This is a blog hop associated with Alex J. Cavanaugh who created it. Read about it HERE.
Lately, I've been insecure about word count. As my bloated sequel swells to 160,000 words (and yes I'm trying to trim it), I feel more than ever that the editing and rewrites I've done over the last month or so is finally beginning to take shape. In other words...I've reached the point where I can almost say "I have a second draft".
That makes me happy.
But the word count doesn't.
Oh well. I'll read through it one more time to see if there are things I could cut in order to streamline what I want to say in a better way. I hate you word count god. *shakes fist.
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On Friday, I'll be starting my blog tour beginning with Alex's science-fiction blog. I'll be giving away fun prizes like this SLIPSTREAM spider. I hope you'll stay tuned :)
They really sparkle in the sunlight. Have a great Wednesday.
My WIP's currently sitting at the 200,000 word mark so I know exactly what you mean. Triming's good but sometimes, I think, books are just long. =)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with that second draft.
In a class I took, we had to cut the first chapter and begin reading at the second. If the story could still live without Chapt.1, then CUT. It means there's too much backstory and lead-in instead of action. Then we had to make a list of all the weak/boring/non-important scenes. CUT. The class was rather interesting.
ReplyDeleteCrap, 160,000 words is more than my two books put together! Yeah, you have some editing ahead, but the flip side is that you could be stuck at 60,000 and need to add.
ReplyDeleteI get excited when my first draft is a word over 50,000. I usually write the bare bones of the story and then add when I edit.
ReplyDeleteYour writing is awesome. I have no doubt you'll have it edited down to perfection.
You just added yet another thing for me to be insecure about. I'm just going to ignore your post and look at the pretty spider. :P
ReplyDelete(Another read through and round of edits will get your wc down.)
I edited my book down from about 140,000 words to about 87,000 words pretty much in one night. If you look hard enough you can always find scenes that don't really need to be there.
ReplyDeleteI hope for the sequel your publisher gets a better editor who can catch basic things like "your" instead "you're". I made about 20 notes on my Kindle for the first book.
My first book was over 200,000 and editing it down to 145K really lost a lot of voice. I think I am going back to the original and totally starting over, but only including ONE PoV, but it is very rough... You can do it! Look for a subplot you could live without--that is the best way to eliminate a lot fast. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAnd if you want to stop at my place for your blog tour, you are welcome!
I want that spider. It is BEAUTIFUL!
ReplyDeleteI also suffer from 'Word Count Neurotica', but then what would you expect from the Queen of Verbosity.
That's a lotta words, and it is daunting when you think about editing. When you do get going, you'll find a rhythm and it'll all get done. Wishing you success on the tour.
ReplyDelete@P.T.: My publisher doesn't have the money to hire a decent editor, or, they don't want to spend the money to have one for every author. That's just the way it is. The one I got barely had a high school education and was more concerned about finding a man on Facebook because they don't pay well. I think Cherie Reich is gonna help me with the sequel. She's an awesome editor.
ReplyDeleteIt kinda helps me as I chop away, to think that I could still use the material. Now with the novella or shorts that complements larger manuscripts being used by authors...who knows. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteMy word count issues tend to be the opposite, too short.
ReplyDeletemood
I can relate Michael.
ReplyDeleteI am a numbers/time guy and tend to get bogged down in it--so when writing, the word processor's word count can be distracting.
160,000 words is pretty massive. But a good editor with katana-sharp skills can whittle it down a bit.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm glad you're feeling it with your editing. It's like seeing a little light at the end of that tunnel.
Love the spider, by the way!
Word count is an issue with me too. I'm a mystery writer and so the word count would be different than a sci-fi/fantasy writer but still I struggle.
ReplyDeleteThat spider looks amazing.
Happy trimming! And yay for REAL sparkles! LOL.
ReplyDeleteoh thank god you reminded me. I do most my blogging at work and next week i am off, so i won't be on the interwebs as much, so good thing you reminded me about the blog tour
ReplyDeleteI think you're much more likely to get away with higher word count in a sequel than a first novel.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that your manuscript is too long, but I admire you for being able to set down that many words on paper. I have the reverse problem, trying to flesh scenes out more.
ReplyDeletei know the word count thing bugs me too... i've said all that needs to be said!
ReplyDeleteand happy promoting! looks like a cool book!
So are those spiders real-life things? Or blog images? Either way, spiders are terrible and terrifying and I don't want one. But I'd hate to think those things exist in real life.
