How Long Does It Take To Get A Book Published? Must-Know Steps
The simple fact that you asked the question, “How long does it take to get a book published,” shows you are ahead of many aspiring authors. The amount of time writers take to draft their manuscript is only a fraction of the time it takes to successfully launch a book.
While you may see published authors posting all over TikTok and Instagram about their book launches and lives as full time authors, there’s more that goes on behind the scenes. Holding the final book in your hand is actually the midpoint of your book’s journey.
In this article I discuss the process of publishing your book. Whether you hope to self-publish or publish traditionally, I’ve got you covered.
Writing A Book: The Creative Process
Maybe you dream of saying you published a book but you're just not sure how long the process will take or what’s involved. How long it takes to get your book published depends on how quickly you can go through the following process:
Write your book
Edit your manuscript
Decide the best form of publishing for you
At this point, the process takes two different roads: You can choose to self-publish or traditionally publish. Rather than dump bullet-points on you without explanation of what each entails, let’s separate these two forms of publishing so you have an overview of each. So first, let’s lay the groundwork. What exactly is the publishing process?
The Publishing Process: What You Need To Know
The process of publishing your book is the journey you go on from the moment you get a book idea all the way until you hold your published book in your hands. For some writers this journey can take years, for others, they may choose to publish their book in just a few months.
No matter the length of your publishing journey, learning how to get into a creative mindset and then leveraging that mindset to finish your book is a crucial part of the publishing process.
If you want to write full time, or simply are a creative person and want an outlet for your work, understanding the publishing process will serve you well. Self-publishing and traditional publishing are the two key terms used in publishing today (a mix of these two is often referred to as hybrid publishing or indie publishing). Below is a brief overview of both.
Overview Of The Self-Publishing Checklist
Self-published writers act as their own publisher, editor, graphic designer, and launch team. Because they do most of the work, they also do not have to split the royalties with a publisher. This is arguably a big bonus to self-publishing. When you choose to self-publish, you will need to:
Draft your manuscript
Edit your manuscript
Work on cover design
Create buz and target your email list
Build a launch team
Cover all the legalities
ISBN
Copyright
Etc.
Launch your book
Continue to promote and build your platform
If you have a platform (potential readership) or a large following already, you may want to consider self-publishing your book. Marketing may be where you feel your creative mind is most alive. If this is you, deciding to self-publish could help you replace your day job.
But what if you love freelance writing and drafting blog posts on your own, but you don’t want to single-handedly publish your book? Posting smaller works such as articles or short stories is one thing, successfully publishing a full-length manuscript is another. If you want to split the publishing process among a team, this is where traditional publishing comes in.
Road To Traditional Publishing Contract
Traditional publishing is when a publisher pays you (called an advance) to publish your book. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, your traditional publishing process will likely follow a journey similar to the following:
Draft your manuscript
Query literary agents
Sign with an agent
Build your platform while your agent queries your book to publishers
Sign a book contract with a publisher
Receive your advance
Ideally, begin writing your next book as you launch your first
While traditionally published authors are still called on to do much of the creative work of marketing, when you team up with a publisher you share the load. Additionally, it’s the publisher’s job to have the contacts you need and the team in place to help you succeed.
Publishers want to make a positive return on their investment (ROI) and are ready and willing to do the work necessary. However, they want to know you are willing to build a career in writing, effectively making it a primary income stream, or at least a recurring one.
Not every writer can write full-time, but publishers seem to love signing new authors who are committed to building their writing career and willing to put in the effort to do so.
Take Charge Of Your Writing Career
Now that you have a brief overview of the two types of publishing and how long it takes to get a book published, it’s time to ask a crucial question: How do I become a full time writer?
There are a plethora of ways to launch yourself into a profitable writing career. Depending on your goals, you may want to start guest blogging for various authors, posting content on your own website blog, or writing short articles for online magazines or print.
The more you get your name out there, the easier it will be to establish your credibility and identify your unique writing voice. With an overview of what it takes to launch a writing career, here are a few parting steps to help you proactively go after your dream.
#1 - Launch A Professional Website
There are many websites you can use to start your writing career, and many of them offer a free version. Squarespace (what I use) and WordPress (what I started with early on) are both easy to access and provide templates if you don’t want to invest in creating a website from scratch.
Your website will act as an online business card as well as a portfolio. Make sure you put your best work up and the aesthetics match your branding.
#2 - Learn The Rules Of Your Niche
Writing novels looks quite a bit different than writing children’s books. While both use the written language to communicate to a target audience, different rules apply. Novels focus on sub-plots and characters, while children’s books focus on one primary character and brevity of words.
Of course, both styles of writing want to draw in the intended market, but how they do so varies depending on the niche. Learn the rules of your niche and then practice using them!
#3 Invest In A Writing Community
Surrounding yourself with a great writing community will help you keep at it when you feel like quitting. The creative process is a long-term journey. Overnight successes are notorious for working years in the shadows.
If you look at a bestselling author and hope to one day reach a similar type of success, remember that most of these writers are hard-working authors who refuse to give up, day in and day out. Your writing community can keep you focused on the long-term goal when the short-term comforts seem more attractive.
For a deep-dive into taking charge of your dream visit this link, and for personalized help, book a one-on-one call. Best wishes as you begin your publishing journey!
