<p>It’s not necessary, but it’s waaaaay more likely that they’ll spend three years than three months.</p>
<p>You’re making overly optimistic statements and hedging them with “at least” or “not necessarily.” All I’m trying to do is paint a realistic picture here. The process is never the same for any two people, but three years is realistic. It’s also realistic that the first manuscript is usually dead on arrival. Writing is a marathon, not a sprint, and if you know this going into it you’re less likely to become discouraged.</p>