How Long Does It Take to Write a Book? – Guide for 2025

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Key Takeaways: How Long Does It Take To Write A Book?

First-time author? Want to know “How long does it usually take to write a book?” That is a good question, precisely why we have written this blog post. Before we go into details, let’s briefly recap what we have discussed.

• The time required to write a book depends on various factors.
• Different types of books have different timelines for completion.
• Set goals and break the writing process to make it more convenient.
• Seeking help from professional services can improve quality and save time.
• Patience is vital, and quality matters more than speed.

Introduction

Writing a book is a lengthy yet rewarding journey that requires significant effort and time. But “How much time?”

Umm, there isn’t an exact answer for this because it highly depends on multiple factors, such as;

• Book’s genre
• Length
• Writing style and schedule
• Personal goals

This blog will help you understand all the possible factors that might influence the writing timelines. We will also give insight into different time estimations for writing various kinds of books and provide valuable tips to accelerate your writing process.

So, let’s get going!

What Factors Affect the Time It Takes to Write a Book?

Following are some of the crucial factors that can affect the time required to write a book:

The Length of Book

It is one of the crucial factors that impact the timeline of the writing process.

For instance:

“Writing a thousand-word short story requires less time than writing a fifty thousand-word full-length novel.”

Genre and Complexity

The genre and complexity of the book also impact the timeline.

For example:

A fantasy or historical fiction story requires more time because of character-building and research.

In contrast:

A memoir or non-fiction requires time for personal reflection and data collection.

Writing Speed and Schedule

The pace and the schedule of your writing significantly impact the time required to complete a book. Writers who follow a consistent writing routine with discipline finish the book faster than those with irregular schedules.

Experience Level and Skills

These factors also play a crucial role in determining the timeline of your book. Authors with prior experience and strong writing skills can complete the book faster. On the other hand, new writers might require more time to develop their writing skills. Thus, it may take a little longer to complete their book.

Experience matters in estimating how long to write a book, it’s not everything.

Editing and Revisions

Writing is just the beginning. However, editing and formatting your book can take up to additional weeks or months.

Also Read: “What Are the Different Types of Editing?”

Marketing and Publishing Strategies

Other than editing and formatting, planning book marketing campaigns and strategies also requires time. In addition to figuring out the right book publishers, it is also a time-consuming challenge.

Time Required to Write Different Types of Books

There are many kinds of books, and each of them needs a different amount of time to be completed. Therefore, knowing the estimated timeline for each one can give you a rough idea of how long it would take to write one.

Following are some average writing timelines for different kinds of books:

Short Story or Novellas

They are usually short and range between 1,000 to 10,000 words. So, they can be easily written in as little as a 1-6 month time span.

Children’s Books

You can write a children’s book in a shorter time because of simple English. It only takes 1-6 months to write. However, the timeframe may get extended if illustrations or collaborations with artists are involved.

Also Read: “How to Write a Children’s Book?”

Novel

Novels are lengthier than short stories. They consist of about 50,000 to 100,000 words and can require an average time span of 6 to 24 months to write.

Series

Writing a series of novels requires more time because each book of the series may take approximately 6 to 12 months to write.

Memoir

Because of the emotional nature of a memoir, along with editing and revisions, it generally takes 12 to 24 months to write a memoir.

Self-Help Book

Writing and completing a self-help book takes about 6 months to 1.5 years or more since it involves a lot of research and organization.

Research-Based Book

It takes approximately 15 to 24 months or even more to write and complete a research-based book because it is more extensive and requires gathering and analyzing data correctly.

Tips to Pace Up Your Writing Process

Set Goals and Deadlines
To increase your writing speed, set a target to write a specific number of words or pages on a daily or weekly basis and try to achieve your target.

Break Down The Writing Process

Split down the writing process into small and easily manageable tasks. In this way, you will feel less overwhelmed and also progress faster.

