How Long Does it Take to Write a Book?

It’s a question I get asked regularly, especially when I’m speaking …

“How long does it take to write a book?”

I get it! You want to know how to plan your work load, your life, your biz, and your book’s launch.

Unfortunately this is one of those “it depends” answers.

A book is a project with a clear starting and ending point. (Idea to completed first draft). But the path between those two points can get… murky.

Think of it this way:
I want to vacuum my house. I have to get the vacuum and plug it in – regardless of how large my house is, I must do that step. (Call this the idea step!)

Then, I have to vacuum. But do I dust first? Is that really part of vacuuming? (This can be thinking about companion products to your book – like an opt-in gift.)

Why vacuuming the house is like writing a book. Click To Tweet

Is this the week where I do a quickie vacuum or when I really move furniture and get in all the cracks? (This can be the difference between a shorter book (20,000-30,000 words) or a longer book.)

How big is my house? Am I vacuuming every room or just the main areas? (Think about your book – are you trying to be the definitive guide or an introduction?)

The end goal is to have the house vacuumed – clean floors. But the time to get from getting the vacuum out and plugging it in until I’m done and wrapping up the cord and putting it away… That varies!

To drop the metaphor, I’ve seen people who say they can bang out a rough draft in just a few days. Normally, this is not only unrealistic, but you also don’t give your subconscious and creativity enough time to really percolate. A better “how fast” rule of thumb is at 17 weeks.

Why 17 weeks?

Because that’s the length of the VIP Writing Mentorship (4 months, 17 weeks) and let me tell you – my authors have had great success in one or two 4-month sessions with me. And yes, about half my authors renew to get mentorship for another four months! But they DO typically finish in under eight months.

You know I don’t like the “birthing a book” metaphor because it doesn’t work for men or women who haven’t been pregnant.

And speaking as a writer who is currently pregnant with an actual, human, child… nope. Writing a book is NOT giving birth to it.

But using my system, it’s faster to write your book (17-34 weeks) than it is to grow a human! (Normal human gestation is 40 weeks, can be as long as 42!)

Remember, when you’re writing you DON’T need to agonize over every single word! No starving artists romantically suffering from writer’s block here, please! Get it done, get it written. And get help!

When you are ready for Mentorship, I’m here for you. If you’re feeling the pull NOW – then apply to speak to me here.

Kim Galloway
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