How to Write a Book in 30 Days!
Table of Contents
Even without NaNoWriMo, writers have always tried to challenge themselves to write a book in just one month. Now, at first, it might just sound like a marketing gimmick. However, I’m here to tell you that it’s actually very possible and it’s a lot easier than you might think. I know how difficult it can feel though, but you do need a bit of a plan and a strategy going into it. So, in this post, I’ll walk you through how you can write a book in just 30 days and share a few mindset shifts that can help you with the process.
And if you’re ready to take the leap?
👉 I’ve created a full, printable 30-day writing guide to help you get it done without the chaos. Get it here today!
Is It Even Possible to Write a Novel in 30 Days?
Yes. In fact, many writers used to do it every year during NaNoWriMo (RIP, you will be missed). Now, you don’t need NaNoWriMo to write a book in a month, and there are many writers that turned those books into fully published works.
It’s important to understand though that when you write a book in such a short period of time, you’re writing a rough draft and it will take some time to fix up afterwards. However, if you can write in 30 days, editing will be really easy for you afterwards.
Want help staying focused, organized, and on target every single day?
My 30-day writing guide includes daily goals, structure templates, and proven advice.
👉 Sprint to a Novel in 30 Days!
Step-by-Step: How to Write a Book in 30 Days
Step 1: Choose Your Genre and Subgenre
Before you do anything, you want to try and decide what genre of book you want to write. Your genre will help give your story structure and you can then select the subgenre. A subgenre will help you narrow your focus down and give you a guide for the tone, tropes, and pacing.
You can use Sprint to a Novel in 30 Days! with my free genre quiz so you can help figure this out more. Sign up below to get access to the genre quiz today:
Step 2: Set a Realistic Word Count Goal
If you want to finish a book in 30 days, you need to know how long that book is.
- A short novel might be 50,000 words
- A standard YA fantasy might hit 80,000
- Adult epic fantasy? Expect closer to 100k+
Not sure about this? Check out this other post where I have a free calculator to help you figure out how many words your novel should have.
Once you have a word count in mind, you need to break it down over the course of the 30 day period. Within Sprint to a Novel in 30 Days, I actually help you walk through this and set realistic time goals for your book based around your time and your life and responsibilities.
Step 3: Outline Your Novel (Quickly!)
You don’t need a massive sprawling novel’s-worth of an outline to start writing. I personally used to be a spontaneous writer when I was younger, but as I wrote more books, I found that planning ahead of time saved me so much going into my story. You should try and get a sense of these ideas before you start your writing process:
- Who your main character is
- What they want
- What stands in their way
- How the story ends
A simple three-act structure or beat sheet can help guide your writing, especially when you hit the mid-month slump. You can create an entire outline in just one day, and I actually help you do just that in my guide as well.
Step 4: Worldbuild Without Getting Lost
If you’re writing fantasy or sci-fi, worldbuilding is essential, but during a 30-day sprint, it needs to be strategic.
Focus initially on:
- The rules that affect your plot
- The setting(s) where most scenes happen
- The political/magical/social systems that matter
Try not to do too much at the beginning unless you want to give yourself more time to plan before you write. However, when you go into your writing process, make sure you have all the essential information you need to make sure you don’t get caught up trying to world build later.
Step 5: Start Writing Consistently
Now comes the hard part: the actual writing. Expect the first few days to feel clunky. Push through. Stick to your daily word count (or close to it). If you miss a day, don’t panic, just adjust your targets going forward.
Your job isn’t to write perfectly. You just need to get the story out of your head and onto the page.
Want the Complete System?
I’ve taken everything I’ve learned from writing books at a variety of speeds and turned it into a beautiful, easy-to-follow guide:
Sprint to a Novel in 30 Days includes:
– Daily writing goals and progress check-ins
– Tips on finding the visual mood of your story
– Flexible outline + world building breakdown
– Printable & tablet-friendly design
– Works for fantasy, romance, horror, or anything you’re writing!
Pick up a copy for yourself and start writing right now!
Conclusion
Writing a book in 30 days is intense, but it’s also deeply rewarding. You’ll learn more about your story and your process than you ever could by waiting for “the perfect time.” Even if your first draft is a bit messy, you’ll still be much closer to finishing than you were a few days ago.
If you sign up for my newsletter, you can get access to exclusive discount codes, product updates and launch dates, and insights for writers. Sign up below and don’t forget to check out my books before you leave: