Do You Write Like a Tortoise or a Hare?
How long does it take to write a book? What about a chapter? How about a thousand words? The answer to these questions is that annoying response of uncertainty: It depends.
As I write these words, I take my time typing and then pausing, deleting and rewriting. It is slow work to figure out what I am thinking and how I want the ideas to flow across the page. Some days the writing comes quickly. My fingers fly as they type out a script that streams effortlessly from my mind. Yet, every time I sit down to write, it is different and unpredictable like the weather. There are seasons when I can forecast easy sailing yet come upon an unexpected gale that throws me off course. Or, I might see a snowstorm raging all around, but instead of it slowing me down, I slide through on a patch of ice faster than I could have imagined.
Writers recommend anywhere from one month to two years to write a book, but when you wade into the details it gets far more complicated. What does it even mean to write a book? National Novel Writing Month encouraged writers to write fifty thousand words of their first draft in the one month of November. However, other authors believe writing a book means that the manuscript is ready to be sent to agents for consideration. Finally, some self publishers consider a written book to be a published paperback that is available for purchase.
Thus, we have at least three definitions of what it means to write a book. Some authors say they have written a book when they have finished the first draft of the manuscript. Others do not count it as a book until it is clean enough to send to a publisher for consideration. A few others need the published book in their hands to mark the project complete. With all three of these, the author can honestly exclaim: “I wrote a book!” However, in the writing world most authors differentiate these milestones for what they are: a rough draft, a polished manuscript, and a published book.
Here are some ideas to help you think about how long it will take you to write a book.
With a reasonable writing schedule of a few thousand words a week, a person could draft a book in six months and revise the book in another six months. Then, during the second year they could further hone the content as they received feedback from agents, beta readers, and editors. Then, the book would be ready for publication in the third or fourth year of the process.
Do people write books faster than this? Of course! There are professional authors who can write and publish a new book in a few months. For example, Anthony Burgess completed A Clockwork Orange in only three weeks because he needed the money. There are many other authors who are legendary for their speed. In the publishing world, it is widely accepted that famous writers have significant help afforded by generous budgets. This may include aides who compile portfolios of notes from research and interviews as well as editors who work swiftly to improve material. Nowadays, some individuals accelerate the writing process by hiring ghost writers or using AI assistance. New writers with tight budgets cannot compete with this just as a weekend runner does not hope to outperform a professional bodybuilder.
Do people write books more slowly than this? Definitely! It took me seven years to draft, revise, and publish my first novel. During the first four years, I wrote the first draft. In the next two years, I revised and completed the manuscript. In the final year, I worked through the self publishing process. A famous example of a writer who took their time is J.R.R. Tolkien—he spent sixteen years writing The Lord of the Rings. Ask the next author you meet how long it took them to write and publish their book. Their honest answers about the process will be quite moving.
Books take as long as they take to write based on the authors’ work, family and community engagement. Angeline Boulley took ten years to write her first book Firekeeper’s Daughter because she was working full time. Sue Harrison, who has written eight books, spoke about the need for a twenty-one year break in the middle of her writing life to care for family members. Jane Friedman has an entire section of her book The Business of Being a Writer that argues the merits of participating in community; it is a serious investment of time to build relationships, but she still encourages it because these friendships give support throughout an author’s career.
How long will it take you to write your book? Whether you are a tortoise or a hare, a book project will take as long as it takes. Some writers will be able to sit down and pound out a book by working straight through a holiday break. However, most of us need to commit several hours a week for several months to complete our projects.
Do not think that your book is any less worthy of being loved because of how long it took to write. When the goal is writing the story, the writing process is part of the tale.
Comments