From Idea to Published: A Realistic Timeline for Self-Publishing a Non-Fiction Book
You have an idea for your book, but you aren’t sure how long it will take to go from conception to selling?
When you first get the idea to write a book, you are filled with excitement, which quickly turns into overwhelm when you realize everything you have to do to get it from your brain to paper to print to people's bookshelves. It’s a lot.
A big part of the problem that many people face is that they don’t know a realistic timeline for this process. When they get started, the completion feels so far away that it’s hard to be motivated to even begin. This is why many books don’t get off the ground…. But not yours.
Why does knowing the timeline help with motivation?
When you know how long each step of the process will take and what steps need to happen, you can break things down and move forward confidently. It’s not about rushing the process or overloading your to-do list, but instead having clarity, confidence and making the process as doable as possible.
Having a rough timeline can help you plan your schedule and work accordingly. When you create a schedule and have a doable amount of work on your plate each day, it makes it easier to sit down to do it. Think about it: When you know you have to write a full book, find an editor, send it for editing, make adjustments, create the cover, set up your online account, get it published, launch it, and sell it, it’s daunting to work on it.
But when you instead set a goal of 3000 words a day, it’s easy to be like, “I only need to write 3000 words. I can totally do that.” And then, you might find you write even more words simply because you’re in the flow.
So, what are the realistic stages of taking your book from conception to published and selling?
Phase 1: Clarifying Your Message & Planning (2-4 weeks)
This is the part everyone wants to rush, but honestly, take your time here. The best books are the ones that aren’t just thrown together. For non-fiction books, I’ve seen people want to just write and see what comes up, but those books end up feeling poorly written, repetitive, and lacking proper flow. Instead, you’ll want to start creating a plan for working. Set a schedule, deadlines, and goals. The clearer you are and the more specific you are, the easier it’ll be to work through your book.
Then dive into figuring out your book’s core message and transformation. What do you want your readers to get out of it, and how?
You’ll also want to know and research your target audience. It’s not just about what your message is; it’s about how you’ll disseminate the information to them. If you’re writing for Gen X women vs. Gen Z men, you’ll need to write in a different style. The examples you use will be different, and even the information you give will be different. Make sure you spend a lot of time getting to know your target audience. This will also help when you go to sell the book. Write in a way that will attract those specific people.
Now, you can really start diving into your book. Begin by creating an outline and/or a chapter breakdown. When I started writing my book, I searched online for a template to help with planning. That outline isn’t in the world anymore, but there are still some good ones out there.
Finally, don’t overthink this. I know easier said than done, but try your best. It’s not about creating perfection in your outline; clarity is far more important than complexity. Things change as you go through the process. Deadlines aren’t met, chapters can move or change completely, it’s okay to allow the imperfection.
Phase 2: Writing Your First Draft (12 weeks or more, depending on your personal schedule)
While this is what many people look forward to the most when they start getting that nudge and inspiration to write a book, it’s also the make-or-break part. That’s why having a well-thought-out plan that works for your business and energy is key. Only you know how much time your regular work takes, so be careful that you’re not overdoing it. Stay consistent with your writing, but also realistic.
While you’re writing, focus on the momentum of the writing process and not on self-editing. Editing comes later. It’s better to just get the ideas out while they’re fresh in your brain. Allow yourself to flow and let your ideas come naturally. The thing to remember here is that your job is not just writing. You are a business owner who is writing a book. Your schedule will not be the same as someone whose job is just to write books.
If you can write 2000 words on one day and 10k words on another day, don’t stress. Work within your capacity. The better your plan and outline, the easier this process will be.
Finally, enjoy this process. You’re writing a book! This is amazing and exciting. Somedays it will be more or less exciting, but allow yourself to relish in this process. The idea is, you want to come out of this process with great memories and a book you love. It will be far easier to sell it if you genuinely like it. People will feel the bitterness if that’s how you feel about your book and the process.
Phase 3: Self-Editing and Revisions (3-4 weeks)
This part doesn’t mean what you think it means. What happens here is that people often get distracted by trying to proofread for spelling, grammar, and other typos, and they miss the actual purpose. Self-editing doesn’t mean looking for all your spelling mistakes; it means going through and sorting out any bits that you find messy as you read it, the way your readers will read it (start to finish).
Many people will disagree with me on this, but I don’t think you need to do too much of this. You’ll still need to do some revising after your editor has gotten a hold of it. Their job is to go through with a fine-tooth comb and edit for spelling/grammar, flow and clarity issues, and messy bits. Your job here is really just deciding, “Is this the message I want to send?” and “Is this how I want to say it?” Also, think about whether you missed something or if something is too wordy.
But first, once you finish writing, let your book sit for at least a week before you start doing your own revising. Let it leave your mind for a little bit of time. If you start revisions right away, you’re more likely to miss things because you know what you expect them to say. This is a trick I learned while doing my degree. You miss more mistakes when you edit right after writing a paper because you know what it is supposed to say.
Then, start reading for clarity, flow, and content gaps. Keep that your focus, knowing your editor will catch everything else. And here’s the real trick. You need to take your expert hat off and put your reader hat on. Revise from the standpoint of your reader.
Side Note: This is how I edit. I edit from the standpoint of a reader. The biggest mistake my authors make is seeing my edits and saying no because they still have their expert hat on. Ultimately, it’s their call. When you reject edits because you have your expert hat on, it often leaves your book feeling too complicated, jargony, and dull for a reader. Keep an open mind, and always think about how a section will come across to your reader.
