How Long Does it Take to Write a Kindle Book?
Something that people ask any writer is: 'How long did your book take to write?'
It's a valuable question and one I always know the answer to, as I keep a detailed record of exactly how long I spend writing.
Every book I've written, I try and record the date and time I started each day, the time I finished and my final word count for that day.
I can then work out what's the best time of day for me to write. Not what I'd like it to be, but what it actually is, which in my case is mostly morning and early afternoon.
When I get to the end of the book and have to edit, I record that too.
This is my record of the writing of my last book:
The Astrology of Indigos, Everyday Solutions to Spiritual Difficulties http://amzn.to/1cPtogU
20-5-2013 10.30am- 117 words
11.30am 833 words
22-5-2013 12.10pm 12.30pm- 1,167
1-6-2013 1,224
7.10pm 2,598
7.25pm 4,627,
8.20pm 4759
12-6-2013 3.30pm 5,477
13-6-2013 6,045
28-6-2013 2pm- 6,366
14-7-2013 10.40am 6545 references 7,139
1.30pm 7279, 7,295
16-7-2013 12.40pm-2.10pm 8,041
17-7-2013 11.20am- 12pm 9371
20-7-2013 12.50pm- 5.30pm- 10,005
30-7-2013 10.53am-11.35am10,734
12.15pm- 11,413
3.30pm- 12,012 12,221 7.30pm
31-7-2013 8am 8.45am- 12,886
11am 13,507
11.20am- 12.15pm 13,862
1pm- 2pm 14,225 chapter three re-write
4pm- 13,954
6.10pm read-through
6.35pm - 14,333
7.15pm- 14,683
1-8-2013 7.45am -10am 15,263 15,310
10.25am 16,107
4-8-2013 16.111
5-8-2013 12.40am- 1.15pm 16,279 listings
9-8-2013 3.55pm- 6.50pm- 16,617
21-8-2013 6.50pm 16,889
23-8-2013 4.10pm- 17, 328 6.30pm - 19,496
24-8-2013 4.10pm- first edit 19,333 6.16pm
26-8-2013 9.55am- 11.35am 20,077
28-8-2013 2.10pm 2.45pm- 20,474
30-8-2013 12.15pm 1.45pm- 20,935
31-8-2013 1.10pm 21,434 2.10pm
1-9-2013 11.05am 22,893 12.40pm- 8.30pm 23,110
2-9-2013 8pm
3-9-2013 10.10am read-through/edit 22,656 11.30am
6-9-2013 6am-11am read-through, edit on paper
As you can see, I started actually writing it on the 20th May 2013 and finished the writing on 6th September 2013.
This means this book took just under 5 months to write. However if I were to add the actual writing hours up, they'd be around 61 actual writing hours, working out at an average of 371 words per hour (I don't write fast!)
Some days went better than others.
I also keep a word-count record on a small white board in my kitchen and cross them off every time I reach another 1,000 words.
What I like about recording this data is it gives me something tangible to remind me that 'something is happening' and my book is growing.
The trouble with writing, is a book can seem to grow so slowly, and I lose track of how far I've got and how far I need to go. With my method, I can see everyday I write, how much I wrote the last time I 'clocked on' and the kitchen reminder prompts me to how far I've got to go.
It gives me a nice reminder that I'm on track, things are progressing and I'll get there eventually!
About the Author
Mary English was born in London and educated in Switzerland at the American International School of Zurich. She is a professional Astrologer and member of The Astrological Association & The Society of Authors. She has over 30 years of experience in her field. She is also a qualified Homeopath.Her TV appearances include BBC's 'Kilroy' and BBC's 'Heaven and Earth'. She is regularly invited to talk on BBC Radio Bristol.
She was a monthly guest on the Morning Show with Emma Britton on BBC Radio Somerset Sound where for over 2 years she gave live on air, the Month's Stars.
Mary was the resident Astrologer for The Green Parent magazine for 5 years, writing their bi-monthly Astrology column.
She now is resident Astrologer for Talk Radio Europe, Spain’s largest English language radio network, broadcasting on the Costa del Sol/Axarquia and Costa Blanca/Costa Calida and reaching 1,000,000 English speaking consumers on the Hannah Murray Show where she gives her Monthly Astro Stars
Mary is also resident Astrologer and writes a monthly column for Pukka Bath and Dodona Books Blog.
Her websites http://www.maryenglish.co.uk and http://www.ukastrologer.co.uk receive over a 100 hits a day.
She lives in Bath in the UK and works from home, over the Internet, by phone and in person.
She believes that Astrology helps people understand each other, which in turn makes the world a friendly place to live in.
Her books are available from Amazon and all good bookshops and on-line in her own virtual store: http://www.greatastrologybooks.co.uk
Mary English 2015.
This article must not be copied, stored on any virtual devices, posted onto any blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter streams or stolen or copied onto any websites, morphed into an app or writer's content in any way without express, written permission by Mary English. Failure to abide by this polite request will result in banishment to hell and a life of bad repute.
