Have you wondered how much time it takes to write books? It makes us question how many months popular books take. Here are some numbers that will help you understand:
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens took six weeks
- Stephanie Meyer took three months to write her best-selling book, Twilight
- Emily Bronte took nine months to write Wuthering Heights
- Audrey Niffenegger wrote The Time Traveler’s Wife in four years
This makes them pretty clear. These stories aren’t simple to work on. It is a daunting task that takes time. It won’t be wrong to say that many leave writing halfway through. This is because they get burnt out. You also require constant focus and dedication. And you might have a hard time completing your dream book writing.
Let us explain the timeline for penning books.
How Long Does It Take to Read A 300 Page Book?
“How long should it take to read a book?” You won’t have an answer. This can’t be calculated. How long does it take to make a book? It is different for everyone.
Book writing and publishing processes have multiple steps, so it’s extensive. Every book has to go through multiple rounds of review. This is for editing, revisions, and proofreading. This is to ensure it meets the author’s vision and is ready for publishing.
You can read 300 pages in a couple of days. You will be in awe of how the author perfectly narrates such a relatable story. But you can’t measure the duration it took for that.
How Many Words in a 300 Page Book?
You can’t look at a book and guess the length. Various factors affect the number of pages and words, not just the words themselves. Font size and formatting options also play a big role. How many words in a 300-page book you can write?
- A 300 page book has about 82,500 words.
This is possible if you write 500 words daily for the entire week. You will need to continue this for almost 6 months. A normal manuscript will have 250 words with:
- One-inch margins on both sides
- A 12-point typeface, such as Times New Roman (double-spaced)
This can change because of different variables like:
- Chapter breaks
- Dialogue spacing
When you use large fonts, the number of pages will increase. And smaller fonts use the space well. But it can sometimes get difficult to read.
How Long Does It Take to Read a Book?
Usually, it will complete 300 pages in 8.3 hours. This is possible when reading at 300 words per minute. Classic novels are examples of lengthy books (300 pages or more). There are 500 words on a standard single-spaced page. You might read at a faster or slower pace than this, depending on your typical reading speed:
- Reading fiction usually requires an adult to read around 300 words per minute, which varies greatly depending on the genre.
- Examples of technical literature are operating manuals, service guides, and complex scientific papers. These necessitate more concentration and careful reading. This can reduce reading speeds to 125 words per minute.
- College students usually require a reading speed of 400 to 450 words per minute. This is needed to absorb the material.
How Long Does It Take to Write a Novel?
It could take first-time writers one to four years. Timelines are frequently extended due to learning curves and rewriting. The average author takes approximately six months to a year, depending on their writing habits and schedule. It can take six to twelve months, or perhaps longer, to write a book. Countless hours of research, manuscript draughts, and final writing will go into this.
If you’re a writer, you are already familiar with “book ghostwriting.” This refers to outsourcing your writing. The good news is that all works written by ghostwriters are published without any credits. The author is not required to acknowledge the ghostwriters’ contributions unless they want to. You can spend several months trying to meet your writing deadlines. Or you can hire a dedicated writer. You can find out at Ghostwriting Proficiency!
How Long Does It Take to Write a Book and Get It Published?
How much time it can take to write a book and get it published? Let’s find out.
- Outlining and Planning: This stage typically takes 2 to 3 weeks. It involves creating the structure and framework for your book.
- Writing the First Draft: You can spend about 6 months on this step. This is if the book is 75,000 words. This involves getting the initial content down on paper.
- Revisions: Budget 1 to 2 months for revising and refining your manuscript to improve its quality.
- Editing, Proofing, Cover Design: This might take 2 months for tasks such as editing, proofreading, and designing the book cover. This timeline is to ensure a polished final product.
How To Write A Book In Less Time
Following these guidelines will help you write a book more quickly without any hassle.
- Create Realistic Deadlines
- Prioritize & Classify
- Set Word Count Deadlines
- Find Your Accountability Buddy
- Set Writing Challenges
Let’s dig deeper into these to find out the benefits:
1. Create Realistic Deadlines
Set a realistic deadline for your book to keep yourself on track. Break down your writing into smaller goals. Be honest about how much you can do each day. It’s not an issue how much you write every day. You can work on 500 words, and it would still be fine. Don’t overwhelm yourself.