Phase 4: Professional Editing (8 weeks or more, depending on length and complexity of your book)
Make sure you understand realistically that editing takes time. I often have authors come in with books that are 20 chapters long and want it edited in a week or two. That’s not going to happen. Understand that having your book edited comes with stages of its own. It needs to go through developmental editing, line-by-line, proofreading, etc. (don’t worry, you don’t need to know what those categories mean!). But this is where you need to be patient.
If you want your book to be as good as it can get, then let your editor have the time they need to make it a masterpiece.
This stage matters, even for great writers. Why? Because you are too close to your material. You might have amazing information, huge passion, a vast knowledge base, but as the writer, you probably think everything is important… Believe me, I get that. Let go of that control; you might be surprised how good things can be.
One thing to keep in mind here: Timelines can vary. Book length matters. The longer the book, the longer things will take. Also, the complexity of the book and the amount of other projects your editor has (no, chances are, your book isn’t the only thing they’re working on at a time. It’s hard to live off of one editing project for a two-month period). My suggestion: book early! If you’re hoping to launch your book in September, start looking in April or earlier if you want. If it’s edited early and quickly, you don’t have to launch it right away.
Not sure if your book is ready to go to a professional editor? Check out this post to figure out when it’s ready!
Phase 5: Formatting & Design (3-4 weeks)
This part can either be really fun or a drag. This is where you’ll need to start doing some research and working out all of the formatting kinks. Make sure you figure out and get the measurements exact for both print and digital (the requirements are different). No matter your publishing plans, you’ll have to meet these requirements.
The last thing you want is to have formatting that is all over the place and distract your reader. You may have the best book on your topic, but if your formatting is inconsistent, people will quickly DNF. People who DNF are likely to leave negative reviews, and as a self-publishing author, reviews are your key to success.
I won’t go into too much detail on the interior formatting requirements, but if you’d like to learn more, check out this blog from Technica Editorial Services.
But, interior formatting is not the only design requirement; for print versions, you also need to create the cover (front and back). This is where you can also hire a professional (which is what I would recommend). Cover requirements can get fairly complex. There are some great templates out there for DIY, but hiring a graphic designer can give you a unique and attractive cover.
Lastly, ensure you review and understand the requirements for publishing on various platforms (eg, KDP, IngramSpark, etc.). Getting approved on various publishing platforms can be a bit of a nightmare, but well worth doing. The more eyes on your book, the better, especially if it’s your first book and you don’t have a media team supporting your efforts.
Phase 6: Publishing & Launch Prep (4-6 weeks)
Finally, after all of your efforts, it’s time to get things published and launched. One of the most exciting steps in this process is when you finally get to hit publish on the platforms of your choosing. All of your efforts have led to this moment! Let yourself feel everything that comes up, and don’t forget to celebrate. This is a big milestone. Once it’s out, you’ll just be constantly promoting it.
There are still a few things you’ll need, and that’s often specific to the platforms you’re choosing. But your first step will be to get an ISBN (International Standard Book Number). There are free and paid options (I would recommend doing a bit of research before you decide), but your book will need one unless it’s a small eBook or a low-content book.
You’ll also need to create a description and other promotional material. Make sure you know what is needed for different platforms (and best practices so you can optimize your efforts). For example, if you’re going to publish on KDP, Amazon has very specific requirements. But they have a wealth of material that explains exactly what they want.
If you’re launching on your own, you’ll also need to create your own launch and promotional strategy. At the beginning, you’ll need to talk about it nonstop. Get emails, social media posts and “take-overs”, talk on podcasts, or attend local events. This part can be really uncomfortable for many people, but the more you get out there, the more people will get eyes on your book.
So, what’s the total time?
At the very minimum, 8 months, but it can be up to a year. Each book is different and unique, but this is not a short process, especially if you’re self-publishing. Don’t feel discouraged if things are taking longer. Writing and publishing a book takes time. If you try to rush the process, that’s when mistakes happen, and your book may not reach its full potential.
Keep in mind, this is a rough estimate. If your book is short, it can take longer, and if it’s long or you have a full-time job, kids, a busy life, etc., it can take longer. Allow things to take shape in their own time. Don’t doddle, but don’t stress about the timeline.
I recommend building in buffer time. Anticipate things to take longer, and then if they end up taking less time, that’s great. The last thing you want is to assume it’ll take a certain amount of time, plan for a launch, and then not have things done or have to rush through things. Don’t rush any of the stages. They are all incredibly important if you want your book to have the most success it can.
Just remember, you’re not behind; you’re building something lasting.
While emails, social media posts, etc., will eventually fade out of existence, a book can last forever. We are still reading many classic books that were written hundreds of years ago. This is not an easy undertaking. I find many entrepreneurs think that writing a book is just a marketing scheme, but that is the last reason you should write a book (learn more about this here). Do it because you are passionate and truly want to write a book.
I want you to acknowledge how brave and bold it is to write and publish a book. Having your own personal thoughts on a page for someone to read. You can do this. Don’t give up.
Ready to take the next step—whether that’s feedback, clarity, or a full edit?
Let’s figure out what your manuscript needs, together.
Let’s explore how you can move forward with confidence.
