What is the Average Length of Time an Author Takes to Write a Book?

The average length of time an author takes to write a book varies widely, but here are realistic industry ranges:

📘 First-Time Authors

1–3 years is common.

Many new authors:

• Write part-time while working another job

• Revise extensively as they learn the craft

• Spend additional time researching

📗 Experienced / Full-Time Authors

6 months to 1 year is typical.

Seasoned writers often:

• Work from a detailed outline

• Maintain a consistent daily word count

• Have stronger editing discipline

📙 Genre Matters

• Memoir / Literary Fiction: 1–3+ years

• Commercial Fiction (thrillers, romance, sci-fi): 6–18 months

• Nonfiction (business, self-help): 6–12 months

• Heavily researched historical or technical books: 2–5 years

⏱ Breaking It Down

For a standard 70,000–90,000 word book:

• Writing phase: 4–9 months

• Rewriting & revisions: 3–9 months

• Total creation time: Often 9–18 months

And that’s before professional editing and publishing.

The timeline isn’t just about writing speed—it’s about clarity of concept. Authors with a strong outline and clear market focus finish much faster than those “discovering” the book as they go.

Barringer Publishing publishes exceptional books of all genres, since 2008

www.BarringerPublishing.com