How Long Does It Take to Write a Book?

The length of time it takes to write a book depends on numerous factors, including the writer’s desired book length, word count per day, and experience level. Every writer has their own process. For example, prolific author Stephen King strives to write ten pages per day and believes the first draft of a book shouldn’t take any longer than three months. N.K. Jemisin took eight months to write The Broken Kingdoms, and she did it while working fifty-five hours a week at her day job. On the other hand, J.R.R. Tolkien took twelve years to write The Lord of the Rings, and Donna Tartt spent over ten years working on The Goldfinch.

Setting a page and word count goal will help writers figure out how long the book writing process may take. The average paperback book ranges from 200 to 300 pages, averaging about 275 words per page. A 300-page book will have approximately 82,500 words total. With consistency, it’s possible to reach that word count by writing 500 words per day, seven days a week, for about five and a half months. Reducing that frequency to writing 500 words a day, three times a week, would lengthen the timeline to about one year.

If you're looking to create a writing plan for your first book, check out the following steps to determine how much writing time you’ll need.

1. 1. Determine the book type. Most writers can finish a novella or children’s book faster than a sci-fi epic or collection of thirty short stories. Once you land on the type of book you plan to write, it’s easier to estimate your desired word count, allowing you to calculate the length of the writing process from there.
2. 2. Choose a length to target. Set a goal length for your book, which will help you devise a rough desired word count. For example, if you want to write a 300-page book with approximately 275 words per page, your book will have 82,500 words.
3. 3. Set a word count goal per writing session. If you’re penning your first novel, don’t expect to write as fast as a prolific bestselling author writing the next book in a well-established series. A reasonable per-session target word count is about 500 words. Adjust this figure up or down if it’s too easy or difficult to hit. If you commit to 500 words per writing session, it will take 165 sessions to finish your first draft.
4. 4. Decide on your writing frequency. The number of writing sessions you’ll be able to fit in per week will depend on your personal schedule. Writers with full-time jobs may only have time or energy to write on weekends, meaning the process will take longer than with daily writing sessions. Fitting in five writing sessions per week (at 500 words per session) means finishing the book in thirty-three weeks—or a little less than eight months.
5. 5. Factor in researching and outlining. The previous steps provide an estimated book finishing time based on page and word count, but outlining the book adds extra time to the writing process. Developing a strong book or novel outline allows writers to organize their themes, shape their characters, and plan out their story arc. Nonfiction writers should also factor in an appropriate amount of time for researching their subject(s). Roughly aligning the major beats in your book with page or word count goals can help you stay on track and finish a book as quickly as possible.
6. 6. Take your time. While you have an idea of how long your first draft might take to complete, note that the process may take longer than expected for various reasons. The quality of the final product is what matters most. Your book will benefit from extra time and consideration to make it the best it can be, even if you sail past your initial deadline.

If you want to learn how to write faster, refer to the following hacks:

• Start small. If you're a first-time writer who wants to write an epic fantasy novel spanning multiple timelines and universes, there’s a decent chance the project’s complexity could slow things down. In the interest of completing the project, a beginner writer may find it helpful to start with a fantasy short story or novella before tackling the bigger idea. Finishing a shorter, more straightforward story first will give you the confidence and experience necessary to write your elaborate story faster.
• Find your most productive time. Improving your writing skills and speed often comes down to your habits and mindset. You may write faster in the early morning or feel most fluid in the late hours of the night. Experiment with writing at different times of the day to find out which is most productive for you.
• Write every single day. Writing is a muscle—the more you exercise your craft, the stronger, leaner, and more efficient it will become. Setting aside daily writing time is essential, even if you aren’t on a deadline. Work regular writing sessions into your routine, make it a habit, or build a ritual around it, like relocating to a special location or making a cup of tea.
• Create an outline. Setting up your story arc and characters before you begin the writing process will save you lots of time when you start writing. Make a plan, plotting out the main points of your writing project and aligning them with approximate word counts. Planning these things out allows you to keep your plot points organized and sequential, and helps you clearly envision the finish line.
• Eliminate distractions. Close any open browser windows, email programs, and chat apps on your screen as you write. If you’re writing by hand, unplug your computer and turn off the internet. Switch your phone to silent and place it out of view. Even if you only do this for an hour or two at a time, eliminating tempting distractions helps you focus on the difficult process of writing, which requires your undivided attention.
• Revise later. Great writing rarely arrives fully formed as a first draft. Be patient with yourself. Let typos slide, ignore the spell-checker, and curb any perfectionist second-guessing. If you get stuck on a particular phrasing, write it plainly and come back to it later. Editing as you go consumes a lot of time, so rather than re-reading every step of the way, save the revisions for the end.
• Try NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). NaNoWriMo is an annual book writing challenge. Every November, participating writers attempt to write a 50,000-word novel by the end of the month. Writing an entire novel in only a month may seem like a short time frame for a first-time author, but the hard deadline helps with accountability. Plus, the online NaNoWriMo community provides resources and support for you to track your progress, seek out encouragement, and ask for advice on overcoming writer’s block. Learn more about how to write a novel in a month.

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