Stef
Stef asked Colleen Houck:

For many years, I have been debating whether or not to become an author, and recently I realized that if I never aspired to publish a book it would be my greatest regret. I want to thank you for helping me realize that one day I would like to complete my dream. As of right now, I'm working on my education. Do you have any tips to stay focused when writing ideas or drafts? How long does it take for the first draft?

Colleen Houck It varies. The longest book I've written so far was Tiger's Dream. It took about eight months to write. I typically write about 2000 words per day. Keep in mind, though that your work days will include editing, going through copy edits, marketing prep, launches, tours, etc. Most YA books are around 100K words so how long it takes depends on you. As far as staying focused, I usually don't have a problem with that. Each writer has their own way to focus on their work. If you have the sticktuitiveness, you'll make it happen.

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