However busy you are, you can write, edit, and publish a novel in just 24 months -- working no more than 30 minutes per day (or 3.5 hours per week). Here's how.
8. Year One: Write and Repeat
Months 1 & 2:
Research, Planning
and Outlining
Daily target: 30 mins
Goal: Complete chapter-by-
chapter outline
Months 3 – 7:
Drafting
Daily target: 500 words
Goal: Complete first draft of
75,000 – 80,000 words
Months 8 – 12:
Redrafting *
Daily target: 500 words
Goal: Complete redraft of
75,000 – 80,000 words
* Enough time to rewrite from
scratch, if you want / need to.
9. Year Two, Part One: Feedback and Editing
Months 13 - 15:
Deal with Admin while
Novel is With Editor(s)
Daily target: 30 mins admin
Goal: Draft cover design; beta
reading for others if applicable
* Your editor / beta readers may be
quicker; allow plenty of time though.
Months 16 - 18:
Edit, Incorporating
Feedback
Daily target: 900 words edited
Goal: Full edit that
incorporates changes from
editor / beta-readers
Months 19 – 20:
More Admin, More
Editorial Feedback *
Daily target: 30 mins admin
Goal: Ready to make final edits
and publish (or submit)
* You may not need this second round
of feedback if you’ve written a novel
before, but allow for it when planning.
10. Year Two, Part Two: Polishing and Publishing
Months 21 - 22:
Make any Final Edits
Daily target: 1300 words edited
Goal: Final, professional-
quality version of your novel
Month 23:
Admin and
Proofreading
Daily target: 30 mins admin
Goal: Fully proof-read novel;
manuscript with reviewers.
Month 24:
Publishing
(or Submitting)
Daily target: 30 mins admin
Goal: Book is available to buy
on Amazon (or manuscript is
out with agents)
11. Where do I Find the Time?
How Do I Write Fast Enough?
12. 30 Minutes Per Day, Or ...
✘3 hrs 30 mins once a week
(e.g. 7am – 10.30am, Saturday mornings)
✘1 hr 45 mins twice a week
(e.g. 8pm – 9.45pm on Mondays and Thursdays)
✘42 mins five times a week
(e.g. 12.15pm– 12.57pm on weekdays)
✘15 mins twice per day
(e.g. 6am – 6.15am; 9pm – 9.15pm)
13. To Write 500 Words in Half an Hour...
✘Be ruthless about eliminating distractions
(turn off wi-fi / unplug internet cable, silence phone)
✘Plan what you’re going to write before you write it
(spend first 5 mins of 30 minute session planning)
✘Get excited about the scene
(if it’s not exciting, do you need to write it at all?)
✘Don’t stop to fact-check: leave a [note to self]
(check and confirm/change when you rewrite)
14. Good Luck with Your
Two-Year Novel!
Now head here:
www.aliventures.com/novel-in-two-years
And get:
✘Detailed blog post explaining the whole plan.
✘“Two-Year Novel” ebook to download and work through as you write.
15. Credits
Big thanks to SlidesCarnival for the fantastic (and free!)
slides template.