Day 86 – Writing fast or slow
…
Speed vs. Patience in Novel Writing: Why “Fast” Doesn’t Have to Mean “Shallow”
- Writing fast can be a strength when it’s backed by a solid plan, disciplined habits, and a system for keeping track of details.
- Rushing without preparation usually ends in thin characters, plot holes, and endless rewrites.
- Earl Stanley Gardner’s 3 × 5‑card system shows how a writer can sprint the first draft while still maintaining “detail‑level” control.
In the world of fiction, the “fast‑track” versus “slow‑burn” debate is as old as the first typewriter. Some of the most beloved classics were laboured over for years; others erupted onto the scene in a burst of creative momentum. So, is finishing a novel quickly a badge of honour or a recipe for mediocrity? Let’s unpack the myth, look at the data, and see what a master of the craft—Earl Stanley Gardner—can teach us about marrying speed with substance.
1. The Myth of the “Quick‑Write” Novel
| Common Pro‑Speed Belief | Reality Check |
|---|---|
| “If I write fast, the story stays fresh.” | Freshness can be preserved if you capture the core idea quickly, but the nuance (voice, subtext, world‑building) still requires time. |
| “The first draft should be a sprint.” | A sprint works when you have a map; otherwise you risk getting lost and having to backtrack. |
| “Fast writers are more productive, period.” | Productivity = output ÷ time. A fast first draft can be productive, but quality revisions are the true productivity multiplier. |
The romantic image of the author hunched over a typewriter, words spilling out like a torrent, is compelling. Yet the industry’s “publish‑or‑perish” pressure has turned speed into a badge of professionalism—sometimes at the cost of depth.
Why the Fear of “Too‑Slow” Persists
- Market pressure – Publishers want marketable manuscripts, and a lengthy gestation can look risky.
- Personal doubt – Writers equate time spent with laziness, ignoring the fact that thoughtful revision is work, not procrastination.
- Social media – Flash‑fiction challenges and “write‑a‑novel‑in‑30‑days” hashtags glorify speed.
But speed alone is not a metric of quality. It’s the process behind that speed that makes the difference.
2. The Counter‑Argument: “Take Your Time, Get the Detail Right”
Many celebrated authors have taken years—sometimes decades—to perfect a single novel:
| Author | Time to First Draft | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marcel Proust | 13 years ( À la recherche du temps perdu ) | Intricate memory structures, sensory detail |
| J.K. Rowling | 5 years ( Harry Potter series) | World‑building, magical system rules |
| Haruki Murakami | 4–6 years per novel | Atmosphere, recurring motifs |
These writers demonstrate that deliberate, layered craftsmanship often requires a slower pace. Yet notice the pattern: they didn’t just sit and think; they produced drafts, rewrote, and refined—a disciplined cadence, not a languid drift.
What “Taking Your Time” Looks Like in Practice
- Daily word‑count goals (e.g., 500–1,000 words) that respect a realistic schedule.
- Research blocks are scheduled before or during the draft, not after.
- Iterative outline revisions as the story evolves.
- Scheduled “detail‑days” where you focus solely on specific aspects: dialogue, setting, character back‑story.
In other words, time is a resource—you can spend it wisely or waste it. The key is structure.
3. Planning: The Bridge Between Speed and Substance
Speed without a plan is like driving a sports car without a road map: you’ll get somewhere, but likely not where you intended. A robust plan lets you:
- Locate narrative landmarks (major plot twists, climax, resolution).
- Flag high‑stakes details (character motivations, world rules) for later refinement.
- Allocate “sprint” vs. “sprint‑pause” phases, ensuring stamina.
Types of Planning Systems
| System | Core Idea | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|
| Full‑blown outline (e.g., Snowflake Method) | Start with a single sentence, expand to chapters. | Writers who love a macro view before micro work. |
| Scene‑by‑scene index cards | Cards for each scene, shuffled as needed. | Visual thinkers, flexible plots. |
| Mind‑map | Non‑linear, branching ideas. | Complex worlds, multiple POVs. |
| 3 × 5‑card system (Earl Stanley Gardner) | Details captured on index cards, organized into “files.” | Plot‑driven writers, mystery/suspense authors. |
All of these share a common thread: externalise the story. When you move ideas off the page (or screen) you free mental bandwidth for creative flow.
4. Case Study: Earl Stanley Gardner and the 3 × 5‑Card System
Who Was Earl Stanley Gardner?
- Creator of the Perry Mason series (1933–1973) – over 80 novels, many adapted for TV.
- Prodigious output: Averaged a novel every two months, some weeks.
- Master of plot precision: Known for intricate puzzles that never left loose ends.
The Card System Explained
| Step | What You Do | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Capture every idea | Write each plot point, character trait, clue, or setting on a 3 × 5 index card. | Prevents “aha!” moments from evaporating. |
| 2. Categorize into “files.” | Group cards into logical bins: Characters, Motives, Clues, Red Herrings, Scenes. | Gives you a searchable “database” of story elements. |
| 3. Sequence the narrative | Lay out the scene cards in order, shuffle, test alternate orders. | Enables rapid restructuring without rewriting. |
| 4. Draft from the cards | Use the sequence as a road map for a fast, first‑draft sprint. | Keeps you moving forward; you already have the details. |
| 5. Review & tighten | After the draft, return to the cards to spot missing connections or over‑complicated twists. | Guarantees that the detail‑level (the “fair‑play” of mystery) stays intact. |
Why It Works
- External Memory: The cards become a “second brain,” freeing the author to write rather than juggle facts.
