An aspiring writer wants a simple answer to one of life’s greatest mysteries: how long does it take to write a novel? The problem is that there are no simple answers for how long you can spend on your novel writing – and even fewer answers for those working on a nonfiction book that requires endless research. It depends on how many words you can write in a single session and how many sessions you have available to you.
I’m going to take you behind the scenes of my writing process to show you how long it takes me to finish a book and it has very little to do with writing speed (though the ability to type quickly is certainly important).
If you’ve ever wondered how long it takes to write a novel, this article is for you.
My Experience with Four Novels
Most of you know that I have been a freelance writer and ghostwriter since 2011, so I can tell you that I have written countless books over the past thirteen years. But I have only written four books under my pen name with books five and six in varying states of completion. On the Table was my debut novel, followed closely by Ghost Kingdom on Kindle Vella and Ream.
On the Table’s sequel will be out at the end of June (preorders coming soon!). Every Unhappy Family and an untitled story are going to be out later this year.
Yes, that means I will have written five books this year. I’m proud of that accomplishment and am hoping to do even more in the next year. So how long does it take me to write a novel?
Honestly, it depends on each writing session. Usually, I spend Saturdays and Sundays during Jasper’s nap time writing on my personal projects. That means I get about six hours every weekend to work on whatever story is on my mind those days. Not every writer gets an uninterrupted six hours to work on their story every week, and I feel extremely lucky for the time I’m able to spend here on my writing time.
So how much can I get done in six hours?
Usually about 10,000 words.
Given that my stories tend to range from 60,000 words to 80,000 words, this means that I’m finishing a book every two months or so. This is also why I felt comfortable taking on the 90-Day Novel challenge in my recent posts. In the last two National Novel Writing Month events (including the official event in November and Camp NaNoWriMo in April), I have completed a novel in just one month.
That doesn’t account for the time spent editing, which is usually another two to three weeks.
How Can You Speed Up Your Writing Process?
With that in mind, you might be wondering how you can start to tackle that word count that is looming over you. Prolific authors like Stephen King would argue that you have to write every day. In his book On Writing and in interviews, he advocates for writers to spend four hours a day on their craft – every single day.
I know that this is untenable for anyone who isn’t a full-time author (including myself).
But think about how much you could get done with even four hours per WEEK. For me, that would mean about 8,000 words so I would finish a book around every ten weeks plus an additional two to three weeks for editing. Book writing would be so simple for all of us if we could just carve that time out of our schedule.
How long does it take to write a novel? It might take less time with some of these tips.
Set a Writing Schedule
I know exactly when I have time to work on my book writing process: every Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00. This is something that I can count on, and I do what I can to protect that time. This was also one of my tips for beginning writers in my related post here. Maybe you have only one hour a week to spare.
Take the time where you can get it to work on your first draft.
Spend time looking at your schedule in great detail. I follow Sarra Cannon’s HB90 system which focuses on task blocks to see where I need time for other activities: admin work, actual work, cooking, time with my family, etc. The time left over is allocated to my writing goal and I keep this time protected as much as possible.
Is it a perfect system for me? No, but I get way more done than I would without it.
Know Where You’re Going
One of the best ways to get more creative writing on the page is simply to know where you’re going. If you have to spend valuable minutes thinking instead of writing ahead, you will find that your writing time is far less productive. A fiction book can be extremely mentally taxing to work on because you have to think about what comes next. What do your characters need to think, do, and say next?
This could be a plotting board like I have hung up in my home, a set of index cards, or a journal where you jot down your ideas when they come to you. For those who are writing a fantasy novel, know the magical elements of your story upfront. Capture those ideas on paper or on your phone so that you know what to do when you sit to write.
If you know where your story is going, your writing won’t be interrupted by tangents and performing research that really isn’t necessary to getting words on the page. Instead, you can reassign that time to your work.
Come Up with a Writing Routine
As a professional writer, I don’t have too many routines that I need to follow to get myself in the mindset to write. Writers block very rarely strikes me unless I’m nearing the point of burnout. When words stop flowing when I sit down, I know that it’s going to be time to take some extended time off, as much as possible. But that being said, many a published author has a writing routine that gets them in the mood to write.
Sometimes, I employ this technique if I’m having a hard time getting into the story.
I’ll sit in my designated writing space and light my favorite candle (Book Club by Homesick). I’ll drink a cup of my favorite tea or a spicy chai latte. In other words, I try to provide the right atmosphere for myself to get into the mind frame to hit my word count goal for the day.
If I do hit the goal, I get a little sticker that I picked up at the dollar store in my planner and maybe some chocolate. But most of the time, the act of having written is reward enough for me. I fall into my story and get lost in it for a long time. It’s just that I need a little kick in the pants to get myself into the story initially.
Final Thoughts: How Long Does It Take to Write a Novel?
Hopefully, this gave you some insight into my writing plan and how I work to get my novels out into the world. It’s more than possible to write your novel THIS year. It only takes writing a page a day (a manuscript page: double-spaced with a 12-point font) to reach a completed novel by the end of the year.
For me, that’s about thirty to forty-five minutes per day which feels doable for most people.
If you’re a beginner writer and this all feels overwhelming to you, check out my related posts on advice for beginning writers and how to start writing a novel as a beginner.
Of course, a book coach can also help you to complete your first novel. Reach out to me here if you think that book coaching might be right for you!