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Hi, Niya,

Thanks for posting. I’m pleased to hear that my books are making a hit with you.

You mention wanting to become an author. You’re writing a book now, so you already are one! How long does it take to write a book? Until the story is finished. That’s how long you write, no matter how long or short it is. Is it hard? In a word, yes! To write something that pleases you, AND that someone else will want to read — that’s VERY hard. As for the rest of the questions, about how to go about being published — let’s save that for when the book is finished, OK? No sense getting ahead of ourselves. And just for the record, writing books is definitely not a hobby. It’s my job. It’s what I do for a living.

Sorry, but I don’t really know very much about birds. But I can give you the tips you asked for. Read a lot, and write a lot too. Your writing will get to be smoother with practice, and chances are it will read more smoothly too. And never put down a single word until your story is well-planned. You can’t say anything properly unless you know exactly what you’re trying to say. And you can’t know that unless you plan it first.

OK? Good luck to you, Niya. I hope to be writing you a fan letter one of these days!

                                                                                                                          —–Gordon Korman—–