How long does it take to write a book *that doesn’t suck*?
Bella Rose Emmorey
book editor, rogue behaviorist, digital marketer, writer, brand builder, plant aunt, and cheese enthusiast.
In truth, you could write a book in a day. So if you’re wondering how long it takes to write a book, you might want to start asking better questions. Kidding! Sort of.
The truth is this question is too vague. You need more to go on, like:
What kind of book are you writing?
How long will the book be?
What does your schedule allow for writing-wise?
How dedicated to you are finishing it?
Are you an experienced writer or brand new?
As you can see, "it depends" is the only right answer to the question of how long does it take to write a book. Anyone claiming to have a highly specific answer is tricking you.
That said, there are ways you can figure out how long it’ll take you to write a book.
Let’s start in the only place I think we should:
Do you want to write a good book or a fast book?
And yes, I realize that on occasion, you can write a good book quickly. Even Stephen King wrote Carrie in about 2 weeks. Granted, he’s admitted to the assistance of a $ certain powdery substance$ to aid in such expedited timelines.
Which isn’t recommended for obvious reasons.
The point is that you can write a book quickly but most books written on a fast timeline often need heavy editing afterward. So while you might write the book faster, it won’t necessarily be finished quickly.
It’s all up to you and how you operate. If you’d do better to write the book really fast and spend the extra time editing and $ revising$ , great! Discovery writers (pantsers, free writers) often fall in this category.
Outliners, on the other hand, typically take longer to plan things out, which takes them longer to "write" the book, but they have less time in the editing stages.
How long it took famous authors to write their books
To further demonstrate that there is no hard-fast rule when it comes to how long it takes to write a book, let’s cover some famous authors, their books, and how long it took each to write.
BOOK — AUTHOR — LENGTH TO WRITE BOOK
- Gone With the Wind — Margaret Mitchell — 10 years
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone — JK Rowling — 6 years
- A Game of Thrones — George R.R. Martin — 5 years
- Carrie — Stephen King — 2 weeks (first draft)
- Jurassic Park — Michael Crichton —3 years
While you might see all kinds of advice and "proven methods" to write a book in only a few months, putting forth something of meaningful (and lasting) quality can take a lot longer.
But it also completely depends on how much you can actually work on the book itself.
Those who work part time or don’t have external obligations like kids or a high maintenance lifestyle can put more time into their books than others. So let’s take a look at some math that can help you answer the question of how long does it take to write a book for your unique circumstances.
How long does it take to write a book that’s quality?
Let’s do a little math, shall we?
Planning / Outlining: 2-4 weeks or longer
First Draft: 3-6 months (more on this below)
Beta Readers / Editing: 4-6 weeks
Final Proofreading: 2-4 weeks
Using this, if you can work on your book 5 days a week and churn out 2500 words weekly (500 words each of those days), it’ll take about 30 weeks, or 7 months, to finish the first draft of a 75,000 word book.
That’s a doable amount if you’re dedicated to your book and are focused on a good 500 words each day you sit down to write.
But that’s just one example.
Some of us can’t dictate 5 days a week to writing and our schedules are less regulated. Tools like NovelPad’s progress tracker come in clutch for adjusting your writing amount and days.
Just open the "Goals" tab and fill in a few key details:
1. Fill in the word count goal under "Goal"
2. Click the dropdown to choose how you want to track this goal. You can set up daily, weekly, monthly, or total goals. If you choose "total" and set the goal for the whole manuscript, the tracker will set up word count goals per day for you. This is recommended for this method.
3. Choose your start and end dates. If you want to write a book in 3 months, then set that here. If you want to take your time, you can set it to a year.
4. Toggle your writing frequency per day of the week. This allows you to choose which days you’ll write more or less, depending on what your schedule looks like.
5. Fulfill the word count goals per day! With NovelPad, the goal will actually change if you wrote more words on one day and fewer on another, always adapting so you hit your word count goal by the end date.
With this method, answering the question of how long does it take to write a book will depend on how long you’re willing to work on it in any given week. The more time you put in weekly, the less overall time it’ll take to complete.
How to write a book faster while maintaining quality
Let’s just say you don’t have to take a decade to write a book. That’s fair! You don’t need to. But if you still want to maintain quality writing while increasing your writing speed, here’s how to go about it.
1. Set a Consistent Schedule
Consistency is the foundation of writing faster. By dedicating specific blocks of time to writing each day, you build a habit and train your brain to focus during those hours.
Whether it’s an hour every morning before work or two hours in the evening, pick a time that works for you and stick to it.
Remember, it’s about showing up regularly, not waiting for inspiration to strike. Inspiration is a fickle little demon, not the helpful angel you think it is. Sit down and do the thing.
And if you sit down and can’t write…
2. Figure Out Your Issues
I wish I was kidding, but I’m not. We all have things that get in the way of our writing. Most of us call this "$ writer’s block$ " and consider it a normal thing. It’s not, and the problem can be any number of things.
For me, it took $ going through The Artist’s Way$ to figure out a lot of what my blocks were. Because there are two different kinds:
- Psychological blocks
- Content blocks
Which are yours? Which are you facing in this moment? One is actually easier to overcome in the moment than the other.
Psychological blocks are best addressed by writing anyway.
Content blocks often require you to go back and figure out what’s not working in the story that’s keeping you from moving forward.
3. Plan Ahead
An outline is your roadmap to writing efficiently. Without one, you risk getting stuck or veering off course, which leads to time-consuming rewrites. But this is, of course, if you’re better off as an outliner.
If you are, start with a big-picture view: What’s your story’s beginning, middle, and end? Then, break it into smaller sections, such as chapters or scenes. Include key plot points, character arcs, and any essential details that will guide your writing.
Tools like story beats or scene cards can help you visualize your narrative. You can also use $ outlining techniques$ or things like the $ snowflake method$ to help you.
A clear outline ensures you always know what to write next, eliminating some of the content block issues I just talked about because you don’t know what happens next.
4. Write in Sprints
Writing sprints are a powerful technique to boost productivity. By focusing on writing as much as you can in a short, defined period—such as 25 minutes using the Pomodoro Technique—you can silence your inner editor and let the words flow. Set a timer, eliminate distractions, and write without worrying about perfection. After the sprint, take a short break before starting the next session. Many writers find that sprints not only increase their word count but also make the process more enjoyable. Even two or three sprints a day can result in thousands of words by the end of the week.
5. Use Tools!
Technology can be your best friend when writing a book. Software like NovelPad helps you organize your manuscript, outline, and notes all in one place, saving you from shuffling through scattered documents, wasting precious writing time.
For the editing phase, grammar tools like ProWritingAid or Grammarly can catch mistakes quickly, giving you cleaner drafts to work with, although software like NovelPad does already have a proofer built-in.
Voice-to-text tools can also be a game-changer if you find it easier to speak your ideas than to type them.
But remember that the tools don’t write the book for you. Don’t spend too much time getting lost in all the features and distract yourself from the actual writing.
6. Get Feedback Early
Waiting until your book is fully written to get feedback can lead to extensive rewrites and $ editing your novel$ . Instead, share your work with trusted critique partners, beta readers, or a writing coach as you go. Especially the critique partners.
They can provide insights into what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to adjust course before problems compound. For example, if a subplot isn’t resonating with readers early on, you can revise it rather than letting it unravel your story later.
7. Prioritize Self-Care
Writing faster doesn’t mean burning the candle at both ends until you’re miserable and hate writing. Exhaustion stifles creativity and leads to lower-quality work.
Make time for activities that recharge you—and your writing! Whether it’s exercise, hobbies, getting outside, immersing yourself in things that remind you of your story, or simply getting enough sleep.
You’re not a machine—taking care of your physical and mental health ensures you can sustain your productivity and keep your passion for the project alive.
So how long does it take to write a book? As long as it takes you to write your book. Stop this comparison game. Stop thinking there’s a highly specific number to chase. Determine how much you can realistically work on your book and make some goals from there.
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