Home   >   How to Get Published   >   How Quickly Should You Write Your Book?

How Quickly Should You Write Your Book?

By on June 10, 2020

Understanding how long it takes to write a book is a valuable lesson for every writer. While many people might argue that it is impossible to define how long it will take any individual to write a book, there are several factors to consider. It’s crucial regardless that every author embarking on this journey, decides, in advance, how long it will take them to complete their novel. Without any sense of a timeline, it will be all too easy not to push oneself, to make excuses, to procrastinate, become demotivated, and never reach the finish line. 

How quickly should you write your book? Depends how long is takes!

For most writers, it takes between 2 months and 2 years to write a book. This, of course, is dependent on the word count and how much capacity the author has to write it. You might be a particularly productive writer who has lots of free time and can dedicate full days to writing, or you might be trying to fit your creative writing sessions around a demanding full-time job. 

A year is around the average length of time it takes for an author to write a book, though some do it much more quickly, and others spend years pouring over their manuscripts. However, taking much longer than a year, at least to get your first draft down, could spell trouble, and if it takes you longer than this, it’s worth considering why and working out how you could dedicate more time to writing your story. 

Length Vs Speed

Of course, longer works of fiction are likely to take increased time, so here is a rough guide to length of time it takes to write a book in relation to the number of words written if you can write 500 words a day, each day:

50,000 words: 500 words/day = 100 days

80,000 words: 500 words/day = 160 days

100,000 words: 500 words/day = 200 days

However, we realize all writers can't commit to this word count, and individuals need to be realistic and honest with themselves when setting their writing goals. 

There are usually ways you can shorten the length of time it takes to write a book depending on your level of dedication and commitment and any extenuating circumstances that need to be taken into account.

Asking 'how quickly should you write your book?' is, therefore, perhaps not the best thing to focus on. It's like asking 'how long is a piece of string?' Only you know your story, only you know what it is you want to say. Focus on writing the best story you can rather than trying to hit some abitrary word count and then you'll stay true to yourself, and be more likely to write something you can be proud of.

So now you can answer 'how quickly should you write your book?' why not discover how to give your story structure?

Bethany Cadman

bethanycadmancreates.co.uk

    About Beth Cadman