What it actually takes to become a novelist
Becoming a novelist is not a single credential you earn or a program you complete. It is a sustained practice of writing, reading, and revising — usually while working another job — followed by the work of getting published. Most novelists spend years writing before their first book reaches readers. There is no standard timeline, no required degree, and no gatekeeping body that decides who gets to call themselves a writer. You become a novelist by writing a novel and finding readers for it.
The path splits into two parts: the writing itself, which you control entirely, and publication, which involves decisions about traditional publishing, self-publishing, or hybrid approaches. Each route has different costs, timelines, and demands on your attention.
Key Takeaways
- Most novelists write for years before finishing a manuscript, often while maintaining other income, so plan for a long timeline without may provide returns.
- A finished novel typically requires 50,000 to 120,000 words and multiple rounds of revision before it is ready to show anyone outside your immediate circle.
- Traditional publishing involves querying literary agents with a polished manuscript, a process that can take months or years and results in rejection far more often than acceptance.
- Self-publishing lets you control the timeline and keep higher royalties but requires you to pay for editing, cover design, and marketing out of pocket.
- Building a writing habit and joining a community of writers — through workshops, critique groups, or online forums — significantly increases the odds you will finish and improve your work.
Building a writing practice that produces finished work
The first barrier is not talent or connections — it is finishing a manuscript. Most people who say they want to write a novel do not write one. The difference between those who do and those who do not is usually a regular writing habit, not inspiration or natural ability.
A sustainable practice looks like writing on a schedule you can keep, not a schedule that sounds impressive. This might be 500 words a day, three days a week, or 2,000 words on Saturday mornings. The specific number matters less than showing up consistently. Many novelists use National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWiMo) in November as a structured push to draft 50,000 words in a month, though the real work — revision — comes after.
Expect the first draft to be rough. Professional novelists know this. They write badly on purpose, knowing they will fix it later. If you wait until every sentence is perfect before moving forward, you will never finish. The goal of a first draft is to get the story out of your head and onto the page, not to create a publishable manuscript.
Understanding what a finished manuscript requires
A novel ready for publication or agent review typically runs between 50,000 and 120,000 words, depending on genre. Literary fiction and science fiction often run longer; mysteries and thrillers shorter. Your genre matters because agents and publishers have expectations about length, and a manuscript that is significantly outside the range for its category will face resistance.
Beyond length, a finished manuscript means you have revised it multiple times. Most novelists revise at least three to five times before showing it to anyone outside their immediate circle. The first revision usually focuses on plot and structure — does the story make sense, does it move, are there holes? Later revisions address character consistency, dialogue, pacing, and prose quality. This is not editing in the sense of fixing typos; that comes last.
Many writers benefit from feedback before querying agents or publishing. A critique group — writers who read and comment on each other's work — or a writing workshop can catch problems you have stopped seeing. Beta readers, people outside the writing community who read your finished draft, can tell you whether the story works for someone encountering it fresh.
The traditional publishing route: agents and queries
Traditional publishing in the United States works through literary agents. Publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts from individuals; they work with agents who have established relationships and credibility. An agent reads your query letter — a one-page pitch that describes your novel, its genre, word count, and why you wrote it — and decides whether to request the full manuscript.
Finding agents to query requires research. Resources like QueryTracker, Publishers Marketplace, and the annual guide Writer's Market list agents by genre and their submission requirements. Some agents accept queries only through specific channels; some do not accept certain genres. Ignoring these requirements is a fast way to get rejected. A typical query campaign involves sending 20 to 50 queries over several months. Rejection is the normal outcome; many successful novelists received dozens of rejections before finding an agent.
If an agent offers representation, they pitch your manuscript to publishers on your behalf. This process can take months or years. If a publisher makes an offer, the agent negotiates the contract. You receive an advance — money paid upfront against future royalties — though advances for first-time novelists are often modest, sometimes $5,000 to $15,000, sometimes less. After publication, you earn royalties on each book sold, typically 10 to 15 percent of the cover price for print books.
The advantage of traditional publishing is that the publisher covers editing, design, printing, and distribution costs. Your book appears in bookstores and libraries. The disadvantage is loss of control and a long timeline — from agent acceptance to bookstore shelf can be two years or more.
Self-publishing: speed and control, with upfront costs
Self-publishing means you own the process and the profits. You hire and pay for a professional editor, a cover designer, and possibly a formatter who prepares the manuscript for print or digital release. You then publish through platforms like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing, IngramSpark, or Draft2Digital, which handle printing and distribution.
