Fans of The Empyrean Series are all asking the same question: when is Rebecca Yarros releasing the next book after Onyx Storm?

Here’s everything we know so far, including realistic timelines based on her writing pace, official updates, and what to expect next.

Is Rebecca Yarros Writing Book 4 Right Now?

Yes, Rebecca Yarros has confirmed that she resumed writing Book 4 in early 2026. Basically yesterday 20th of March 2026, she posted a reel on her official Instagram account to say that she started writing Book 4. If this is not the best news, I really don’t know what is???

After the intense back-to-back releases of Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, Yarros intentionally slowed her pace to avoid burnout. She took time to rest and work on other projects before returning to the Empyrean world.

This means Book 4 is officially in progress, but still early in development. We know from previous posts that she’s been doing a little character plotting for the new book but the writing for it is now officially in progress!

How Long Does It Take Rebecca Yarros to Write a Book?

Her timeline has changed significantly over time.

• Fourth Wing → released May 2023
• Iron Flame → released November 2023 (just ~6 months later)
• Onyx Storm → released January 2025 (~14 months later)

Early on, she wrote at an unusually fast pace, but she has since said that schedule wasn’t sustainable for her health.

What This Means Now

Going forward, a more realistic timeline is:

• Writing + editing + publishing: 12 months
• Faster releases like Iron Flame are unlikely to happen again

That being said, she seems to be an exceptionally fast writer. For readers wondering about Rebecca Yarros’ timeline, her contemporary (romance) books are typically much faster to produce than her fantasy novels. Because they don’t require the same level of worldbuilding or complex plotting as The Empyrean Series, contemporaries can usually move from drafting to publication in about 9 to 15 months. This includes several months of writing, revisions and edits, followed by the publishing process (cover design, marketing, printing, etc.). Before her rise in fantasy, Yarros often released one or even two contemporary novels per year. However, since the success of Fourth Wing, her schedule has become more spread out, meaning even her contemporary releases may take closer to the longer end of that range.

A good example is Variation, one of her more recent contemporary titles. While exact drafting dates haven’t been publicly detailed, it was written during a period when she deliberately stepped back from the intense pace of the Empyrean books. If you remember this was published after Iron Flame but before Onyx Storm.

Iron Flame → November 2023
Variation → November 19, 2024
Onyx Storm → Jan 21, 2025 (≈14 months later)

Based on typical publishing timelines and her own comments about taking time to reset, Variation likely followed a roughly 12 month process from writing to release.

What does this mean for us and when can we expect book 4? It’s already been 14 months since the release of Onyx Storm and knowing that she’d only just started writing, we can expect book 4 to be released within the next 12-14 months. I think this is very realistic!

Expected Release Date for Empyrean Book 4

There is no official release date yet.

However, based on:

• her current writing schedule
• standard publishing timelines
• and her decision to slow down

A reasonable estimate is:

👉 Early 2027 (most likely)
👉 Possibly late 2027 if progress is faster than expected

Fans hoping for a 2026 release should be prepared for a longer wait. And we LOVE and respect Mrs Yarros. We want her book to be a hit and we want her to be healthy and deliver an epic book for us. Therefore, we are patiently waiting!

Why the Next Book Is Taking Longer

There are a few key reasons:

1. Burnout From Rapid Releases

Writing two massive fantasy novels back-to-back in one year took a toll, and Yarros has been open about needing recovery time.

2. Larger Story Scope

The Empyrean series is planned as a five-book series, meaning Book 4 is part of the endgame. These installments typically require more planning and complexity. And we know that book 4 is going to probably twist us and make us very sad. We’re expecting a major cliffhanger.

3. Higher Expectations

After the explosive success of Fourth Wing, each new release carries significantly more pressure, from fans and publishers alike.

How Many Books Will Be in The Empyrean Series?

Rebecca Yarros has confirmed the series will include five total books.

That means:

• Book 4 will push the story toward its climax
• Book 5 will conclude the series (and hopefully deliver a happy ending)

So while the wait is longer, we’re heading into the most important part of the story. Let’s not forget that we also have a tv series in development too!

What to Read While Waiting

If you’re struggling with the wait, consider:

• Re-reading Fourth Wing for hidden foreshadowing and following along
• Revisiting key Iron Flame plot twists
• Diving into fan theories about what comes next

Many readers have found that a second read reveals details they missed the first time, so please join us as we dive into the novels chapter by chapter!

Final Thoughts

While Rebecca Yarros once released books in rapid succession, those days are likely over. A 1–2 year wait between books is now the new normal.

That means the next Empyrean installment probably won’t arrive until 2027—but it also means a more polished, carefully crafted continuation of the story.

For now, fans will just have to hold the line a little longer.

Bookmark this page—we’ll update it as soon as new information about Book 4 is announced.