Since I’m working on writing a novel this month, it seems appropriate to do a Favorites Friday on very prolific writers–who must be writing their books quickly too.

Most of my favorite authors seem to get a book out about once a year, sometimes less.  And when I’m eagerly awaiting a new installment, that seems like a very long time!  But I can think of three favorite authors (two living, one dead) who seem to manage a faster rate.  I know frequent publishing is normal in the Romance section–but that’s one reason I don’t read romances.  I find it hard to believe an entire genre’s-worth of writers can really publish three books a year without ruining their quality.

But here are three writers who do write good books at an astonishing pace.

Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote over seventy books in his lifetime, typically two a year.  Granted, they almost all have the same plot, but the quality of the writing and of the adventure is solid.  I’ve heard that Burroughs defies everything writing teachers want to tell you about the importance of revision.  He’d typically write a draft, re-read for punctuation and the occasional word change, and that was it.  His novels are practically first drafts.  Once in a while it shows, but most of the time it doesn’t.  And since I’ve read 47 of his books so far, I’m so glad he wrote as many as he did!

Author’s Site: http://www.tarzan.org/

Geraldine McCaughrean knocks me over every time I look at her book list.  It just goes on…and on…and on!  Seriously, check it out–you have to scroll for a long time.  🙂  Her “About Me” on her website says she’s written 160 books (that really is one-six-zero).  I’ve been meaning to read more of her books…so now I just have to decide where to start!

Author’s Site: http://www.geraldinemccaughrean.co.uk/index.htm

L. A. Meyer has a shorter booklist, having written nine books in the Jacky Faber series.  They do come out about once a year, but somehow they feel more frequent–and I include him here mostly because he has a wonderful knack for always having a new book coming out just when I happen to think of looking for one!  Perhaps they feel more frequent than other authors’ books because he only writes one series–so I never have to wait an extra year while he’s writing something I’m less interested in!

Author’s Site: http://clairdeloon.com/

I know there are other writers who write/wrote a lot–Isaac Asimov and Piers Anthony both come to mind as having very lengthy bibliographies.  So, who am I missing?  Any other favorite writers who put books out at a fantastic rate, and still keep up the quality?