The Power of Discipline

Be disciplined and write one hour per day and you will accomplish all that you need and want from writing. Within this hour you do your research, your plotting, and the actual writing. Of course, if you have more time to dedicate to your writing, you will get things done faster.

Why One Hour Works

I suggested one hour a day because most of you are novice writers and probably hold down a job, have families to support, and other commitments. But if you write for only one hour per day, you would have a book in a year or twenty books over twenty years?

It works like this: even a bad typist can type 1000 words per hour. The average book is 80,000 words and therefore would take roughly 80 days to complete. Yes, you need research, say 30 days (all still at one hour a day). Your first draft should be complete after 110 days. Later, in another post, I will give the stat that the editing process will take (roughly) 60% of the time, so you do the math. Anyway, a book a year is possible, at an hour a day.

Your First Book Is the Beginning

Your first book is not likely to be very good. But still, you must write it as that is the start of your career.

John Steinbeck (Of Mice and Men) said, “I think I shall write some very good books indeed. The next one won’t be good, nor the next one, but about the fifth, I think will be above the average.”

He became well above average with his writing skill, with millions of books sold and the most prestigious writing awards.

Create a Daily Writing Routine

Knowing that if you start today, you could have your manuscript ready for publishing this time next year, what are you waiting for?

The only other thing is to get into a routine. That is, organise a comfortable desk space to work from, allocate undisturbed writing-time every day, and lastly, make a big sign saying I WILL WRITE AN HOUR A DAY! This will help you keep the goal at the forefront of your mind.

Conclusion

Writing one hour a day might seem small, but over time, it leads to real results. Make writing a daily habit, stay disciplined, and your book will take shape before you know it. Remember, it’s not about being perfect—it’s about showing up consistently.

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