Best Book on Writing? 2k to 10k: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love

As a mom, wife, business owner, and what was that other one again?...oh yes, writer, I am constantly looking for ways to be more efficient at whatever role I'm working on at the moment.  Since I decided to become a novelist some three years ago, I've read countless books on the structure of writing, how to write with proper grammar, bird by bird, whatever, but I didn't come across anything that really helped me write more efficiently until I came across Rachel Aaron's 2k to 10k: Writing Faster, Writing Better, and Writing More of What You Love (hereafter referred to as 2k to 10k in order to keep me from going bonkers recopying the title over and over).  And to be honest, I didn't stumble across it, it was recommended by my cousin and fellow author, Russell Elledge.

This book was absolutely one of those 'I could have had a V-8' moments for me.  At the time I read 2k to 10k, I was 30,000 words into the sequel to Finding My Escape.  And I'd been about 30,000 words into the sequel of Finding My Escape for almost a year.  I just could not bring myself to finish the book.  After reading 2k to 10k I realized why:  I hated what I was writing.  I was bored with it, and after letting my sister read a few chapters, I learned that what I was basically doing was regurgitating book one.  I loved writing the first book because it was exciting and interesting.  Writing it a second time?  Not so much. 

So I chucked the draft.  All (well almost all) 30,000 words and, following the plan in 2k to 10k, wrote a detailed outline for the new book, taking the story in an entirely new and exciting direction.  Here's the really exciting part.  Are you ready for this?  I wrote over 12,000 words in one week.  And this particular week I picked up a new business client, had double my normal business meetings, took my fifteen year-old to get her learner's permit (and to practice driving, which I managed to do without having a heart attack), participated in a Pinterest Pinning Party (to be blogged about later this week), and had two events at church.  I'm exhausted just writing about it.

Did I mention you can have this little gem for only 99 cents?  Yes, the book is short, but let's face it, with time a factor, I'd rather have a short, succinct book packed with valuable information than read a how-to book that is 300 pages that I'm going to have a hard time getting around to read.