convore.json/groups/tech-authors/how-long-does-it-typically-take-to-write-a-book/messages.json

[{"user_id": 1, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298248798.11726, "message": "I'm curious about the timeline on writing books.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155317}, {"user_id": 1, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298248804.0969579, "message": "Is it 6 months, a year?", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155318}, {"user_id": 1760, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298249923.6455431, "message": "I should clarify: I was in the tech review phase in December, and the holidays held me up. The copy editing is going much more quickly, now.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155405}, {"user_id": 4156, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298250063.765995, "message": "Multiple authors can play a part, I assume it would've taken a lot longer for PWDD to get written if we hadn't splitten it roughly 3 ways -- multiple people still seemed to more than compensate for the collaboration overhead", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155425}, {"user_id": 4156, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298250135.9691989, "message": "Another thing is whether you care about being up to date -- we tacked on another ~2-4 weeks of time (again noting that we were all doing it part time) to get PWDD 1.0 compatible before it went out", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155430}, {"user_id": 1, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298248816.7871461, "message": "Or is it something that varies wildly from book to book?", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155319}, {"user_id": 1760, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298249873.1855531, "message": "@ericflo Have a subject in mind?", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155401}, {"user_id": 1760, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298250300.987009, "message": "Blogging regularly also helped exercise my writing abilities, even though I wasn't getting feedback from an editor.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155441}, {"user_id": 1760, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298250061.0817699, "message": "@bitprophet Good point. The actual writing for my book started in 2007, so most of the work last year was editing and cleanup of existing material. It's unusually large, though.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155424}, {"user_id": 1760, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298249840.237709, "message": "@ericflo It varies a lot, based on topic and author. The editing process varies based on publisher, too. I've been working on mine for about 8 months, but things slowed down a bunch in December.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155399}, {"user_id": 1, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298250142.318593, "message": "@doughellmann No subject in mind. I've long thought about making the attempt. I wrote one chapter in an O'Reilly book and that quenched my thirst quite a bit, haha, it was hard.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155431}, {"user_id": 4156, "stars": [{"date_created": 1298250182.020534, "user_id": 1}], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298249976.2611821, "message": "Yea, definitely variable. Factors include, as Doug said, topic and the author(s) in question, but also intended amount of material (are you writing a Pakt 150pg quickie or an enormous Rails 3 Way / Core Python style book?), how much time is dedicated (full time or squeezing it in after a FT job) etc etc", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155415}, {"user_id": 1760, "stars": [{"date_created": 1298250319.6119349, "user_id": 1}], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298250201.002954, "message": "@ericflo Yeah, a major book isn't something to undertake lightly. I worked my way up from feature articles. :-)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155434}, {"user_id": 4156, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298250107.892554, "message": "@doughellmann Yea, editing definitely can matter, we were lucky that our editing was largely superficial, not structural (IIRC...)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155427}, {"user_id": 4383, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255125.117017, "message": "The current schedule currently gives us over a year.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155594}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [{"date_created": 1298252859.501554, "user_id": 1}], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298252347.3252029, "message": "But I'd definitely suggest that if you're thinking \"no subject in mind\" don't worry about books yet.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155498}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255608.1539371, "message": "@ianmlewis it is, and no I'm not. I pre-ordered ages ago, though, and I'd just really like to see it finished!", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155625}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298252304.0655761, "message": "For Pro Django, I ended up taking about 18 months total (6 of which were before I contacted Apress) while Pro Python took about 15 months or so from start to finish.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155497}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298252430.1346271, "message": "For me, Pro Django was really natural because of the specific things I had already learned, and the content for Pro Python was laid out pretty well in Pro Django already.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155499}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298252449.9072649, "message": "So both times, I knew pretty well beforehand what I was writing about", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155500}, {"user_id": 3354, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298253757.963824, "message": "To give you some idea, \"Python Web Programming\" was written in a year, during which time I was also giving training gigs (so it was a \"spare time\" activity which, like Topsy, just growed). That was 600+ pages, all new text. But you are right, it isn't easy and requires discipline I sometimes struggle to find. It's not an accident that I was the original author of http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?DisplacementActivity ...", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155533}, {"user_id": 4383, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255111.3545661, "message": "This is a pretty interesting topic for me. I'm involved in writing a Python book with two other authors. My first attempt and in Japanese.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155592}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255243.639106, "message": "I actually am in favor of aggressive deadlines for all writing projects, because otherwise I find that the dedication and discipline and energy for the project starts to slowly drift and fade, and the rigors of work and life make the project seem petty sometimes.