THE PRODUCTIVE INDIE FICTION WRITER By Tracy Cooper-Posey

Tracey's tips for writing more words (especially in 15-minute chunks) resonated with me. While I have counted words for years, I have yet to count my words per hour. (I just finished the book last night, so please forgive me for not yet starting.) But all of this makes sense regardless of your genre. Nonfiction writers also write shorter pieces for content marketing. (That's the role of a short story for fiction writers.)

While writing in series is not the same for nonfiction writers, writing more books absolutely does sell the previous books.

And the whole section about resistance? Fabulous. As Tracy said, "Writing is not hard." She says other very helpful things in that section, too.

Her ideas of a production schedule will help people who have a lot of unfinished works in progress.

There's a ton more that's useful in this book, regardless of the genre.

If you, as I, tend to read craft and business writing books, add this one to your library. Your inner muse and outer businessperson will thank you.

There is a ton of information inside the book. Tracy points out that productivity isn't just writing quickly. It's also keeping up with everything else. I can write fast. I'm not so good at taking care of the everything else.

While I find her methods of scheduling a bit too structured for my brain, giving me an initial anxiety attack just reading about how she works, there were nuggets in the book that I can adapt and make work for me.

I may never become as productive as Tracy but I think by utilizing those things that will work for me, I can be more productive than I was prior to reading the book.

For writers who are newer in their careers this is a great way to build in good habits from the start. For those further along the path, I have no doubt there's something within the pages that will strike a cord that can improve productivity.

I've been engaged in part-time independent publishing for two years now, aspiring to eventually turn it into a full-time livelihood. During this period, I've only managed to bring forth four books, which is evidently insufficient. I'm continuously exploring methods to enhance my writing speed, and Tracy's book seems poised to be the guiding force toward achieving my objective.

Right from the outset, the author offers a comforting perspective on the notion of not writing fast. After all, how many authors embark on their journeys armed with a well-established toolkit designed to amplify their productivity? As for me, I contented myself with writing when the opportunity arose, often allowing Resistance to gain the upper hand. Why commence when I've already invested an hour meticulously tallying paperclips on my desk? Regrettably, Resistance remains a steadfast companion, but Tracy provides tangible strategies to triumph over it more frequently than not.

At the heart of the book lies a pivotal lesson: the art of organization. This involves crafting a robust productivity system founded on a meticulously designed production calendar, all while accounting for the daily word count. Tracy adeptly guides us through this process, offering a clear and step-by-step approach. She underscores the paramount importance of consistency for personal growth, urging us not to shy away from self-imposed challenges and furnishing practical means to do so. In this section, one grasps the immense benefits of this method, steering away from the randomness of a haphazard writing process. Instead, we adopt a structured approach, ensuring we write consistently, avoiding the pitfalls of last-minute cancellations or postponements of pre-orders, which can lead to penalties and letdowns for our loyal readers.

Yet, Tracy's wisdom doesn't stop there. She emphasizes the need for a substantial backlist (providing eighteen compelling reasons), and stresses the unassailable importance of maintaining one's health, even in the pursuit of writing excellence. She debunks the myth that fast writing inevitably results in subpar books (and presents a compelling argument to that effect), advocates for the adoption of pen names when addressing diverse audiences, and imparts valuable strategies for boosting income during challenging times.

In summary, 'The Productive Indie Fiction Writer' offers far more than just a method to increase writing output. It stands as a comprehensive compendium of knowledge, presented with remarkable accessibility by an author genuinely committed to sharing her experiences. The ultimate goal? To empower writers to achieve financial independence through their novels while leading their best lives. It comes with my highest recommendation!

While writing is a solitary pursuit, there are countless writing communities, coaches, and support groups as well as innumerable craft books and how-to courses. Many of them advocate patience and not asking too much of yourself, along with awareness of and attention to your individual strengths and weaknesses. Tracy Cooper-Posey doesn’t belittle these concepts, but she cuts to the chase: success requires time—whatever you, uniquely, can allot, as well as attention, commitment, and consistency, which she calls the superpower of the productive indie writer. Becoming prolific “is a daily habit, a philosophy, and a business strategy.”

Should a writer spend time practicing with prompts, etc.? No! Set goals for every book, such as “This book, I will tighten up my dialogue tags.” By doing so: “The more books you write, the more practice you incorporate, and the more you improve.” And for those who fear writing quickly will diminish the quality of their prose, she insists that the “fast equals crap” myth is just that: a myth. “Story is all that counts . . . How fast the words are written have zero relationship to the story that is told with those words.”

The necessary elements for success: writing and production scheduling. Ms. Cooper-Posey advocates keeping word count logs, producing an annual production schedule, and harnessing the power of consistency. To that end she includes step-by-step instructions for creating spread sheets to keep track of word counts, time, money . . . everything.

Can life get in the way of productivity? Most certainly, and the author provides clear and breath-takingly harsh evidence from her own life. She has spent the last few years in chronic pain from spinal and neck injuries as well as treatments for a life-threatening cancer. Her response: take it day-by-day and step by painful step, and she offers this pithy advice: “If [stuff] is always going to happen, why give up because [stuff] happened . . . If you don’t let the [stuff] defeat you, you get what you want.”

How else to counter overload or burnout? Ms. Cooper-Posey give suggestions for turning the “I have to write” dread writers sometimes feel into “I GET to write” anticipation and quotes the great Terry Pratchett: “Writing is the most fun you can have by yourself.”

Her book does a great job of explaining the key advantages of self-publishing, namely: control over your current book’s publication, and more importantly, your backlist, ultimately resulting in far greater and consistent financial reward.

THE PRODUCTIVE INDIE FICTION WRITER includes advice from a plethora of experts along with a superb bibliography and list of recommended resources. Tracy Cooper-Posey’s writing style is clear, her suggestions specific and easy to understand, and her generous desire to share her hard-won experience resonates in every chapter. She wants ever writer to succeed and sums up her philosophy with this succinct encouragement: “You haven’t failed until you quit.”