Novellas with Groff

An author has recently completed two novellas, despite having previously viewed creative writing as a daunting task compared to technical subjects like physics and mathematics. The first work spans approximately 15,000 words, or 50 pages, while the second reaches roughly 40,000 words, or 120 pages. The writing process varied significantly in pace: the shorter piece required seven months to complete, whereas the longer narrative was finished in only ten days.

This unexpected turn toward authorship follows a newfound interest in reading. After rediscovering books in their home around July 2025, the author transitioned from reading only one novel per year to consuming about 30 works of fiction. Finding the hobby unexpectedly enjoyable, the author decided to try writing stories of their own. However, the author has no intention of publishing these works or sharing them privately with others.

Maintaining the technical focus of their blog, the author detailed the typesetting process used to produce these documents. Instead of utilizing modern, resource-heavy publishing software, the author opted for Groff. Primarily known for rendering Linux manual pages, Groff is a sophisticated typesetting system capable of producing high-quality books. The author highlighted the system’s efficiency, noting that even on a 13.5-year-old computer, rendering the 120-page novella takes less than two seconds.

To simplify the process, the author created a custom, lightweight macro package tailored to the needs of a novel. Since the projects required only flowing text and occasional emphasis—rather than complex elements like diagrams or tables of contents—the macro requirements were minimal. The author explained that the system works by defining specific formatting rules within a file, such as spacing for chapter headings or paragraph indents, and then processing these files to generate an A5-sized PDF.

While the author acknowledges that they have not yet mastered the complexities of Groff, the experiment serves as a functional demonstration of using traditional command-line tools for creative writing. By avoiding modern software, which the author describes as feeling sluggish, they were able to enjoy a swift and minimalist production process. Despite the success of the endeavor, the resulting novellas remain strictly for the author’s own satisfaction.

Sources: Hacker News

Aggregated summary. Original: Hacker News