Can You Really Write Five Books a Year?

Iris Kuraki
Apr 29
3 min read

What Freida McFadden Taught Me About Writing Speed

I’ve already published one book; an eBook on Kindle and a paperback on Amazon.

Now I’m working on my next one.

I write every day.

And yet... I’m barely making progress.

The plot? Done.

The characters? Clear.

The world? Built.

But the moment I start writing actual sentences, I freeze.

The Writer Who Publishes at an Unreal Speed

One day, while scrolling through Reddit’s r/books, I came across a post about Freida McFadden.

She’s a thriller author and a neurosurgeon.

Her bestseller, The Housemaid, is even being adapted into a film.

What caught my attention wasn’t just her success. It was this comment:

“How does she find the time to write five books a year while working as a doctor?”

Five books a year.

Let that sink in.

That’s roughly one book every two months.

And that includes editing, structuring, and publishing.

Even if she doesn’t do everything herself (like cover design), that pace is still incredible.

At first, I wondered: A full-time doctor and a bestselling author? Is that even possible?

But after looking into it, I found that she currently works part-time as a physician, just one or two days a week, so she can prioritize writing.

Still... it doesn’t make it any less impressive.

Her next book, THE WITCH, is scheduled for release in October 2026.

Another thriller.

And honestly? It sounds fascinating.

Why Is She So Fast?

Writers often talk about “output,” but McFadden operates on another level.

She’s not just productive.

She’s efficient.

Of course, genre plays a role.

Romance novels, for example, tend to be published more quickly. They have consistent demand and rely on familiar tropes.

But thrillers?

They’re different.

They require:

plot twists
foreshadowing
tight structure

You can’t just “wing it.”

You have to build the entire mechanism of the story before it works.

Which makes her pace even more surprising.

Meanwhile... This Is What My Writing Looks Like

Here’s my reality.

If I have an idea, I can move forward:

setting
plot
character development

If I don’t have an idea, I search for inspiration: conversations, people, news, and social media.

So far, so good.

The real problem starts when I begin writing.

The Invisible Trap: Your Own Writing Patterns

When I write, I notice something uncomfortable.

Patterns.

The same words.

The same phrasing.

The same rhythm.

It reminds me of crime investigation dramas, where detectives identify a suspect based on writing habits.

That’s exactly what I do to myself.

I catch my own patterns.

And then I try to fix them.

Over and over again.

Which means... I don’t move forward.

I rewrite instead of writing.

The worst part? I notice it most when I reread a finished chapter.

And once I see it, I can’t ignore it.

Maybe it’s just my personality, but I can’t move on without fixing everything.

Should Writers “Stay in Character”?

I once heard that many actors stay in character even off set.

They don’t switch it off.

They live the role.

Sometimes I wonder if writers should do the same.

If I stayed in my protagonist’s mindset all day, would my writing become more vivid?

Probably.

But realistically?

The moment I eat, go outside, or check my phone, that focus disappears.

First Person vs Third Person

I usually write in third person.

But lately, I’ve been questioning that.

Many modern romance novels use first-person narration. It’s almost a trend now.

Even most of McFadden’s thrillers are written in first person.

And it makes sense.

Writing from a single perspective is efficient.

You become the character.

You write what they see, hear, and feel.

No switching viewpoints.

No complexity.

Just immersion.

So now I’m stuck with another question:

Should I switch to first person?

The Real Problem Isn’t Skill

Let’s be honest.

Another major issue is time.

I’m simply not securing enough time to write.

That’s not a technique problem.

It’s a lifestyle problem.

When “Efficiency” Starts to Feel Like AI

Sometimes, I try to find the most efficient way to write.

Faster workflows.

Better systems.

Higher output.

But the more I think about efficiency, the more I feel like I’m turning into AI.

Like a machine producing text without emotion.

And that scares me a little.

So... Can You Write Five Books a Year?

Maybe.

But the real question isn’t can you.

It’s:

What are you willing to sacrifice to get there?

Speed?

Perfection?

Depth?

Or maybe… yourself as a writer?

This blog was originally posted on note in Japanese. The link is below: