KWE Publishing Newsletter - 09/14/23
One of the most common questions we hear from authors and readers is, "How long does it take to publish a book?"
The truth is, we can't give every author the same response because every author and book are so different. Once we talk with each author individually, we can usually come up with a rough publishing date, and as that date gets closer, we mark launch day on the calendar!
However, if you're looking for a range at KWE Publishing, it typically takes between four and nine months to publish a book. Of course, there are exceptions on both ends, and we never want to rush a book to meet an arbitrary deadline; we dedicate time to publishing every book, and we believe that quality matters!
Of course, other publishers will have their own timelines, and that's okay! Traditional publishers often take longer to publish a book because there are many people involved in the process of publishing, whereas some self-published authors have published a book every month!
With all that said, let's look into some factors that will affect how long it takes to publish a book!
If you want a big marketing campaign, you should likely take at least six months to publish your book.
If you want to publish a book quickly, that typically means you'll have less time to spend on marketing efforts. So, if you want to spend a fair amount of time, money, and/or effort on marketing, most publishers advise you to start marketing around six months before your book is published.
You might be thinking that six months sounds like a long time to spend on marketing, especially before your manuscript is even completed! But in reality, it takes time to research locations where you might want to hold events, get in touch with news stations, podcast hosts, and influencers, run ads, and set up virtual or in-person launch parties and book signings!
When you're figuring out what your marketing campaign will look like, you can work with a variety of experts (like Jean Sime, KWE Publishing's VIP Marketing Concierge!) who can help guide you to find the best ways to promote your book!
If you have an existing audience and are writing a book that's part of a current series, you can publish your book more quickly.
Authors who have an established audience sometimes don't require the same amount of marketing to reach readers (though we still suggest investing time into your marketing campaign!). In particular, authors who've already written the first book in a series tend to have an audience that's waiting for their next book, so they can publish a book relatively quickly.
We typically see this happen with romance authors and mystery authors; sometimes, a series will be made up of dozens of books, and readers might expect a new book every month or two! In this case, authors benefit from having the experience of having published lots of books, so the process can be expedited once they have a solid team that can work on their timeline.
Outside of these genres, though, publishing two books a year, or one book every six months, is considered a quick turnaround! That's because all books, even those that are in a series, require time to edit, format, illustrate, and market, and it's best not to speed and sacrifice quality.
The amount of time you have available, your level of involvement, the length of the book, the genre, and your goals related to the book will all impact how long it will take you to publish your book.
This might sound like a bit of an obvious point, but it's true that you play a big part in when your book is published! If you're someone who wants to be super hands-on while your book is published, it may take a little longer to get your book looking just right—and we encourage you to be involved! Don't be afraid to ask questions or share feedback throughout the publishing process!
If you're creating your book while working in any capacity (at a job or as a parent, caregiver, etc.), then it's understandable that you'll only have a limited amount of time you can dedicate to your book. Most of our amazing authors are working on their books while also juggling other responsibilities or tasks, so publishing might take a little longer. And we get it! It'd be nice to have days and weeks to focus solely on your book, but life happens.
Certain genres of books could take longer to publish, too. A short memoir with minimal marketing might be published in four or five months. If you're creating a children's book, though, it takes time to find an illustrator and for an illustrator to do their job, so it may take around a year to publish your book. Remember, it's not a race!
Ultimately, how long it takes to publish a book depends a lot on what you want and need! While you should definitely feel excited about publishing your book, don't feel rushed or like it's taking "too long" when you're putting in the work to make your book shine!
Do you have any questions about publishing that you'd like answered? Reach out and let us know; we appreciate hearing from you!
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