21
Reading a history book and found a fact that made me put it down
I was reading a biography of Louisa May Alcott last month and learned she wrote 'Little Women' in only six weeks. I found this in the book's introduction. It just seems impossible for such a classic novel. I always pictured authors taking years to write a book like that. Do you think a tight deadline helps or hurts a story's quality?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
waderamirez5d ago
Wow, that's like @adam186's friend but for a whole novel.
10
blairm775d ago
That fact is absolutely wild. Makes you wonder about the pressure. Honestly, some of my best work happens when I'm up against a wall, but for a whole novel? That's next level. It probably forced her to just write without overthinking every single word. Sometimes having too much time lets you second guess yourself into a corner. But six weeks for a story that lasted this long is just mind blowing.
1
adam1865d ago
Remember my buddy who had to write his entire thesis in three weeks after his advisor quit. He basically lived at the library, surviving on coffee and vending machine snacks. He said the panic made his brain just connect dots he didn't even know were there. The final draft was messy, but the core idea was somehow clearer than all his earlier, over-planned outlines. He swears he never would have finished if he'd had the full semester.
6