If you’re planning a business book, one of the first questions you’ll ask is: how long is this actually going to take?
Most people guess six months. Maybe a year if they’re being cautious.
The reality: longer than that. And if you don’t plan for it properly, you’ll either rush a mediocre book or spend two years on something that should have taken nine months.
Here’s my breakdown based on working with authors across coaching, finance, marketing, and leadership.
A realistic timeline
6 months if it’s a straightforward topic or a shorter book.
9 months on average for most business books.
10 months is comfortable and allows for life getting in the way.
12 months for memoirs or books with more complexity.
(Disclaimer: these are my timelines. Every ghostwriter works differently depending on their creative process.)
These assume you’re working with a ghostwriter. If you’re writing it yourself, add more time depending on your circumstances.
Why it takes longer than you think
Most people underestimate the timeline because they’re only thinking about the writing.
But writing is half the work. The other half is planning the structure, conducting interviews, gathering stories, and—this is the part everyone forgets—getting feedback and making decisions.
You don’t write a book in one go. It’s iterative. We spend the first couple of months figuring out what the book is actually about and building a chapter-by-chapter structure. Then comes the bulk of the work: regular interviews (usually weekly or fortnightly) where we pull out your expertise, stories, and insights. I draft chapters, you review them, we refine. Each chapter goes through at least one round of feedback before we move on.
By month nine or ten, we’re polishing and doing the final read-throughs, last edits, and preparing the manuscript for your editor or publisher.
That process can’t be rushed. And life doesn’t stop while you’re writing a book, either. You’re still running a business, managing a family, travelling for work. Calls get rescheduled. People get sick. Holidays happen.
If you plan for six months and don’t account for any of that, you’re setting yourself up for frustration.
What affects the timeline
Every project is different, and I work flexibly to meet your needs. But a few variables will naturally affect how long the process takes, not because anything’s gone wrong, but because different books require different approaches.
The complexity of the topic.
Some books are more demanding than others. I once worked on a book that wove together science, business, psychology, and philosophy. Brilliant topic—but it needed multiple rounds of refinement to get each concept clear. Books on specific frameworks or methodologies (finance, coaching systems, operational strategy) tend to move more smoothly because the structure is already defined.
Neither is better or worse. They just require different timelines.
Whether it’s memoir or business.
Memoirs take longer, especially if you’re still processing the experience you’re writing about. Pulling out personal stories requires more care and often more conversation than explaining a business framework. Business books, in comparison, tend to be less emotionally layered and easier to structure.
How you prefer to work.
Some clients are concise speakers who can articulate ideas clearly in short calls. Others need longer sessions to talk through their thinking, and that’s fine. I adapt the process to how you communicate best, whether that’s regular weekly calls or longer, less frequent conversations.
Your schedule.
You’re running a business, managing a team, and travelling. I build the project around your availability, not the other way round. If you can commit to regular weekly or fortnightly calls, we can maintain steady momentum. If your schedule is unpredictable, we work around it but the timeline stretches accordingly.
Holidays and breaks.
I shut down over Christmas and New Year, and usually take a break in summer. Most clients do too. If your book project runs through these periods, we plan for at least two to three weeks off. It’s built into the timeline from the start, so there are no surprises.
Feedback and decision-making.
Every chapter goes through at least one round of your feedback before we move forward. If you can review and respond within a week or two, we keep moving. If chapters sit for longer either because you’re travelling, or dealing with a work crisis, or just need more time to think, that’s completely fine. We just adjust the timeline to match.
This isn’t about rushing you. It’s about managing expectations so you know what to plan for.
What about writing it yourself?
The reality of writing a book while running a business or leading a team is that it will be a challenge.
It’s staying disciplined over months with no external accountability, no structure, and no one holding you to the timeline. Most people start with good intentions, draft a few chapters, and then life gets in the way. And then the manuscript sits half-finished.
Some people do finish. They’re usually the ones who genuinely enjoy writing, can protect their time, and don’t mind the inevitable slow patches where progress stalls.
If that’s you, brilliant. Write it yourself.
But if you’ve been “working on a book” for over a year with nothing to show for it, or if the idea of sitting down to write fills you with dread, that’s useful information. It means writing might not be where your energy is best spent.
So, how long should you plan for?
If you’re serious about writing a business book or memoir, plan for 9-10 months as a realistic baseline.
Add time if:
- The topic is complex or requires research
- You’re writing a memoir and still processing the experience
- Your schedule is unpredictable or you travel frequently
- You’re working over holidays
Subtract time if:
- You’ve already outlined the book or drafted sections
- You’re highly available and can commit to weekly calls
- The topic is straightforward and within a defined framework
What to do next
If you’re ready to start, the first step isn’t writing, it’s planning. Book a session to clarify your positioning, audience, and structure before you commit months to the process. I offer a book outlining service to help you with exactly that.
Or if you’re not sure whether you need a ghostwriter, a book coach, or something else, start with a conversation. We’ll figure out what makes sense for your timeline, budget, and goals.
Want to discuss your book project? Book a call or explore my services.