Speed writing seems to be becoming a trend.

We’re not talking about being able to scribble down notes or use short hand, but generating large volumes of writing incredibly quickly. It may be social media posts, blogs, articles or even books.

When I was teaching, I used to have to write ridiculously long lesson plans for every lesson – at one time we were expected to generate four sides of A4 for every lesson, that’s 80 sides of A4 a week. That was before creating the resources we needed for the lessons, and of course after coming up with the ideas in the first place. As a result, I can write things like blogs and articles pretty quickly when I need to, in the same way journalists can.

However, when it comes to writing about things I love, I want to be more deliberate and considered in my writing. I don’t want to churn the writing out, it isn’t another box to be ticked, it is my passion, something I love. I enjoy the process. I believe it is the same for anything we love doing. We should savour it and enjoy every minute of the process.

Life is moving so fast

In a world where AI is becoming unavoidable, where we are all constantly connected and spend so much time rushing around, I want to make a case today for slowing down our writing process.

There has been a global sub-movement in recent years towards a slower approach to life. People growing their own vegetables, learning skills such as calligraphy, knitting, etc, reverting back to basic mobile phones, and generally making a conscious decision to slow down. 

Conversely, there is a movement in direct opposition to this ease; the AI, next day delivery, instant gratification, approach. Increasingly we have noticed people promoting “write your book in 6 weeks” programmes online. These invariably rely heavily on using AI, to at least support your writing, if not generate the whole book. It is becoming more and more obvious when this approach has been taken. There are many signs, and I’m not talking about the now infamous “em dash”, more the fact that there are usually discrepancies in the writing itself; English phrases used by characters who are supposed to be American, plot holes and other glaringly obvious mistakes. I even heard about an incident recently where a publication recommended a summer book list, and half the books listed didn’t even exist – you guessed it, the journalist had used AI to generate the list. (Read more about this.)

Don’t get me wrong, there are situations when a little guidance can come in very handy, we all now rely on spell checkers and search engines, but we also know that often those magical AI generated responses, that Google now provides whether we like it or not, are often inaccurate. Can you imagine reading a whole book created using this same approach?

Writing isn’t easy?

Writing isn’t supposed to be easy. It is supposed to be a work of passion, we toil to create something unique and special. Something only we can craft, it has our DNA running though it, and is covered in our finger prints. We already have so many amazing tools to speed up the writing process, but has it gone too far now? I’m not suggesting we go back to writing out our first draft by hand using pen and ink, or even typewriter (which must have felt like the most incredible time saving invention at the time), but surely we deserve for the books we read to have at least been written by a person.

We have discussed many times, the beauty of imperfection and how our little quirks are what make us interesting and compelling. The idea of reading a book that has been written by a computer leaves me cold. I can’t learn anything about the human experience from a machine, and that is one of the main reasons I read. 

When I pick up a book I want to learn something. I want to discover a new approach to life, a new environment, or learn about a new subject. I want to relive moments others have experienced, and explore new possibilities. Perhaps most importantly though, I want to feel the passion of the author. I could read a book about almost anything, if the author is enthusiastic enough about their subject.

Why write a quick book?

We know that people have many reasons for writing a book. Some write for the love of writing, but many people want to release a book because they know it will build their credibility in their profession, or to add an additional revenue stream. I suspect that it is often these people who the “write your book in 6 weeks” approach appeals to. Often people have busy working lives and know that a book would really help them in supporting their audience and in reaching more people. My concern is that creating a book in this way, may do more harm than good. It is almost impossible to create a book with heart using AI, and that is what most people are looking for when they make a connection. Obviously AI is increasingly clever, and you can train it to sound like you, to use your turn of phrase etc. It is never perfect. If you use this method, I implore you to edit, and proofread thoroughly, because there are so many errors in some of these books.

In praise of the gently nurtured book

Here at Booksmith Academy, we are unsurprisingly, firmly in favour of the slow writing process. We know the benefits to the reader and the writer, of really taking time to craft your book. We are now more than half way through our second year of The Book Forge, and we have seen our community grow immeasurably while unravelling their books, and lovingly laying their words down for others to read. Slow, deliberate writing is a therapeutic process. This is particularly relevant if you are writing about your life, but the process of writing a book allows you to discover so much about yourself, whatever the subject. Taking time to lovingly choose your words, and ensure that everything you are trying to convey to your reader, is phrased with care, to bring maximum enjoyment is such a joy. You will learn so much about yourself, whatever book you are writing. 

We are also big fans of creating ritual around your writing time, making it an experience to remember. Taking some deep breaths, stretching, making your favourite hot drink, lighting a candle and selecting the perfect playlist before you sit down to write creates a sense of calm and ceremony, which will then flow onto the page through your words. The other joyful element of the slow writing process is the community you build (should you choose to). Writing can be a lonely process, but most writers choose to connect with others going through the same process. Whether you join an accountability group, such as The Writer’s Forge, or meet other writers at bookclubs or author events. Going through this experience with others, and having a trusted group of writer friends to ask for advice, and support, is so valuable. 

In conclusion

When we take time to plan, write, edit and polish our words, we create something truly magical. Something that will be treasured for years to come. The joy of holding that finished manuscript in your hands, knowing that you put your heart and soul into every word, is an incomparable feeling. I can’t help thinking that those emotions must be soured if you have had massive amounts of support from AI to create your book. 

We are big fans of books and inclusivity in writing, and we appreciate that people need different levels of support and advice when they decide to write a book. We implore you to take the time to put the time in to create something you can truly be proud of, put the blood, sweat and tears into your book, and have the satisfaction of knowing you created it. Instant gratification may seem appealing. Usually though, just like that impulse buy that you thought would make you happy, it leaves you feeling flat.

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