ReplyDeleteWord counts are tough: Somewhere between "writing everything that pops into your head" and "trimming beyond recognition" is a good book. Me? I think we all know where I stand on that spectrum. Which reminds me of this time... FOCUS!
So are those spiders real-life things? Or blog images? Either way, spiders are terrible and terrifying and I don't want one. But I'd hate to think those things exist in real life.
ReplyDeleteWord counts are tough: Somewhere between "writing everything that pops into your head" and "trimming beyond recognition" is a good book. Me? I think we all know where I stand on that spectrum. Which reminds me of this time... FOCUS!
You could always cut the book in half. Then you'll have trilogy.
ReplyDeleteoooh, a blog tour! Can I be your groupie, can I be your groupie LOL :) Good luck, we shall be following you in the comments sections wherever we can!
ReplyDeleteUrgh - I'm a slave to wordcount and I watch it obsessively. Maybe if I got on with the plotting, I'd have a better book!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the trimming
Lx
Make it as long as it -needs- to be and don't worry about the rest.
ReplyDeleteWho made the spiders for you? They're really cool.
Hey, sequels are bound to be longer, right? I usually shoot for 100K but always ending up going over. Writing short fiction religiously has helped me to trim the fat, though.
ReplyDeletewow, that's like 2 books, Michael. I've always been a little jealous over people who have to trim, because I usually have to add words. Good luck. I look forward to your post at Alex's blog.
ReplyDeleteMikey, you have the link for full pic of Duhamel goodness within the post itself :) See what you miss when you don't read Dezzy's posts carefully :)
ReplyDelete@Dezmond: How could I possibly read that entry carefully with a picture like that. Shame on you Dezzy. Seriously...shame on you.
ReplyDeleteWoot on your blog tour.
ReplyDeleteCan you end in a different place and save the rest for another book? Just a thought. It's what I ended up doing with my first series, which I haven't published. [needs a major rewrite] So maybe don't heed what I have to say on that.
So many tricks to cut word count: Combine 2 similar characters into 1. Eliminate a subplot. (Those tricks are a lot of work.)
ReplyDeleteI prefer cutting my "explanation/backup" sentences and keeping all the plot and characters.
I personally eyeball my longer paragraphs. I can usually lose the last sentence once a paragraph gets to a certain size. My husband points out that I tend to over-explain at times. He says I should have more confidence in the reader. I do, though, I do! I just yabber!
In another life, I'm probably a bossy editor of other people's books, because I mentally cross out sentences and paragraphs when I'm reading books.
Hey, you want bloated? The final word count on The Compass Master was about 172,000, but people still tell me it reads fast. So maybe your novel needs to be long. But if not and you need to trim, you'll probably find that it'll be easier to edit your ms down when you've been away from it just for a few days or weeks. One suggestion, if you don't mind? Try reading a couple chapters from a Lee Child’s novel just before you edit. Yes, he writes thrillers and not science fiction, but the way he compresses action and description is a real art. I'm still trying to get the knack.
ReplyDeleteHah, all the books in a trilogy I wrote were that long. Though I was actually referring to the three as a single novel for a while, which bumped up the word count to about 500,000 words. *looks sheepish*
ReplyDeleteIt's always better to have a higher word count when drafting, as it's easier to cull it back, in theory, than adding more:)
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of words... but at least you are not stuck with too few! Now you can cut, trim, and sharpen. Good luck with the rewrites :)
ReplyDeleteAllison (Geek Banter)
My last womens fiction novel is about 118k, and I've cut about 2k out of it. Only another 90k to cut and it should be edited.
ReplyDeleteI know what you're going through Mike. Its hard to be so attached to some of those scenes. And sometimes you do add while you're trying to delete, but there is a clarity in that too.
You'll make it. You have a great story, and you are an excellent writer. But yeah; I hate the word count God too :)
.......dhole
Maybe your word count god and mine can get together and trade solutions. I have the opposite problem - not enough words!
ReplyDelete@Donna: Your beta critique has been so helpful. I reduced and eliminated unnecessary scenes which dropped the word count. And then I rewrote stuff to bulk up secondary characters. Many of the things that you felt were unnecessary simply appeared so because of the lack of perspective on the whole set of books. But pointing out how I didn't clarify any of that or give meaning to characters was totally what I needed. Thanks again, Donna.
ReplyDelete