Reward yourself whenever you succeed in achieving the small goals you’ve set. This will motivate you and make finishing your book more enjoyable.
2. Prioritize & Classify
Prioritizing is crucial when writing multiple books or even a single page. With numerous distractions, setting clear priorities is challenging but necessary. Here’s how to prioritize your writing:
- List every detail of your book as a task.
- Evaluate each task’s value in completing the book.
- Order tasks by immediate priority and time needed.
- Plan an alternative schedule for unexpected changes.
Take the time to prioritize your writing process. A well-thought-out task plan can significantly boost your writing productivity.
3. Set Word Count Deadlines
Setting word count goals can help speed up your writing. Figure out the typical word count for books in your genre to start. Then, figure out how many words you need to write each day to meet this deadline. You can track your progress and improve your writing skills through this. It’s a great way to stay on track and complete your writing.
4. Find Your Accountability Buddy
It can make a big difference when you have someone to support and encourage you. They can keep you on track with feedback. This will motivate you to reach your goals. You’ll take your writing sessions more with an accountability partner. This will benefit you in the long run.
5. Set Writing Challenges
Writing your first draft can feel boring if you do the same thing every day. To make it more exciting, try setting challenges for yourself! Here are some ideas:
- Write twice the number of words you usually do each day.
- Give yourself shorter deadlines to take the difficulty up a notch.
- Stay away from your phone and other distractions while writing.
- Read your draft out loud to someone new for feedback. These challenges can help you write your book faster and make the process more interesting.
How Many Words is a 300 Page Book?
It can take anything from four to nine months for a book that’s three hundred pages long. This estimate assumes that you write an average of approximately eighty thousand words every week. This is the approximate length of a fiction book that is above middle grade. The process will be longer with editing and proofreading.
How Long Does It Take To Write 400 Words?
How long it takes to produce a book will depend on how much you write. You can finish a 30,000 to 40,000 pages book quickly. This is if you’re actually motivated. You can learn how long it might take to write a book with the word count.
- 30,000 – 50,000 words
Writing 500 words daily will take 60 to 100 days.
- 50,000 – 80,000 words
Writing 500 words daily will take 100 to 160 days.
- 80,000 – 100,000 words
Writing 500 words per day will take 160 – 200 days.
The time it takes to complete the task can vary. It can be two months to seven months. Sometimes, it takes longer. It depends on:
- How often do you write
- How long each writing session is
Why Do You Need To Set A Book Writing Deadline?
You might not be willing to follow a deadline if you’re a self-published author. You should put in the effort to find the most productive writing schedule possible. But the choice is yours. If you want to write a book, setting a deadline is a good idea. Here is why:
- Maintain Momentum
- Strategic Planning
- Writer Wellbeing
Let’s discuss.
1. Maintain Momentum
The initial excitement of producing a book often fades for writers as time goes on. Putting it off any longer will increase the chance of losing interest. This can cause you to eventually give up on the endeavor. Set a realistic deadline to stay motivated to finish writing your book.
2. Strategic Planning
There’s a lot more to do than write when self publishing. You need to lay out a solid plan to ensure everything is streamlined and reaches the final stage, publishing. Knowing when your book will be finished can allow you to launch and promote it more effectively.
3. Writer Wellbeing
Frequently Asked Questions
An easy way to get overwhelmed and lose focus is to not establish a deadline. You can stay in control and set attainable goals when you write a book with a deadline.
If you are a first-time author or have a tight schedule, Ghostwriting Proficiency can help you. We can help with book writing and publishing. Our services include:
Contact us today!
Some authors easily manage a good draft in a year or two. It’s best to keep a 2-year deadline for your first novel. You can follow up after one year and change the terms if needed.
A 300 page book can have 90,000 words. You can complete your book in 180 sessions if you write 500 words for each session. If you are keeping 5 writing sessions each week, it will take you 9 months to see the results.
Nonfiction writing is a good way to start if you aren’t a writer. You can also start with something you’re already passionate about. This familiarity will give you an edge. It will also be easy to market and sell. Plus, nonfiction books have a huge audience. This is true for both independent and traditionally published books.
