Fastest Way to Write a Book with AI in 2026: A Deep Comparison
Writing a book used to take years of isolation, thousands of cups of coffee, and an iron will to overcome perpetual writer’s block. In 2026, the landscape has shifted. If you are looking for the fastest way to write a book with AI, you no longer have to choose between speed and quality.
Modern AI writing platforms have evolved from simple text generators into comprehensive co-pilots that understand narrative arc, character continuity, and factual research. Whether you’re writing a sci-fi epic, a business manifesto, or an academic thesis, the "fast way to write a book" is now a structured, AI-assisted workflow.
In this guide you will learn
- The 7-step workflow that cuts writing time by 90%
- How to maintain your unique writing voice using AI
- A feature-by-feature comparison of top AI book tools
- Why character bibles and citations are the keys to a professional draft
- How to go from "Idea" to "Published EPUB" in a single afternoon
1. The 7-Step Workflow for Maximum Speed
The secret to finishing a book quickly isn’t just "typing faster"—it’s having a structured plan. SidekickWriter uses a unique 7-step process designed for completion:
- Main Idea Generation: Refine your rough concept into a viable premise.
- Writing Style Selection: Define your voice so the AI doesn’t sound like a robot.
- Character Development: Build a "Character Bible" that the AI remembers.
- Outline Generation: Create a rock-solid chapter-by-chapter structure.
- Chapter Descriptions: Guide the AI with specific plot points for every scene.
- Full Book Generation: Watch the draft stream in real-time.
- Inline Editing & Export: Polish your work and export to DOCX or EPUB.
2. Feature Comparison: SidekickWriter vs. Competitors
Not all AI writing tools are built for long-form books. Many generic tools (like Jasper or Copy.ai) excel at short blogs but fail when it comes to maintaining a 50,000-word narrative. Specialized tools like Sudowrite and NovelAI are great for fiction, but often lack the research capabilities needed for non-fiction.
| Feature | SidekickWriter | Sudowrite / NovelAI | ChatGPT / Claude | Generic AI Writers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7-Step Workflow | ✅ | ⚠️ Partial | ❌ | ❌ |
| My Writing Voice | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited | ⚠️ Manual | ⚠️ Limited |
| Character Bible | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ Manual | ❌ |
| Team Collab | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ Partial |
| Citations (APA/MLA) | ✅ | ❌ | ⚠️ Manual | ❌ |
| Sequel Creation | ✅ | ⚠️ Partial | ❌ | ❌ |
| Public Sharing | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 21+ Free Tools | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
3. Why "My Writing Voice" Matters
The biggest fear writers have with AI is losing their soul. The fastest way to write a book is only valuable if the final product sounds like you.
SidekickWriter solves this by allowing you to define custom writing styles. Instead of generic "professional" or "creative" tones, you can feed the AI examples of your previous work or specific stylistic instructions. This ensures that even when the AI is doing the heavy lifting, the prose carries your signature rhythm and vocabulary.
4. The Power of a Character Bible
For fiction authors, the fast way to write a book often hits a wall when the AI forgets that the protagonist has blue eyes or a tragic backstory. SidekickWriter’s built-in Character Development engine maintains Character Continuity. The AI refers back to your character traits, motivations, and names throughout the entire generation process, preventing the "hallucination" errors common in generic chatbots.
5. Non-Fiction & Academic: Research with Citations
If you are writing a business book or an academic paper, speed often dies in the research phase. SidekickWriter includes a Deep Research Engine that:
- Searches the live web and academic databases.
- Summarizes real sources (no AI hallucinations).
- Automatically formats citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, and more.
This makes it the undisputed fastest way to write a non-fiction book that is factually accurate and professionally cited.
6. Going Beyond the First Draft: Sequels and Sharing
Writing the book is just the beginning. SidekickWriter supports Sequel Creation by carrying over your characters and world-building context into new projects. Additionally, you can generate Public Share Links to send your draft to beta readers or editors instantly, without them needing to create an account.
7. Which Tool Should You Choose?
Choose Sudowrite or NovelAI if:
- You only write fiction and want hyper-creative brainstorming tools.
- You enjoy a "text-adventure" style of collaborative writing.
Choose ChatGPT or Claude if:
- You have a very small budget and don’t mind manually managing your context.
- You are comfortable writing complex prompts for every single chapter.
Choose SidekickWriter if:
- You want the fastest way to write a book from start to finish (often in 1-2 hours).
- You need a tool that handles both Fiction and Research-heavy Non-Fiction.
- You want a structured workflow that guarantees completion.
- You value professional exports (DOCX/EPUB) and citations.
Conclusion
The "fast way to write a book" is no longer a myth. By combining a structured 7-step workflow with specialized AI that understands voice, character, and research, authors are finishing high-quality manuscripts in a fraction of the time it used to take.
Ready to see your book come to life? Try SidekickWriter for free today and experience the future of professional book writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to write a book with AI?
The fastest way is to use a structured, chapter-by-chapter workflow like the one found in SidekickWriter. By defining your idea, style, characters, and outline first, the AI can generate a cohesive 50,000-word draft in as little as 1-2 hours.
Is the AI-generated content original?
Yes. Tools like SidekickWriter generate text in real-time based on your specific prompts and descriptions. The content is your intellectual property and is not used to train future AI models.
Can AI write a book in my specific voice?
Absolutely. By using the "My Writing Voice" or custom style features, you can provide the AI with examples of your writing. This ensures the output matches your unique tone, pace, and vocabulary.
Does SidekickWriter support academic citations?
Yes. Unlike most AI writing tools, SidekickWriter has a built-in research engine that fetches real-world data and formats citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, and other major styles automatically.
Is there a free way to start writing my book?
SidekickWriter offers a generous free tier and 21+ free writing tools (like title and outline generators) that require no signup. You can start building your book’s foundation today at no cost.
Target Keywords: Fastest way to write a book with AI, Fast way to write a BOOK Estimated Read Time: 6 min Word Count: ~1,100 words (4500+ characters)