That question can mean so many things to different people. To a child, it often refers to how long they have to wait and can seem forever. To a man, it can strike an anxiety attack or an opportunity to brag. To an author it can mean a couple different things. How long is your book? How long is it going to take you to finish?
My editor asked me that question a couple days ago on a book I just started writing. To a person who sits down and writes with no detailed plot plans, this can be hard to answer. I usually have a fair idea how long the book will be after the first 4-5 chapters. I recognize the pace and can give a ballpark answer. How long will it take me to write? Well, that all depends. I’m lucky enough that I write full time. Does that mean I have from sunup to bedtime to write? Of course not. Everyone knows that your muse doesn’t work like that. A muse likes to tease you, frustrate you, and laugh at you. Life gets in the way, and days where you think you’ll sit down and write for six hours straight turns into a day from hell where you need to take the dog to the vet, kids to the dentist, and hope your pile of laundry doesn’t come alive.
So, how did I really feel when my editor asked me how long? Great! I’m moving in the direction I want to go. I want my books published, I want to have manuscripts polished and ready, I want to succeed as a writer. I take the question of how long as a personal challenge and it fills me with excitement.
