Sometimes, years after I’ve heard from someone that he is writing a memoir, I will connect with the writer again. Perhaps it’s three or four or five years later, but the writer is working on the same memoir. I don’t get it. So I ask politely, “What has snagged the memoir?”

Sometimes, years after I’ve heard from someone that he is writing a memoir, I will hear from the writer again. Perhaps it’s three or four or five years later, but the writer is working on the same memoir and is not close to finishing. I don’t get it. How long does it take to write a memoir? So I ask politely, “What has snagged your memoir?” In short…

It seems to have taken that writer too long to write his memoir!

So, how long does it take to write a memoir?

Well, I don’t actually know the answer to “how long does it take to write a memoir?” What I know is a memoir needn’t take so long to compose as many people take. People do get bogged down in writing. A memoir—an interesting and meaningful one under 200 pages—can be written in as short a time as 12 to 24 months.

If that’s so, then why do some memoirs drag on and on and risk never getting completed?

Sometimes, years after I’ve heard from someone that he is writing a memoir, I will connect with the writer again. Perhaps it’s three or four or five years later, but the writer is working on the same memoir. I don’t get it. So I ask politely, “What has snagged the memoir?” In short…

I has taken that writer too long to write his memoir!

How long does it take to write a memoir?

Well, I don’t actually know the answer  to “how long does it take to write a memoir?” What I know is a memoir needn’t take so long to compose. A memoir—and interesting and meaningful one—can be written in 12 to 24 months.

If that’s so, then why do some memoirs drag on?

Here are some reasons your memoir may be taking a long time to see the light of day.

1. You are fearful of the reaction you will receive with a published book. You prefer never finishing the book to facing your fears of negative reactions. (Who wants to hear: “This is what you spent five years writing! Really?”) In this negative scenario, the answer to “How long does it take to write a memoir?” is obviously calling for “longer so I don’t have to share it!”
2. You are a perfectionist who is forsaking good for perfect. But, how many times can a line be rewritten before it’s just substitution rather than improvement? (“Should the sentence read, ‘I went home?’ or should it read ‘I went to my house?’ ” Yes, I have counseled writers who were stuck there and changed “home” to “house” and then changed “house” back to “home.” Yes, this is an actual experience with a client. I consider this minutia a complete waste of time. Let’s just move on, shall we!)
3. You are enjoying being a writer. You are apprehensive that finishing the memoir will be the end of your creativity—or at least the end of your expression of creativity. You are afraid you cannot come up with another book idea. If you enjoy writing. I can assure you you will come up with an idea. But, if you can’t be in touch with me and I guarantee you that together we will come up with one.
4. You are undisciplined and never finish anything. Here, some focus on scheduling and goal setting is in order. While the writing itself of a memoir provides benefits so does the experience of publishing and having a reading audience. If this is you, read my articles on scheduling and goal setting.
5. You are simply lacking confidence in your ability to write. You probably write and re-write. You are different from the perfectionist in that the changes are induced not by a quest for excellence, for the elusive perfection, but by insecurity focused on how bad the writing is not on how good it ought to be.

Of course, any of these reasons will mire your memoir in protracted composition. It’s possible that if you are laboring under these handicaps that you will never finish writing your story. What a sad outcome that would be after all you’ve invested in writing!

How long does it take to write a memoir?

Ok, so you still want an answer to “how long does it take to write a memoir?” and are hoping to find a way to shorten the amount of time it takes to finish a memoir. I offer you the following suggestions.

1. Set a deadline by which the book will be completed. Be realistic about the end date—taking work, family, and contingencies into account—but challenge yourself, too, to keep your “nose to the grindstone.” Like any goal, writing a memoir needs a projected date by which it will presumably be completed. I can tell you that so many clients after they have buckled down to a schedule, report that after a while the writing has become something they look forward to and it become easier to write on schedule.
2. Break various tasks into sub-tasks—for instance research, gathering photo, writing a first draft, etc.—and also create deadlines for each. This will make each phase of the project less daunting and keep you focused on your ultimate deadline. Focusing on writing a short section—say, five pages—will make you a happier writer than being weighed down with the thought of writing a whole memoir!
3. Accept that you will miss writing something in your memoir—and perhaps even miss something important—and be comfortable with that. You can include the missing part in your next book. The important aspect to remember is that your theme ought to be fully developed. Your theme is generally more important than the specific data. Theme is more important than including every detail in your lifestory.
4. Plan another project. This is the writer in me speaking. Planning another project—here I’m going to suggest a writing project but it needn’t be—will create some anticipation in yourself for finishing the current book project and moving on to the next project.

So, how long does it take to write a memoir?

Generally speaking, I would say it is appropriate to think that a memoir-writing project for a book 200- to 300-pages long would take two to three years—or less.

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