Don't worry about when you want to be done and don't stress about word count (but keep an eye on it). When you start, your primary goal should be getting the characters and plot on the page. Once you've accomplished this, go through and do a major edit of everything you've written. Once you're content with that, polish everything up a bit. When you're totally happy with what you've got, have a close friend (Who's good with grammar and spelling) read the whole thing over, fixing spelling mistakes and telling you when sentences sound strange. (I recommend they do this on paper, so you can see what they did before it gets put into your novel.)

Once that is done, ask yourself, "Is there anything I'm not happy with?" If you answer yes, you're not ready to self publish or query literary agents. If you think something doesn't work, so will someone else. Fix anything you feel necessary. Then, ask the person who edited for you the same question. If they suggest something, don't dismiss it because you just want to get on your way. Look at what they suggest and see if it needs work.

At this point, you're ready to self publish or query literary agents. If you decide to self publish, I'd have a different set of eyes look over your novel. You can ask a friend or pay an editor at: http://www.everything-indie.com/index.htm If self publishing, you also need to either make a cover yourself, or let the good people at the link I just gave you do it for you. They will work with what you want.

If you decide you want to try and publish traditionally, read this: http://www.yafantasyguide.com/articles/how...uery-letter.htm and then use it to the letter. Then go to these sites and find literary agents: http://www.authoradvance.com/ and/or http://www.agentquery.com/default.aspx DO NOT JUST FIND A NAME AND SEND A QUERY. You need to look at the agent's blog or at their info page on their agency's website. See if they represent your genre and how they want your queries.

There's a good start for you. Most importantly, have fun writing, don't write for the money or fame, and always write your way. Don't try and emulate J.K. Rowling. You're not writing Harry Potter, you're writing YOUR book.

-- B.S. Meyers