Heinlein is one of my favorite Sci-Fi authors — if you haven’t seen it already, watch Predestination which is based on a Heinlein short-story for a nice mindfuck and a general idea of what a great writer (and thinker) Heinlein was.

During some reading about his work I stumbled across six simple rules Heinlein set up for aspiring writers:

1. You must write
2. Finish what you started
3. You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order
4. You must put your story on the market
5. You must keep it on the market until it has sold
6. Start working on something else

I love it. It is minimalist, it is based on free market principles, it is about doing the work.

Robert Heinlein was a libertarian which shines through his writing. And his approach to being a writer goes in the same direction: Do the work and let the people decide if you stuff is good enough or not. In the end: Not all good writing sells, but all writing that sells is good.

How far can I get as an indie writer?

I’ve decided to apply Heinlein’s rules to my own pursuit as a writer some time ago. 1,000 words a day is my minimum goal which will results in at least 365K words a year.

This leaves me with at least 4 full novels by the end of each year. By doing my own editing, translating, and cover design, I can keep the cost low. The marketing is a different beast, sure. I’m writing this blog, doing YouTube, and writing short stories on top to get something going.

Will I succeed?

Only time will tell—and the free market.