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155602}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255720.7739639, "message": "My first one bailed on me, and I was fortunate enough to get a fantastic replacement, who I worked with again on Pro Python", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155637}, {"user_id": 1, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255763.8334861, "message": "Is it a secret who does technical reviews, @Gulopine?", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155642}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255883.5212159, "message": "and to my knowledge, technical reviewers are usually credited on the copyright page of any book, so i can't imagine anybody keeps it a secret", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155657}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255914.3861301, "message": "er, too", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155661}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255653.2080159, "message": "Having a *good* editor is so important if you haven't done a book before and aren't otherwise involved/familiar/comfortable with \"doing writing\" on a regular ongoing basis. And I'll say this too: finding good editors is HARD.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155629}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255415.883106, "message": "@holdenweb Yup, Hofstadter's Law in action.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155610}, {"user_id": 3354, "stars": [{"date_created": 1298254901.8085711, "user_id": 1}], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298254723.519851, "message": "They say to double the length of time you think it will take, but even after I'd applied that rule it still took me twice my initial estimate :-)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155560}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255307.1857569, "message": "I work on Python Cookbook every day. Every. Single. Day.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155606}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255140.9180901, "message": "I wrote half of Linux Server Hacks vol 2 in 6 weeks, which I don't suggest anybody try to do. I met my deadline, though :/", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155595}, {"user_id": 4383, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255176.7462251, "message": "@jonesy That sounds rough.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155599}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [{"date_created": 1298255325.0383561, "user_id": 1}, {"date_created": 1306963310.6129701, "user_id": 6487}], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255280.548491, "message": "An aggressive deadline means that every time I look at the work ahead, I think \"holy f!@#ing !!@$\"", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155605}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255336.623101, "message": "One thing you have to remember is that, even if you're writing a book on a topic, YOU DON'T KNOW IT ALL. Research is involved, even if it's just to validate that you really know wtf you're talking about.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155607}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255383.989763, "message": "'cos the last thing you want is to be staring down a bunch of cross-armed, low-browed PyCon attendees in 2012 ;-P", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155609}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255448.08725, "message": "I still strive to make them, but in the end I feel like the final milestone is the important one.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155614}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255694.305021, "message": "@jonesy agreed. Especially a technical reviewer.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155636}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255760.051826, "message": "Your editors need to have your back, so you need to be able to trust them", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155640}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255772.5102711, "message": "not for me :)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155643}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255783.254719, "message": "George Vilches was my saving grace on many occasions", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155644}, {"user_id": 1, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255238.5692401, "message": "@jonesy Whoa, that's insane...6 weeks.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155601}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255428.4871819, "message": "6 weeks actually was pretty damn rough. It was back when I thought editors actually expected you to meet your initial deadlines.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155611}, {"user_id": 4383, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255444.9596879, "message": "@jonsey That makes sense and is probably good advise. I think programming is the same way. Without a firm deadline projects tend to drag out.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155613}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255486.944133, "message": "@ianmlewis totally agree. Can't count how many personal projects I've let slide :(", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155617}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255518.9473591, "message": "I can agree with the deadline comment as well, given how long Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja has been dragging out. :(", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155619}, {"user_id": 4383, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255582.650089, "message": "@Gulopine Isn't that jresig's book? You involved with that?", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155623}, {"user_id": 4383, "stars": [{"date_created": 1298255536.9534719, "user_id": 1}], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255487.574945, "message": "Typo. Convore needs editing like skype....", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155618}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255576.8964779, "message": "Though I have to say, even with a 12-15 month timeframe, I still felt enormous pressure for every single deadline, mostly because of @jonesy's other comment, that you don't know it all.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155622}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255672.0863259, "message": "But especially with Pro Python, I took a ton of time to research everything because it was a broader audience than Django, and a subject already well covered by so many great people. I was in esteemed company and didn't want to let them down.