Georges Simenon, author of more than 500 police procedurals and psychological thrillers who was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s, took 3 weeks to write a novel. He was noted for being able to churn out a new book quickly and on demand. He is best known for his Inspector Maigret novels.
From
Penguin:
Quote:
|
Georges Simenon was the most successful author in the world in the 1960s. His books have been translated into more that 20 languages, with over 40 filmed for television and cinema. These new editions are being published to coincide with the centenary year of Georges Simenon's birth. With a startling understanding of the criminal mind and a strong belief in moral justice, Inspector Maigret is one of the greatest fictional detectives of all time.
|
Another prolific author who wrote quickly was Evan Hunter, who wrote under numerous pseudonyms, including Ed McBain. As McBain, he authored nearly 100 87th Precinct police procedurals. He was also the author of
The Blackborad Jungle.
Bottom line is that there are many factors that go into determining how long it takes to write a novel.