Many writers have it ingrained in their mind that writing a book is a long-term, possibly years-long commitment. The sheer length of time needed to produce a finished draft is enough to scare many off. But what if you could shrink this daunting task down to a matter of months? Would you be more inclined to write if you knew your first draft could be done this year?
Well, it's possible. Discover how you could be closer to realizing your dreams in less time and use these methods to get real movement on your next project.
If you want to write a book in half a year, you need to break down the numbers.
Words Per Minute
The average person can type about 40 words per minute. Time yourself while writing to figure out your rate.
Length by Genre
It's important to also know the general target word count for your book. A non-fiction book can be as short as 35,000 words. For novel-length work, 50,000 is considered the minimum. And if you're writing genre fiction, like sci-fi, you may be aiming for around 90,000 words. Though there is no exact right number, all genres have an average length to keep in mind.
Crunch the Numbers
Let's say you can write 1000 words of fiction in an hour and you're aiming to write a novel that's 60,000 words. That means you need to be able to commit to writing for 60 hours to complete the first draft of your project. Over the course of six months, that would mean you need to write about 300 - 350 words a day. And at your rate of 1000 words an hour, that means you would only need about 20 - 30 minutes of time a day to write. That's a lunch break. Or a child's nap. Even a quick session while dinner is in the oven.
Using this simple formula to map out a writing schedule can not only help you reach your goal, it can make the goal feel more attainable. "Writing a book" is a huge task. Writing 300 words a day is totally manageable.
Once you have your writing schedule down, use these tips to help you stay on track even when it gets tough.
In a Paper Raven Books article, one author describes her difficulties in finding time to write. But no matter the obstacles that got in the way of writing, she carved out 20 minutes of writing time every chance she got. Although she describes that this wasn’t a difficult choice, it required a lot of commitment. Take some inspiration from this voracious writer and don’t let your busy schedule get in the way of your story—actually writing is the only way you can get the book done.
When you’re on your own, it’s easy to miss self-set deadlines and keep accountable for the work you should be doing. A great way to make sure you are staying on deadline and getting to the end of your book is to team up with other writers. Find a group online and link up with other writers who are looking to be held accountable for their writing. You’ll find yourself fitting in more writing time and making your book a priority when you know someone is awaiting your promised draft. A simple Google search of writing groups in your area can get you connected to other writers quickly.
Sometimes keeping motivated is easier said than done. When you’re writing a book, you have to always keep in mind the reason why you started the manuscript in the first place. What kind of message are you hoping to get out into the world? What emotions are you hoping to evoke from your readers? Keeping the reasons why you’re writing in mind will always yield a more productive writing session. Put sticky notes on your monitor, the wall behind your desk or even on your nightstand so the first thing you see when you wake up or sit down at your computer is your goals for the book.
Ever schedule your writing? Keeping a calendar of your writing sessions, logging your word count each day and committing to a routine is a great way to push forward. If you're needing help from your spouse or babysitters it's also important to write it down. The more you plan the more likely you are to hit your goals.
Although this tip sounds contradictory to the rest, it’s essential to take small breaks while writing. It has been scientifically proven that our brains can only concentrate on one task for a short amount of time which means staring at a screen for hours without a break won’t yield your best work. Try writing for 25 minutes and then taking a five-minute break. Online tools like The Pomodoro Technique make this process easy and will help increase your overall writing stamina. Take a breath, drink some water and stretch during your five-minute break to ensure you’re ready to write again once the timer ends.
Although like writing, reading books can take time, they also prove to be a great resource when you hit a roadblock in your writing. If you are stuck on a chapter or don’t know where your character is going next, pick up a book that is within the genre you’re writing. Take notes on what’s working well in the book and even the things you should avoid in your own draft. Doing this can push you outside of your comfort zone when you’re feeling your story is in a serious lull.