How Long Does It Take to Write A Book? A Guide to Fast Writing

A million dollars on the table, if you had to guess how long does it take to write a book, what would you say? Sixty days? A year? Two?

What if I told you the time it takes to write a book was actually less than three days, seventy-two hours?

Stick with me…

What Writing Really Is

A lot of people think it takes a lot of time to write a book. But when they say this, they are conflating a LOT of different things. Such as:

• The act of figuring out what you are going to write about
• The act of keeping your fears about your worth at bay
• The act of managing your mind to stay focused
• The act of typing a first draft
• The act of editing a draft
• The act of designing a cover or working with a cover designer

And about 300 more other microtasks.

If you want to understand how long it ACTUALLY takes to write a book, we’ll need to get a bit more specific about the meaning of “writing a book.” 

Here’s what I mean… If we are discussing the duration of writing a book – ANY BOOK; even War and Peace – then the truth is that it just does not take that long. 

Let’s dive into what that means, why you need a creative process, and just how many words you’ll need at a specific writing speed to write your first draft. Yeah, you’ll never wonder “how long does it take to write a book” again, my friend. Let’s dig in.

READ MORE: Can You Be A Professional Writer?

Most of our authors find when they are in flow they type around 1,000 words an hour. Running some easy math, War and Peace is 587,287. 

At 1,000 words an hour, it would only take 588 hours to type. That’s only 14 working weeks, or 1 business quarter or school semester, if writing your book was your 40-hours a week, full-time job.

The Real Question: How Many Words?

The good news is, you aren’t writing War and Peace!

The average book we publish these days is around 30,000 in word count. And when I say “we,” I don’t just mean my publishing house Difference Press. I’m talking about most publishers of nonfiction books. Across the board, these types of books have dramatically shorter in their word count over the years.

Writing in Real Time

But back to the math… If the average book comes out to a 30,000 word count, then that comes out to about a 200-page paperback book. 

To physically “type” those 30,000 words in a state of flow, it’s going to take you around 30 hours for to write a book. That’s about what it takes most nonfiction writers. 

And if you’re writing fiction – surprise! – you’ll be writing around the same speed. That is, if you’re in flow. 

(Pro Tip: Break your book writing process up into multiple creative writing sessions, each session being between two to four hours. Make sure to keep track of your average writing time and word count during the writing process so you can track your effectiveness. But more on that in a sec…) 

If you aren’t in flow as you write, you can spend 30 months or 30 years and still struggle to ever finish. (In fact, it’s harder to write a book over years than it is over days, but I’ll get to that in a minute.)

READ MORE: Get Paid to Write: 6 Steps to Earn Money While Writing Your Book

So, How Long Does It Take to Write a Book?

Consistently, my authors tell me the time required to write the first draft of their manuscript is between 24 and 48 hours.

What this should tell you is that the single most important thing you can, should, and MUST do to get your book written, is learn how to get yourself into a state of flow. 

When you are stressing, procrastinating, researching, wondering and worrying – you are not only NOT writing your book, you are actively undermining your books future.

Fast writing has a big advantage over slow writing: You are much more likely to finish your book and make a difference with your message. And if that doesn’t put a pin in this whole “how long does it take to write a book” nonsense, I don’t know what is.

But want to hear a real mic drop?

People Change!

If it takes you 3 years to write the first draft manuscript of your book, chances of you finishing it are pretty tiny. And the reason is obvious, you have changed too much in 3 years to publish that original idea! Hell, even in between writing sessions you’re changing into a completely different person. 

That’s why it’s important to have a set creative writing process with predetermined writing time and word count. As if the publishing process wasn’t long enough. 

Throw in the issue of being a self published author with no one to answer to, and you’re dealing with a hot little time mess on your hands. 

READ MORE: Your Book Writing Questions Answered

Factors That Affect Writing Time

When considering the question, ‘How much time does it take to write a book?’ it’s important to understand that various factors can affect the duration of writing a book. 

What happens to most would-be authors is that life gets in the way of their book and then the book they were writing makes less and less sense to them.

As an author, you have to get in the way of your book and make it the number 1 priority, or other ideas and opportunities will crowd it out. The best way to do that, is to master the state of flow. Flow isn’t something that happens to you, it’s a choice you can make on behalf of your message.

Another surprising factor is not determining your publishing route before hand. If you’re self publishing, then you can get away with more, creatively speaking, than you would if you were approaching the traditional route, where you’d have to answer to agents and publishers. 

Neither route is better, self publishing or traditional, but each do come with their different pros and cons. Check out more here. 

Today, I want to give you my 3 best tips for writing from a state a flow. I approach flow from a practical, left-brain standpoint and I combine it with the right-brain, creative, spiritual side of things. 

When you can come at it from both angles, it’s a pretty magical combination for fast writing.

READ MORE: How to Launch a Writing Career in 8 Simple Steps

5 Steps to Write Faster

1. Create Your Writing Space

First, create a writing routine and writing space. Select or create a physical environment where you have evidence you will be productive. Think about the most productive times from your past and configure a working space that mimics the working space you were in at the time. 

Get a great computer, stock up on your favorite beverage, your favorite candles, comfy writing socks. You’d be shocked by how many writers own the comfiest socks. But seriously, have no excuses for getting up from your chair during your writing sessions. 

Really, we want to set the mood for what it will feel like, who you will become when you write your first draft. 

READ MORE: Author Mindset: Beat Writer’s Block, Imposter Syndrome, and More

2. Establish Your Writing Speed

Before you start writing your manuscript, have a plan for what you are going to say and when. This is more than an outline for your book or a description of your book. 

This is a full writing plan for what hours you will be writing and what you will be writing during those hours. I recommend you think of each chapter as a timed test. Instead of writing the best chapter you can write, write the best chapter you can write in 2-4 hours. 

Pretend there is a teacher telling you to put your pencil down at the end of the time block. Whatever didn’t get done, gets fixed in the edit.

Also important to note in this area is your writing speed. Sit down at the table and write as you normally would for thirty straight minutes. This could be a note to a friend, an idea for a new book, or straight gibberish; the goal is to just have you type as you normally would for thirty minutes. 

How many words you write will determine your word count goals and if you are writing in flow during your future writings sessions. 

READ MORE: 8 Writing Tips to Finally Finish Your Book

3. Identify Your Ideal Reader

Who are you writing this book for, and what transformation do you hope to facilitate in their lives? Take a moment to visualize your ideal reader and the journey you want to take them on. For each of your main categories or chapters, define the desired transformation. 

What do you want your reader to learn, feel, or be able to do as a result of reading that section? This clarity will help you ensure that each element of your book is purposeful and impactful.

READ MORE: The Secret to Finding the Right Readership for Your Book

4. Develop an Outline

With your ideal reader in mind, start crafting an outline that captures the key ideas and flow of your book. Aim for 5-10 main categories or chapters, with 5-10 supporting points in each. This outline should feel organic and aligned with your purpose, rather than forced into a rigid structure. 

As you build out your outline, continually ask yourself how each element will serve your reader’s needs and transformation.

As part of your outline, determine your word count and word count goals and set it to your writing sessions. We recommend anywhere between a 1,500 to 5,000 words per chapter for your first draft. 

READ MORE: Writing a Book Outline: The Ultimate Guide for Authors

5. Commit to Your Future Self

Make a commitment to yourself before you start writing that if at any time you feel blocked or aren’t sure what to say, you will be extra nice to yourself. I make a joke to my authors all the time that sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is go shoe shopping. 

I say this because beating yourself up into hitting deadlines, just doesn’t work. When you write from a place of stress, most of those words end up being totally unusable. It’s better to take a 15-minute break and take a walk, do some yoga, or – my favorite – color in an adult coloring book. Then you can return to the book refreshed.

READ MORE: Is Joy Really the Secret Writing Tip to Help You Write Your Book?

These are just four of dozens of tips I give my authors to help them stay in a state of flow while they are writing, get their manuscripts completed quickly, and write a book that makes a difference.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Writing Process

The sad truth is, when you write your book without a writing coach helping you with productivity, clarity, and overcoming your blocks, most people just don’t reach their word count goals.

The honest truth is, most people who don’t finish their books, ACTUALLY DON’T WANT TO.

Yup, you heard me right.

If you pulled back at that, gasped, and clutched your pearls, then I recommend you take a moment to meditate on your book project. Think back to the moment of ideation. What was it about that initial idea that make you so excited? 

Tap back into that special magic, reconnect with your idea, and then make a commitment to finish your book. And just for funsies, set a time frame of oh, I don’t know, three months. If after three months you still don’t have a book, reach out.

If you haven’t finished your book, it’s probably because the secondary gain of NOT finishing it, has a bigger pay off, than the pay-off you are imagining from finishing it.

READ MORE: Is a Traditional Book Deal Worth the Hype?

How Long Will It Take You to Write Your Book?

Not writing your book is a safe space. Everyone you talk to will be excited about your forthcoming book, but no one is judging your content or writing skills because there is nothing for them to see. And for a lot of people – most people in fact – talking about writing a book is enough for them. 

They ask questions such like “how long does it take to write a book” because they are looking to manipulate themselves out of the actual writing part. 

Those aren’t the people we work with at The Author Incubator.

If you are curious about yourself and wondering if the reason you haven’t finished actually has nothing to do with the time required to write the book but instead the secondary gain or being able to talk and think about your book, without facing the risk and rejection of actually putting it out there, you should go through out application process at www.TheAuthorIncubator.com/apply.

(Bonus Tip: If you click that button, you’ll find the secret way to get a free strategy call with me!) 

So Really, How Long Does It Take to Write a Book?

Our talent scouts sort through a couple thousand application a month and they know how to spot an author who is ready to help and serve others with their book. 

What we are looking for goes far beyond writing skills or even book ideas, we are looking for people who are no longer willing to accept playing small or staying in the background as an option for themselves.

Statistically, there aren’t many people out there who are like that, and that – not the time required to write a book – is why most people who say they want to write a book, just don’t get it done. Most of them never even see a first draft. 

And remember, when you’re wondering, “How long does it take to write a book?” that the physical act of typing can be accomplished in a matter of days or weeks. 

The real challenge lies in mastering the state of flow, committing to your message, and pushing past the secondary gains of not finishing your book. With the right mindset and support, you can transform your idea into a published book faster than you ever thought possible.

So, if you were forced to answer the question of how much time it takes to write a book, chances are, you’d now win that million dollars on the table.