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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ranes" data-source="post: 7673027" data-attributes="member: 4826">Two thousand words a day is very high output for a module writer or it would be if it had to be sustained constantly. Two thousand words a day for ten days every month isn't easy but at least it lets the writer get his breath back.I was a journalist. Two thousand words a day was considered about as much as anyone could turn out and have it be decent (of course, it would still be attended by a sub-editor but it had to be of a high enough standard not to bog down that individual). In reality, two thousand words would be peak output. One thousand a day would be more typical.And I've worked in the games industry, developing tabletop RPG adventures and computer games. Considering the amount of work that has to go into a traditional RPG adventure design beyond the writing (new monster, trap and other rule mechanics, map layouts and so forth), two thousand words a day would be fairly punishing, if you had to do it day in, day out.These figures aren't new to me. I've encountered companies that expect such a work rate constantly and I've heard of many others from colleagues and from articles in the industry press. The figures annoy me, because I think they're driven by misguided people. Sadly, however, the figures do not shock me.People can do two thousand good words a day, if they're feeling fresh and inspired. As James Jacobs says, five thousand is phenomenal but not impossible. But expecting a writer — and adventure designer — to sustain that rate means, in my view, accepting a lower overall standard or burning out your writer.I do like the story about being handed cover art and a title as a brief though. A creative should love that challenge.</blockquote>

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