dedicate a time slot just to write?

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