How I Wrote 10,000 Words in 14 Days (And How You Can Too)
Ever stared at a blinking cursor so long that you could swear it started mocking you? Yep, me too.
When I first started writing fiction, getting words on the page felt impossible. I’d write a chapter, then delete it. Rewrite it, delete it again, and end up stuck on a loop of frustration. Sound familiar?
Recently, though, I challenged myself to write 10,000 words in just two weeks—and actually did it. Here's exactly how, step-by-step (and spoiler alert: you can absolutely do this too).
Step 1: Clear, Small Goals (500–1,000 words a day)
The first secret to hitting 10K in 14 days isn’t to sit down and say, “I’m gonna write a book.” That's overwhelming. Instead, pick a daily word-count target.
500 words/day = 3 pages (roughly 20–30 minutes)
1,000 words/day = 5–6 pages (around 45–60 minutes)
I went for 1,000 words/day. I set a timer and didn’t stop writing until I hit my goal—no editing, no perfectionism allowed.
Tip: Set your goal low enough that you can’t fail, but high enough that you see real progress. Momentum matters more than perfection.
Step 2: Simple Story Structure (Know What Comes Next)
I’m usually not a big outliner, but this time, I did something small that helped immensely:
Before each writing session, I wrote down two things on a sticky note:
What happens in this scene? (one sentence)
How does the scene end or change things? (one sentence)
Having that simple roadmap meant I never got stuck staring at the page. Each writing session had direction—no more guessing or waiting for inspiration.
Step 3: Writing Sprints (Just Write Fast)
Writing slowly tends to make us second-guess every sentence. Writing quickly bypasses that critical editor in our heads.
I used writing sprints (timed sessions of focused writing) every single day:
20-minute sprints: Quick, no editing, no deleting
5-minute breaks: Stretch, grab coffee, breathe
Repeat until I hit the daily goal
By racing the clock, my mind shifted from “is this good?” to “just keep going.” It was liberating.
Step 4: Zero Editing (Yet)
Here’s a tough truth: your first draft will be messy. It’s supposed to be messy.
I gave myself strict rules:
No rereading what I wrote yesterday
No editing while writing
No deleting paragraphs
Did it drive me nuts sometimes? Sure. Did it help me actually finish 10K words? Absolutely.
Step 5: Celebrate Tiny Wins
Every time I hit a milestone (2K, 5K, 7.5K), I rewarded myself. Small rewards, like taking a walk with the kids, episodes of a favorite show, or even just bragging on social media (hey, it counts).
Celebrating small wins made the process enjoyable. It built confidence and turned writing from something stressful into something satisfying.
Step 6: Use Tools that Help You Write Smarter
These are a few free tools I used along the way to stay focused:
Grammarly – grammar check after drafting
ChatGPT – prompts to kickstart scenes or characters
Pomofocus.io – easy Pomodoro timer for writing sprints
Also Read:
How to Choose the Perfect Book Cover (Even If You’re Not a Designer)
How to Get Book Reviews as a Self-Published Author (Without Feeling Spammy)
Step 7: Keep Track Visually
I kept a simple word-count tracker right next to my laptop. Every day, I crossed off my goal—there’s something genuinely satisfying about ticking boxes.
You can grab a printable tracker for free inside my Indie Author Starter Vault—it made all the difference.
Your Turn (Yes, You Can Do This)
Writing 10K words in 14 days isn’t easy, but it’s simpler than most writers make it.
Here’s your next step:
Set your daily word goal (500–1,000 words/day).
Use a simple outline (scene start, scene end).
Write in sprints—fast and messy.
Track your progress visually.
Celebrate each milestone.
And if you want the exact tools and templates I used, including my favorite writing prompts, grammar checklists, and a step-by-step workbook for writing your first 10K, grab my free toolkit here:
👉 Download the Indie Author Starter Vault
No more excuses. Just stories waiting to be told.
You’ve got this.
