Anyway, in a search for motivation, I stumbled across this article about classic novels that have been written in less than 6 weeks. Turns out some of the most notable writers have done their best work whilst working to a tight schedule. Look at Jack Kerouac, for instance. His novel On The Road was typed out in 3 weeks on one giant roll of paper and became known as one of the best English-language novels of the 20th century. William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, penned in a space of weeks, is considered a notable work of recent history as well.
I also found out (here) that Robert Louis Stevenson knocked out the first draft to The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in just 3 days whilst Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the first Sherlock Holmes novel (A Study in Scarlet) in 3 weeks. Arguably, both texts have become embedded in our modern culture today, as the many TV/film adaptations of these stories or characters will prove. Both writers are considered part of the English-language literary canon as well (I have actually had both these books on my university reading list this year). Becoming part of literary history after a few days/weeks worth of work? Not bad!
And so, I wonder, if these writers can produce what some may call 'masterpieces of literature' in such a short space of time, why can't I do a 3000 word essay in a couple of weeks? It gives me no excuses really, does it?