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155633}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255912.130507, "message": "they often get their own \"About the Technical Reviewer\" page to", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155660}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255682.905237, "message": "I think it would be terribly hard to just \"do a book\".", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155635}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298255735.0125101, "message": "in fact, I told Apress that the deal was off if he didn't sign on with me. :)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155638}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298258333.189837, "message": "tech reviewers are listed in most books. If they're not listed, I'm strongly considering *not* buying the book, 'cos I figure it's possible there was no tech review.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155847}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298258562.0527921, "message": "I'm still careful anyway. I've bought books that had tech review and just felt.... violated. There are some horrific books that somehow make it to the shelves. The publisher/editor must have some clue, because sometimes these books have no reviews on them that aren't obvious astroturfing jobs.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155852}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298258462.971319, "message": "i'd consider that a sound policy", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155849}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298258486.112839, "message": "or that if there was a tech review, it probably wasn't very thorough", "group_id": 4669, "id": 155850}, {"user_id": 14389, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298299437.5584371, "message": "In order to get it done, you MUST realize it is a JOB that can't be sidelined.  You have to be committed to getting things done.  So, planning is required, but dedication, and persistence are most important.  Make sure that you are measuring your progress, or lack thereof!", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159011}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298304046.895777, "message": "honestly, planning didn't help me much at all, and dedication and persistence are often lofty goals for a project that you're working on alone, in your spare time.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159512}, {"user_id": 1930, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306262.711587, "message": "heh - exactly, and the point of the \"discipline\" part... something I want to ...mmm... retarget in my own days", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159654}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306302.2475269, "message": "Unfortunately, your summary really only impacts the decision to write, not the task of writing", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159658}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306420.663079, "message": "makes things annoying :)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159668}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298304075.725173, "message": "what helped me far more than any of that was an editor (and a wife) who was willing to constantly hound me *before* the deadlines, to make sure i got everything done", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159514}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298304927.5879509, "message": "@Gulopine agreed. Realization and acceptance are two very different things. I realize that sheetrocking my pool room is a job, but I haven't accepted it as my mission yet, so the wood paneling stays for now ;-)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159560}, {"user_id": 1930, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306083.9973271, "message": "The talk on this thread of \"making time\", \"treat it like a job\", \"agressive deadlines\"  makes me think of David White's book - The Three Marriages, which says (in a nutshell) your [1] love / family,  [2] your career, and [3] your self (who you really are) should not be competing for your resources, rather complementing", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159632}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306388.345727, "message": "guh, i hate convore", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159665}, {"user_id": 1930, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306183.2605031, "message": "I know one non-computer author who just has the discipline to write 2 hours / day regardless.  He reports he discovers what his next book will be when he sees a pattern in his 2hr essays.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159641}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306202.267601, "message": "point taken, but just because it's in you and consistent with who you are doesn't mean there's always time, or that you'll always see fit to prioritize it in your life. And philosophically there's nothing wrong with that, but the outside world has no interest in a book Python 2.2 in 2018. :)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159643}, {"user_id": 1930, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306315.5372939, "message": "...exactly", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159659}, {"user_id": 1930, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306440.9076841, "message": "regardless - \"The Three Marriages\" can be an insightful read (especially w.r.t. talk about time / prioritizing) - http://www.davidwhyte.com/Three_Marriages.html", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159672}, {"user_id": 1930, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306465.3523769, "message": "(I'd gotten Whyte's name/spelling wrong earlier)", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159676}, {"user_id": 1930, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306103.9602771, "message": "That is:  write if it is in you, and consistent with who you are and what you have to say at the time.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159635}, {"user_id": 207, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298306413.7223389, "message": "three posts came in between what i last saw and what i wrote, but they didn't pop up until i finished writing it", "group_id": 4669, "id": 159667}, {"user_id": 9328, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1298854607.910918, "message": "My first book, Facebook Application Development, took about 5 months to get a complete draft ready.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 223063}, {"user_id": 15977, "stars": [{"date_created": 1299358309.4172211, "user_id": 1}], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1299354070.01245, "message": "IronPython in Action took me two years from start to very end.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 277443}, {"user_id": 5639, "stars": [], "topic_id": 7733, "date_created": 1299357793.9495659, "message": "wow, 2 years is probably the record among tech book authors I've spoken to.", "group_id": 4669, "id": 277614}]