How long did it take you to write your first novel or novella? How many pages was it? What advice do you have for persevering in your work?

I have been working on a short story that I am considering expanding into a novel or novella. The first five thousand words came out no problem, taking me less than two days. Since then I have only written five hundred words. The story is in my head but putting it on paper is tough. It doesn't help that it is a spiritual story that hits pretty deep. I am aiming for something along the lines of Dostoevsky's A Gentle Creature. How long did it take you to write your first lengthy story? Did you set aside time every day for writing, or did you just aim for, say, 100 words per day? When you thought your story was going to take FOREVER (during one of your dramatic breakdowns, which we all experience) how did you persevere? Did you set a date for the end result, or did you decide that it would take as long as it takes?