The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#53) -- How Long

How long does it take you to write a story?

It takes as long as it takes. I can't be any more honest than that. Sometimes, they just spew out like a waterfall and I just hang on by my fingertips for the ride. Other times, they need to be coaxed and coddled and all but bribed or beaten out across weeks and months.

I wish I could turn it into a science, but I can't. It's an art, and as with (me and) art, that's why I have more than one project going on at a time. If one is being shy and wanting to hide, I move on down the line to the one that is ready to spew forth.

When I have that luxury, of course. Sometimes, a deadline with my name on it is all the motivation I need to lure a story out of playing hide and seek. Sometimes.