Writing Tips From Trollope

Anthony Trollope was one of the most notable writers of the nineteenth century. His Chronicles of Barsetshire novels were followed by people from all walks of life in all English-speaking countries. His other novels were also equally well-received and went through numerous editions. One aspect of his work that could be of interest to many writers is his writing technique. How he wrote his novels, and how he was able to be so productive, are two things that could interest today's writers as well, since the problems he faced and the solutions he found are applicable to all writers.

1. Write in You Spare Time

Trollope said that when he decided to become a writer, he also decided to let his writing take second place to his job in the postal service. He did not want to be too dependent on the uncertain income from his writing and therefore made a conscious decision to continue in his job. Furthermore, as a part-time writer, he needed to find a way of using the time available to him to the fullest extent.

2. Get it Done Early

One solution he found was to do his writing before he went to his job in the postal service. He would wake up around five thirty in the morning and, after a light breakfast, would begin to write. At nine o'clock, when his family was just beginning to start their morning routines, he would leave for his office. He would therefore have had almost four hours to write, with no interruptions either from his sleeping family or external sources.

3. Track Your Progress

Since he needed to use the little time available to him efficiently, he created a way of keeping track of his daily progress. His goal was to write a certain number of words during each fifteen minute interval so as to produce a given word and page count each day. Each page of his notebooks had a margin indicating the number of words written. By keeping track of time as he wrote, he knew when he was behind in his word count and when he had time to spare. In this way, by maintaining a tight control of his word and page count, he was able to chart his progress and reach his daily writing quota.

Trollope was able to write over 47 novels, as well as many stories and articles, by following this method. The fact that his books are still read indicates that he was able to maintain quality while following a system that suited his particular circumstance. While his technique may not be suitable to many writers, it still has some advantages that could benefit today's writers. Having a day job and writing part-time is still the route followed by many beginning and seasoned writers.