How I write 8 books a year
t’s less about speed and more about steady faithfulness.
People are usually surprised when they hear how many books I write in a year.
Honestly, sometimes I’m surprised too. I don’t wake up thinking, Let’s write ten books this year. I wake up thinking, Okay, what’s the next small thing I can move forward today?
I’m not fast.
I’m consistent.
And I’ve built a rhythm that works for my life, my energy, and the kind of stories I love to tell.
Here’s what that actually looks like.
1. I Focus on One Stage at a Time
I never have ten books “in progress.”
What I have is ten books in different stages:
- One being drafted
- One in developmental edits
- One getting a copy edit
- One being revised
- One being formatted
- One getting ready for my store
I’m not juggling everything at once. I’m simply moving each story forward when it’s ready.
This keeps my brain clear.
And it keeps me excited instead of overwhelmed.
Well, okay — I am overwhelmed sometimes. But I try to manage it as best I can, and having every book in its own stage helps immensely.
12. My Daily Goal Is Small… But My Average Ends Up Bigger
My “official” writing goal is very gentle — something like:
- 2,000–3,000 words on a normal day
- 4,000–6,000 on a strong day
- 500–1,000 if life is heavy and I still want to show up
Here’s what my month actually ends up looking like:
✨ November 2025 Word Count (real numbers from my tracker):
My average, without forcing anything, comes out somewhere around:
3,800 words a day
Not because I push myself to extremes — but because small, steady writing sessions really do add up fast. I show up, do what I can, and trust the accumulation.
Some days I’m proud of the number.
Some days I’m proud I showed up at all.
Both of those days count.
3. I Write in Worlds I Already Know
This is a huge time-saver.
I’m not building brand-new worlds every time I start a book. I’m writing inside universes I’ve already created:
- Aberron (Fate Series)
- The Matching shifter groups (seven different books, one connected world)
- The dragon realms and their musical magic
Because these worlds already exist, I don’t spend weeks reinventing geography, politics, magic systems, or lore. I’m simply stepping back into places that feel familiar and following new characters through them.
This lets the story move faster — and it keeps me deeply connected to the worlds I love.
4. I Don’t Wait for Motivation — I Rely on Momentum
Motivation is wonderful… when it shows up.
But I don’t wait for it.
Most days, I just tell myself:
“Open the document. Write the next scene.”
That’s it.
No pressure for perfection.
No pressure for brilliance.
Once I start, the momentum usually takes care of the rest. And if it doesn’t? I still moved the story forward.
5. I Treat Drafting, Revising, and Editing as Separate Jobs
Drafting takes one kind of brain.
Revising takes another.
Editing takes a third.
I try not to mix them.
If I’m drafting, I don’t nitpick sentences.
If I’m revising, I slow down and feel the emotional beats.
If I’m editing, I’m sharpening more than I’m dreaming.
This helps me move faster because I’m not constantly switching gears.
6. I Use Deadlines As Guidance, Not Punishment
Yes, I have deadlines — store releases, Kickstarters, editing appointments.
But I don’t treat them like a whip.
I treat them like markers telling me:
- “Focus here first.”
- “This can rest.”
- “You’ll get to that next.”
It keeps me organized, not panicked.
7. I Protect Joy, Because Joy Is Fuel
This might be the most important part.
I write a lot because I genuinely love it.
Writing is my peaceful place.
The place where I breathe a little deeper.
So I protect the joy of it:
- I take breaks when I truly need them
- I don’t punish myself for off days
- I remember why I love these worlds
Joy keeps me going far more than pressure ever could.
8. I Trust the Accumulation
This is the real secret.
It’s not because I’m fast.
It’s because I’m steady.
I don’t look at the whole mountain. I look at the next step.
A few thousand words here.
A chapter there.
A revision pass next month.
A book finished.
Then another.
The books add up because I don’t quit on them.
If You’re a Writer Wondering If You Could Ever Do This Too…
You can.
But the number doesn’t matter.
What matters is showing up in a way you can sustain.
What matters is giving yourself grace.
What matters is letting the story grow at the pace you can handle.
Your book deserves steady steps — not burnout.
And whether you write one book a year or ten, I hope you find the same quiet joy in the process that I do.
And as always —
may your reading (and writing) be magical. ✨
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