The financial outlay is real. A professional editor costs $1,500 to $5,000 or more depending on manuscript length and the editor's experience. A cover designer costs $300 to $2,000. Formatting might be $200 to $500. You can reduce costs by doing some of this work yourself — learning to format, commissioning a less expensive cover — but quality suffers. A poorly designed cover or sloppy formatting signals to readers that the book is self-published in a way that discourages purchase.
The advantage is speed and control. You can publish within months of finishing your manuscript. You keep 35 to 70 percent of the sale price depending on the platform and pricing. You can change the cover, the description, or the price whenever you want. The disadvantage is that you are responsible for all of it — quality control, marketing, distribution. Bookstores do not stock self-published books; you must drive readers to online retailers yourself.
Building an audience before and after publication
Whether you pursue traditional or self-publishing, readers do not find your book by accident. You need a way to reach them. This is marketing, and it starts before your book is published.
Many novelists build an audience through a website or blog, social media, or email newsletters where they share writing updates, excerpts, or thoughts on their genre. This takes time — months or years to build a meaningful following — but it creates a group of people who are already interested when your book launches. Others build audience through writing short stories for literary magazines, which establishes credibility and reaches readers in your genre.
After publication, marketing continues. You might do a book tour, appear on podcasts, pitch book clubs, or run a paid advertising campaign. Self-published authors often spend as much time on marketing as they did writing. Even traditionally published authors are expected to promote their own work; publishers do not do it for you unless you are already famous.
Education and training: degrees, workshops, and communities
You do not need a degree to become a novelist. Many successful novelists never studied creative writing formally. That said, an MFA in creative writing or a related field can provide structure, feedback, time to write, and connections to other writers and publishing professionals. An MFA typically takes two to three years and costs $20,000 to $100,000 depending on the program and whether you receive funding.
Alternatives to a degree include writing workshops, conferences, and online courses. Workshops run from a few days to a few weeks and focus on craft — how to write dialogue, how to structure a plot, how to revise. Conferences like the Sewanee Writers' Conference or regional writing conferences bring together writers, agents, and editors. Online courses range from free to several hundred dollars and cover specific skills or genres.
The most valuable education often comes from reading widely in your genre and joining a community of writers. A local writing group, an online critique forum, or a writing community like Absolute Write or Critique Circle provides feedback and accountability. These communities are often free or low-cost and can be as valuable as a formal degree.
The financial reality of being a novelist
Most novelists do not earn enough from writing alone to live on, especially early in their careers. The Authors Guild surveys writers regularly and finds that median author income from writing has declined over the past decade. Many novelists support themselves through teaching, freelance writing, editing, or unrelated work while they write their novels.
If you pursue traditional publishing, you may not earn back your advance for years, if ever. If you self-publish, you must invest money upfront with no may provide of return. Even successful novelists often earn modest income from their first few books. The financial payoff, if it comes, usually arrives after years of work and multiple published books.
Plan to support yourself through other means while you write. This is not a failure or a sign you should quit — it is the normal reality for most working novelists.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to write a novel?
A first draft typically takes three months to two years depending on your writing pace and how much time you have. Revision adds months or years. Many novelists spend one to three years on a single book from start to publishable manuscript. There is no standard timeline.
Do I need an agent to get published?
You need an agent to work with traditional publishers in the United States. Self-publishing does not require an agent. If you want your book in bookstores and libraries, traditional publishing is the standard route, and agents are how you access it.
What should I do if I keep getting rejected by agents?
Rejection is normal and does not mean your manuscript is bad. Consider whether the agents you are querying represent your genre and whether your query letter is strong. You might also ask a critique group or writing coach to review your manuscript and query. Sometimes the manuscript needs more revision; sometimes you are querying the wrong agents.
Can I make money self-publishing?
Yes, but it requires both a quality product and active marketing. Self-published authors who earn significant income typically publish multiple books, build an email list of readers, and spend considerable time on promotion. Income varies widely; some earn nothing, others earn a modest side income, and a small number earn full-time income.
Should I go to graduate school for creative writing?
An MFA can provide time, structure, and community, but it is not required to become a published novelist. The decision depends on whether you need that structure, whether you can afford it, and what else you might do with that time and money. Many successful novelists never attended an MFA program.