- Modular Flexibility: If a scene feels flat, you pull a different card, replace it, and keep writing.
- Speed with Safety Net: Gardener could sprint the first draft because the “detail police” lived on his card table.
Takeaways for Any Writer
- Adopt a capture tool – physical index cards, a digital Kanban board (Trello, Notion), or even a simple spreadsheet.
- Commit to a “card‑first” mindset – no idea is too small to be carded.
- Use the cards as a reversible outline – rearrange, add, delete, then write.
5. Practical Blueprint: Write a Novel Fast Without Losing Depth
Below is a step‑by‑step workflow that blends Gardner’s method with modern tools.
Phase 1 – Ideation (1–2 weeks)
| Action | Tool | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Brain‑dump plot seeds | Scrivener, Google Docs, or a stack of 3 × 5 cards | 20–30 raw ideas |
| Turn each seed into a card | Physical cards or Trello card | “Idea Cards” |
| Assign tags (Character, Setting, Twist) | Card color/label | Organized library |
Phase 2 – Structure (2–3 weeks)
| Action | Tool | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Draft a one‑sentence logline | Notepad | Core hook |
| Expand to a paragraph synopsis | Word processor | Story arc |
| Break synopsis into scene cards | Trello board columns (Act I, II, III) | 30–50 scene cards |
| Verify each scene supports one major plot goal and one character arc beat | Checklist | Cohesive structure |
Phase 3 – Sprint Draft (4–6 weeks)
| Daily Routine | Goal |
|---|---|
| Morning (30 min): Review the next 2‑3 scene cards, add any missing details. | Keep the mental map fresh. |
| Writing block (2 hr): Write the scenes in order without editing. | Capture raw narrative. |
| Afternoon (15 min): Update card status (Done, Needs Revision). | Track progress. |
| Evening (10 min): Quick “detail‑audit” – do any clues or character motives feel incomplete? Add new cards if needed. | Prevent blind spots. |
Result: A first draft in 30–45 days, with most major plot holes already flagged.
Phase 4 – Revision (4–8 weeks)
| Revision Pass | Focus |
|---|---|
| Pass 1 – Macro: Compare draft to scene cards, ensure every card is represented appropriately. | Structural fidelity. |
| Pass 2 – Character Depth: Cross‑check each character’s “Motivation Card” against their actions. | Emotional authenticity. |
| Pass 3 – Detail Polish: Use “Setting” and “Clue” cards to enrich prose, add sensory layer. | Texture and atmosphere. |
| Pass 4 – Line‑Edit: Grammar, style, pacing. | Clean copy. |
The beauty of this system is that the heavy lifting (detail tracking) is already done; revisions become a matter of refinement, not reconstruction.
6. When Speed Can Backfire (And How to Avoid It)
| Pitfall | Symptoms | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| “Speed‑first, plan‑later” | Frequently hitting dead‑ends, large plot holes, endless rewrites. | Insert at least a 10‑page outline before the first draft. |
| “All‑out sprint, no rest” | Burnout, loss of enthusiasm, sloppy prose. | Build in micro‑breaks (e.g., 10‑minute walk after each 2‑hour block). |
| “Details after the fact” | Inconsistencies in character back‑story, world logic errors. | Use cards or a spreadsheet to log every new fact as you write. |
| “Relying on memory” | Forgetting early clues, contradictory timelines. | Keep a master timeline (Google Sheet, Excel) updated daily. |
7. Bottom Line: Speed Is a Tool, Not a Philosophy
- If you have a plan, a fast first draft can be a productive sprint that leaves you plenty of time for deep revision.
- If you lack a plan, speed often leads to a quick mess that takes longer to clean up than a slower, more deliberate approach.
- Gardner’s 3 × 5‑card system proves that you can have both: a rapid output engine powered by meticulous, externalised detail tracking.
In short: Write fast when you’ve wired the details into a system you trust. Write slowly when you’re still figuring out what the story even is. The sweet spot lies somewhere in the middle—structured speed backed by disciplined organisation.
8. Quick‑Start Checklist (Print‑Friendly)
- Capture every narrative idea on a card (physical or digital).
- Tag each card (Character, Plot, Setting, Clue).
- Arrange cards into a three‑act scene sequence.
- Set a daily word‑count goal (1,000–2,000 words).
- Write the first draft without editing – use the cards as a roadmap.
- Mark cards that need extra detail during the draft.
- Revise using the four‑pass method (macro → character → detail → line).
Print this list, stick it on your desk, and let it guide you from “I have a story” to “I have a polished novel—fast.”
Further Reading
- Earl Stanley Gardner – The Case of the Counterfeit Coin (intro to his planning method).
- Steven King – On Writing (chapter on “The Importance of a Plan”).
- K.M. Weiland – Structuring Your Novel (Snowflake Method).
- James Clear – Atomic Habits (building daily writing habits).
Ready to sprint your next novel while keeping the details tight? Grab a stack of 3 × 5 cards, map out your world, and let the words flow. Speed and depth are not mutually exclusive—they’re just waiting for the right system to meet.
Happy writing!
If you found this post helpful, share it on social media, subscribe for more writing strategy articles, or leave a comment below with your own fast‑write success stories.
Thrills, Spills, and just a dash of Romance 