How to Write a Book: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Start

Before you write a book, answer these 10 science-backed questions. Covers writing habits, book covers, editing, publishing paths, and more.

A 2002 Jenkins Group survey found that 81% of Americans said they had a book in them. Two decades later, a 2021 OnePoll survey confirmed the dream is alive: 55% of Americans believe their life story is interesting enough to become a book or movie. But here’s the gap that matters: only about 8% have ever finished a manuscript.

If you’re part of the 92% who haven’t crossed that finish line yet, these 10 questions will help you figure out whether your book idea has legs and what the writing process actually looks like beyond the fantasy.

1. Does Your Idea Really Need to Be a Book?

Before you commit to the long road of writing a manuscript, ask a harder question: does this idea need to be a book at all? Could it be a long article, a podcast series, or a blog?

This matters because not every great idea fits the book format. A children’s picture book runs about 300–600 words. A memoir runs 60,000–90,000. A sci-fi novel might need 90,000–120,000. Here’s a quick reference:

Book Type	Word Count Range
Picture Book (ages 3–8)	300–600 words
Chapter Book (ages 7–10)	4,000–15,000 words
Middle Grade (ages 8–12)	25,000–45,000 words
Young Adult (ages 12+)	50,000–80,000 words
Adult Novel	70,000–90,000 words
Sci-Fi / Fantasy	90,000–120,000 words
Nonfiction / Self-Help	30,000–70,000 words
Memoir	60,000–90,000 words

Mark Manson turned a viral blog post into The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck*, which sold over 15 million copies. James Clear built a massive email list through years of blogging before writing Atomic Habits. You can always start with a shorter format and graduate to a book.

Action Step: Write your book idea in one sentence. If you can’t explain it clearly in one sentence, it’s not ready to be a book yet.

2. Are You Writing for the Right Reasons?

Here’s a question most aspiring authors avoid: do you want to write a book, or do you want to be an author?

Harvard researcher Teresa Amabile ran a landmark study where she asked writers to compose poems after thinking about either internal reasons for writing (self-expression, curiosity) or external reasons (money, fame). The finding was striking: writers who spent just five minutes thinking about external rewards produced measurably less creative work.

The Motivation Gut-Check: If this book never gets published and nobody reads it, would you still be glad you wrote it? If the answer is yes, you’re writing for the right reasons.

3. Can You Write 3,000 Words This Weekend?

Set aside a few hours this weekend and write 2,500 to 5,000 words on your book idea. Don’t edit. Don’t outline. Just write.

This is a diagnostic test. Were you energized or drained? Did ideas keep flowing, or did you run dry after 500 words? If 3,000 words felt easy and exciting, that’s a green light. If you struggled to hit 1,000, consider whether this idea needs more development time.

4. Do You Have a Sustainable Writing Schedule?

A reasonable first draft for an 80,000-word book at 500 words per day takes about five to six months. Here’s what the daily output of famous authors actually looked like:

Author	Daily Output	Method
Ernest Hemingway	500–1,000 words	Tracked count on a wall chart
Graham Greene	500 words	Stopped exactly at 500, even mid-sentence
Stephen King	2,000 words	Every day, including holidays

Research by Phillippa Lally at University College London found that it takes an average of 66 days for a new behavior to become automatic.

How to Build a Writing Habit That Sticks:

1. Start absurdly small. Write 100 words a day for the first two weeks.
2. Stack it onto an existing habit. “After I pour my morning coffee, I write for 15 minutes.”
3. Track your progress. Amabile and Kramer’s Progress Principle research found that small wins create a positive feedback loop that boosts motivation.

Action Step: Block 30 minutes on your calendar tomorrow morning. Write 500 words. Do it again the next day.

5. Do You Know What Happens Beyond the First Draft?

Writing the manuscript is just one piece of the puzzle. Publishing experts recommend budgeting roughly equal time for writing and for everything else.

Here’s what goes into publishing a book beyond the writing:

Creative Tasks:

• Creating, testing, and debating the title
• Designing the cover
• Author photos and book promos

Marketing Tasks:

• Writing marketing materials, blog posts, and guest posts
• Doing podcasts and media interviews
• Developing a social media campaign
• Book tour and speaking events
• Gathering testimonials and early review copies

Administrative Tasks:

• 4–6 rounds of editing over 3–6 months (developmental edits, copyediting, proofreading)
• Formatting and production logistics

Big Idea: Calculate the amount of time you think you’ll need. Then double it. That’s closer to reality.

6. Will Your Cover Pass the One-Second Test?

Research on thin-slicing shows that humans form lasting judgments in under a second. Color alone influences up to 90% of snap decisions about products.

If you’re self-publishing: Hire a professional cover designer. A homemade cover is the fastest way to signal “amateur” to potential readers.

Action Step: Go to Amazon and look at the top 10 bestsellers in your genre. Your cover should feel like it belongs on that shelf.

7. Are You Using the “Never Empty the Well” Technique?

In a 1935 Esquire essay, Hemingway shared his most valuable writing advice: “The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next.”

The Zeigarnik Effect explains why this works: our brains remember unfinished tasks far better than completed ones. A 2018 study in Thinking Skills and Creativity confirmed that people interrupted while close to finishing showed significantly higher motivation to resume.

How to apply it: Write until you’re in a good flow, stop there, jot down 2–3 bullet points about what comes next, and walk away. Tomorrow, read yesterday’s last paragraph and pick up from your notes.

8. Do You Have Dreambuilders (Not Dreamkillers)?

Dreamkillers dismiss every idea. You need dreambuilders instead: people who challenge you to make your work better without tearing it down.

Aim for 5–10 beta readers from your target audience, and give them specific questions: Where did you lose interest? What confused you? What did you want more of?

9. Have You Chosen Your Publishing Path?

Factor	Traditional Publishing	Self-Publishing
Royalties	10–15% (~$1–2/book)	35–70% (~$3.49 per $4.99 ebook)
Timeline	2+ years from deal to bookshelf	As fast as you can produce
Control	Publisher decides cover, title, marketing	Full creative control
Upfront cost	$0 (publisher pays)	$2,000–$10,000+

Self-published authors earned an average of $12,749 in 2024, compared to roughly $8,600 for traditionally published authors. But about 75–83% of self-published authors earn less than $1,000 per year.

10. Can You Handle Rejection?

Some of the most successful books in history were rejected dozens of times:

Author	Book	Rejections	Outcome
Robert Pirsig	Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance	121	Sold 5+ million copies
Kathryn Stockett	The Help	60	10+ million copies, major film
Stephen King	Carrie	30	350+ million career sales
J.K. Rowling	Harry Potter	12	Best-selling series in history

Stephen King famously impaled his rejection letters on a spike in his bedroom. He’d thrown the Carrie manuscript in the trash before his wife Tabitha retrieved it. The paperback rights later sold for $200,000.

Action Step: Before you submit your manuscript anywhere, write down your “rejection plan.” How many rejections will you absorb before reconsidering? If your number is less than 20, raise it.

How to Write a Book Takeaway

1. Pressure-test your idea by writing it in one sentence.
2. Check your motivation. Write because the work itself matters to you.
3. Run the 3,000-word sprint this weekend to test your excitement.
4. Build a daily writing habit starting at 500 words per day.
5. Use the “Never Empty the Well” technique — stop while you still know what comes next.
6. Surround yourself with dreambuilders who give honest feedback.
7. Choose your publishing path early so you can plan accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an author make on a $20 book?

With traditional publishing, a hardcover author typically earns about $1–2 per copy (10–15% royalty). Self-published authors keep a much larger share: a $4.99 ebook on Amazon KDP at 70% royalty earns about $3.49 per sale.

How many times was Stephen King rejected?

Stephen King’s Carrie was rejected 30 times before Doubleday published it in 1974. The paperback rights later sold for $200,000.

What is the 50-page rule?

The 50-page rule comes from librarian Nancy Pearl: give a book 50 pages before deciding whether to continue.

How does a beginner start writing a book?

Start by choosing your format and knowing your target word count. Create a simple outline, build a tiny daily habit — even 100 words per day — and write your first draft without editing. Once you have a complete first draft, get feedback from 5–10 beta readers.

Is selling 3,000 copies of a book good?

Yes. The average traditionally published book sells about 3,000 copies in its lifetime, and fewer than 1% of all titles sell more than 5,000 copies.

How long does it take to write a book?

At 500 words per day, an 80,000-word first draft takes about five to six months. Editing adds another 3–6 months. Most first-time authors should expect one to two years from first word to published book.