Create a Writing Routine
Dedicate a specific time of the day to writing and make it a routine. It helps to establish a habit and make it easier for you to get creative during your selected writing hours.

Plan Before You Write
Outline the major sections of the book and then write accordingly. This will help you spend less time figuring out what to write next and more time to generate your ideas.

Cut off Distractions
Distractions are productivity killers for writers. Therefore, try to create a distraction-free environment by

• turning off phone notifications
• closing unnecessary tabs
• writing in a quiet space

Thus, by dedicating uninterrupted time to writing, you can focus more deeply and achieve greater output in less time.

Use Writing Tools
Modern writing software or tools can significantly streamline your workflow. You can use many tools for this purpose. Some of them are;

• Scrivener
• Grammarly
• Google Docs

For more info, read: “What are the Best Content Writing Tools?”

Seek Professional Help
Sometimes, to speed up the process, you have to seek help. For example, you may require the following to revise and polish your manuscript:

• Professional editors
• Ghostwriters
• Beta readers
• Proofreaders

Hence, by collaborating with these experts, you can focus on writing while they handle the finer details of editing or formatting.

Also Read: “What is a Ghostwriter? And Why Hire One?”

How Long Does It Take to Write a Book?

The time required to write a book varies significantly depending on factors like word count, writing speed, and consistency. However, for new authors, here’s a general breakdown of how long it might take:

• 40,000 to 70,000 words – Around 3 to 4 months
• 70,000 to 100,000 words – Roughly 5 to 8 months
• 100,000 to 130,000 words – Anywhere from 8 to 12 months

These estimates assume a steady writing routine. However, unexpected interruptions can extend the timeline. Consistency is key to finishing a manuscript on schedule.

How Many Pages Are Needed to Write a Book?

If you think in terms of page count rather than word count, you’re not alone. While writers today often track their progress by word count, page count remains a valuable way to visualize a book’s length—especially since it’s how readers gauge their reading progress.

To estimate the number of pages in a book, consider this general rule:

Five hundred words typically fill about a page and a half.

While formatting, font size, and layout impact the final page count, this serves as a solid guideline. Using this metric, here’s what different book lengths look like:

Page Estimates for Fiction Books

• A romance novel with 80,000 words runs about 240 pages
• A historical fiction book with 90,000 words spans roughly 270 pages
• A sci-fi or fantasy novel with 100,000 words is around 300 pages

Page Estimates for Non-Fiction Books

• A self-help book with 40,000 words is about 120 pages
• A business book with 70,000 words extends to 210 pages
• A biography with 150,000 words can reach 450 pages

While these numbers provide a rough estimate, there’s no strict rule on how long a book should be. However, understanding industry norms can help align your book with reader expectations.

Why Patience is Key When Writing a Book?

Focusing on the quality of your book is more important than writing it swiftly. Remember, your book is a reflection of your ideas and hard work, so it’s worth taking the time. Therefore, be patient with your book, as it will help you create something you and your readers will love.

How Long Did It Take for Famous Authors to Write Their Books?

J.K. Rowling

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Time Taken to Write: 6 years

J.R.R. Tolkien

Book Title: The Lord of the Rings

Time Taken to Write: 16 years

Margaret Mitchell

Book Title: Gone With the Wind

Time Taken to Write: 10 years

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Book Title: The Great Gatsby

Time Taken to Write: 3 years

J.D. Salinger

Book Title: Catcher in the Rye

Time Taken to Write: 10 years

Conclusion

Writing a book is a fulfilling yet long and extensive process. So, how long does it typically take to write a book? It is different for every author because every author has a distinct writing pace. However, other than writing speed, various factors, as mentioned earlier, also influence the writing timelines of a book. That is why setting goals and staying consistent can help you tackle this crucial process.

Also, you can acquire help from writing tools and expert services like Authors Breeze to streamline your writing process. But during this process, always remember that the quality of your book shouldn’t be compromised. Thus, be patient with your book and make it something you and your readers can be pleased with.

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