how long does it take to write a novel?
By vegegirl
@vegegirl (828)
Australia
August 3, 2011 9:02pm CST
I am thinking about writing a novel, as I am out of work. I have always wanted to write a novel and am thinking I should take this opportunity to do it now.
It takes so long writing some selection criterias to apply for each job that I am starting to think that writing a novel may not take too much more time than writing a few selection criterias, and a lot more interesting.
Does anyone have any advice in the length of time writing novels takes? Have you written one yourself, or have you read things about other authors and how long they took to write something.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@francesca5 (1344)
•
4 Aug 11
i think the only answer to this is that depends on so many things there is no easy answer.
i think it also depends on the subject matter, if you are writing from your own personal experience that should take a bit less time than one that requires a lot of research.
theoretically you could write one very quickly, if you wrote enough words a day, but that requires a lot of motivation.
but if its more interesting than writing selection criteria i would give it ago, after all even if you don't earn money from it, the process of writing can be quite a healing, or an interesting thing. sometimes we find out things about ourselves we never knew!
@Lamar30 (19)
• United States
4 Aug 11
I think that it depends on the writer or how fast you write. I started writing a memoir of my life and got half-way finished in about 3 weeks. That is because I am a pretty fast writer. Also remember to tag on some extra time for editing and all of that other stuff. Just tag on the extra time, and I believe it can be done in a couple of years.
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
6 Aug 11
I think someone has already written about the Nanowrimo as a response to your discussion. It happens in November when writers take up a challenge to write a novel with at least 50,000 words.
I don't think I'd write a novel, but I may decide to write something else this year.
If you want to write a novel, try putting yourself through to the same rigours of the challenge. You may be surprised at the results! All the best!
@bubbletush (1332)
• Philippines
4 Aug 11
If you are so passionate about it, I think you could really write a book. If you are familiar with Stephanie Meyer, the author of the famous Twilight Series, I have read in wikipedia that Twilight was the first book she has ever written and became a bestselling author. Although she was plagued with criticisms about her writing style, I believe she will improve over time.
I say, you go for it.
@akhileshebay (416)
• India
4 Aug 11
dear writing something creative is independent of the dimension Time.
Its all depends on the circumstances that how much time will it take, if you are not being forced like others in professional writing field.
So it might take a week or many years to write a totally spontaneous novel being written by you.
@madden12 (81)
• United States
4 Aug 11
It depends on how many ideas you have and what kind of speed you can write at. If you can write a few pages a day, then it might take a few months. If you can finish a chapter in a day it could only take a few weeks. You also have to factor in time it will take to get an agent to agree to represent you and take it to publishers. If you are going to use an Internet publisher it will still take time get page views or drum up interest for a publisher to want to print it. I honestly think that takes longer than writing your novel.