It's a valuable question and one I always know the answer to, as I keep a detailed record of exactly how long I spend writing.
Every book I've written, I try and record the date and time I started each day, the time I finished and my final word count for that day.
I can then work out what's the best time of day for me to write. Not what I'd like it to be, but what it actually is, which in my case is mostly morning and early afternoon.
When I get to the end of the book and have to edit, I record that too.
This is my record of the writing of my last book:
The Astrology of Indigos, Everyday Solutions to Spiritual Difficulties http://amzn.to/1cPtogU
20-5-2013 10.30am- 117 words
11.30am 833 words
22-5-2013 12.10pm 12.30pm- 1,167
1-6-2013 1,224
7.10pm 2,598
7.25pm 4,627,
8.20pm 4759
12-6-2013 3.30pm 5,477
13-6-2013 6,045
28-6-2013 2pm- 6,366
14-7-2013 10.40am 6545 references 7,139
1.30pm 7279, 7,295
16-7-2013 12.40pm-2.10pm 8,041
17-7-2013 11.20am- 12pm 9371
20-7-2013 12.50pm- 5.30pm- 10,005
30-7-2013 10.53am-11.35am10,734
12.15pm- 11,413
3.30pm- 12,012 12,221 7.30pm
31-7-2013 8am 8.45am- 12,886
11am 13,507
11.20am- 12.15pm 13,862
1pm- 2pm 14,225 chapter three re-write
4pm- 13,954
6.10pm read-through
6.35pm - 14,333
7.15pm- 14,683
1-8-2013 7.45am -10am 15,263 15,310
10.25am 16,107
4-8-2013 16.111
5-8-2013 12.40am- 1.15pm 16,279 listings
9-8-2013 3.55pm- 6.50pm- 16,617
21-8-2013 6.50pm 16,889
23-8-2013 4.10pm- 17, 328 6.30pm - 19,496
24-8-2013 4.10pm- first edit 19,333 6.16pm
26-8-2013 9.55am- 11.35am 20,077
28-8-2013 2.10pm 2.45pm- 20,474
30-8-2013 12.15pm 1.45pm- 20,935
31-8-2013 1.10pm 21,434 2.10pm
1-9-2013 11.05am 22,893 12.40pm- 8.30pm 23,110
2-9-2013 8pm
3-9-2013 10.10am read-through/edit 22,656 11.30am
6-9-2013 6am-11am read-through, edit on paper
As you can see, I started actually writing it on the 20th May 2013 and finished the writing on 6th September 2013.
This means this book took just under 5 months to write. However if I were to add the actual writing hours up, they'd be around 61 actual writing hours, working out at an average of 371 words per hour (I don't write fast!)
Some days went better than others.
I also keep a word-count record on a small white board in my kitchen and cross them off every time I reach another 1,000 words.
What I like about recording this data is it gives me something tangible to remind me that 'something is happening' and my book is growing.
The trouble with writing, is a book can seem to grow so slowly, and I lose track of how far I've got and how far I need to go. With my method, I can see everyday I write, how much I wrote the last time I 'clocked on' and the kitchen reminder prompts me to how far I've got to go.
It gives me a nice reminder that I'm on track, things are progressing and I'll get there eventually!
About the Author
Mary English was born in London and educated in Switzerland at the American International School of Zurich. She is a professional Astrologer and member of The Astrological Association & The Society of Authors. She has over 30 years of experience in her field. She is also a qualified Homeopath.Her TV appearances include BBC's 'Kilroy' and BBC's 'Heaven and Earth'. She is regularly invited to talk on BBC Radio Bristol.
She was a monthly guest on the Morning Show with Emma Britton on BBC Radio Somerset Sound where for over 2 years she gave live on air, the Month's Stars.
Mary was the resident Astrologer for The Green Parent magazine for 5 years, writing their bi-monthly Astrology column.
She now is resident Astrologer for Talk Radio Europe, Spain’s largest English language radio network, broadcasting on the Costa del Sol/Axarquia and Costa Blanca/Costa Calida and reaching 1,000,000 English speaking consumers on the Hannah Murray Show where she gives her Monthly Astro Stars
Mary is also resident Astrologer and writes a monthly column for Pukka Bath and Dodona Books Blog.
Her websites http://www.maryenglish.co.uk and http://www.ukastrologer.co.uk receive over a 100 hits a day.
She lives in Bath in the UK and works from home, over the Internet, by phone and in person.
She believes that Astrology helps people understand each other, which in turn makes the world a friendly place to live in.
Her books are available from Amazon and all good bookshops and on-line in her own virtual store: http://www.greatastrologybooks.co.uk
Mary English 2015.
This article must not be copied, stored on any virtual devices, posted onto any blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter streams or stolen or copied onto any websites, morphed into an app or writer's content in any way without express, written permission by Mary English. Failure to abide by this polite request will result in banishment to hell and a life of bad repute.
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