tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post5071283103855793191..comments2024-03-22T12:11:58.453-06:00Comments on Michael Offutt: Word Count FailMichael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-6756919737008906732011-08-09T05:56:17.908-06:002011-08-09T05:56:17.908-06:00Oh, Michael I hear your pain! I have a problem wit...Oh, Michael I hear your pain! I have a problem with over writing, too. My debut novel was a painful 155,000 words, and it took me ages to finally get it down to 118,000 - can I say persistence or editing freak? You just KNOW that 155K isn't going to cut it. With my debut I said the same thing 3 times!<br /><br />The good thing is that I learned a lot while writing that first novel, and so I think I'll keep an eye on the tautology, which is my biggest problem. I can now see that no, don't use three words to say that, use one. It's a gradual process. <br /><br />However, I like FAT books! LOL. I want to give my readers a good satisfying read, not a skinny novel of 250 pages! They'll be paying good money to buy the book so I want them to get a good read. Quality is more important than quanity of course, but why not have both?<br /><br />P.S - So cool to hear you talking about your editor and stuff, look forward to hearing more about your process.D. U. Okonkwohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12900694425526387930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-62307100129322699112011-08-08T21:15:54.378-06:002011-08-08T21:15:54.378-06:00Hilarious. Also, weird. I was planning on putting ...Hilarious. Also, weird. I was planning on putting up an almost identical post on Wednesday about my inability to self edit for content. I actually submitted a novel to a publisher that contains a scene that describes the MC complaining, in detail, about how he screwed up his hot dog by adding to many ingredients. It just goes on and on. George R.R. Martin is ruining my writing.Rusty Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09887821877521181811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-28321793529461676222011-08-08T17:41:40.325-06:002011-08-08T17:41:40.325-06:00I don't know... I'm not sure I can get on ...I don't know... I'm not sure I can get on board the whole word count train. I mean, tell the story and tell the story well and take as many words as you need to tell the story. Don't worry about how many words that is if you've done it well. That being said, I did say "tell the story." So, if you have stuff in there that isn't the story, it should probably come out. Probably.<br /><br />My first novel is at 120k, and there's nothing in there that isn't important to that book or stuff coming up in subsequent books. I don't think it's too long. No one who's read it says it's too long either. Although, my daughter is daunted by the size of it (but she is only 8).Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-79533510320396902832011-08-08T17:15:30.825-06:002011-08-08T17:15:30.825-06:00Not only are my stories already short, I have an e...Not only are my stories already short, I have an extreme knack at cutting off the fat.<br /><br />My WIP started at 50k. After first edits it was somewhere between 48-49k. I edited my first 7k and cut off over a thousand words. My novel is going to be so short!Brooke R. Bussehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17147444223968856153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-23261192940540173272011-08-08T17:03:10.208-06:002011-08-08T17:03:10.208-06:00I fall firmly in the opposite problem camp. My sto...I fall firmly in the opposite problem camp. My stories are all too short. Sigh.<br /><br />What have your beta readers said about it? They might have some good ideas about what to cut (if cutting is what's needed).Liz A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16531953467834426316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-37345381420737015392011-08-08T16:35:26.196-06:002011-08-08T16:35:26.196-06:00I do the opposite - a bit too little on everything...I do the opposite - a bit too little on everything. My worst critics say they don't understand what my character is thinking/feeling. I'm like, "Really? How would you feel if xyz happened to you?"<br /><br />So, I use those extra words to go in and have the character mull about what's going on. At first, this irritated me to no end. "What about showing versus telling?!" I yelled at nobody. "Do I have to spoon-feed it by telling? What the hell?"<br /><br />But then, I had the character think about her thoughts in MY WAY, and LO, I hated it not.<br /><br />So, yeah, sweetie, you'll probably have to do some cuts. But do them YOUR WAY and all will be swell!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-36836540826117858052011-08-08T15:09:22.970-06:002011-08-08T15:09:22.970-06:00Heh. I struggle to get toward my word counts. Duri...Heh. I struggle to get toward my word counts. During a first draft I'm usually busy pushing toward the action & suspense, etc., that I sort of ignore adding those silly details and scenery stuff. All fluff anyway not like people will read it ;)Steph Schmidthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00975939582442193113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-70731097679140594402011-08-08T12:51:46.841-06:002011-08-08T12:51:46.841-06:00The first novel I finished (which was earlier this...The first novel I finished (which was earlier this year in February) came out at several hundred thousand words, with way too many subplots and whatnot clogging up the main story. I've done some rewrites on it, and I'm ending up having to cut a lot of the original.Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-25313530892712564072011-08-08T12:46:15.942-06:002011-08-08T12:46:15.942-06:00So far I haven't had any difficulties with wor...So far I haven't had any difficulties with word count, but I am not nearly as quick a writer as you! I think it has something to do with the sheer amount of research time it takes to write historical fiction, umm, OK, and the fact I have difficulty giving myself permission to JUST WRITE!<br /><br />P.S. I've left a reply to your comment on Bird's-eye View, http://michellefayard.blogspot.com/2011/08/is-it-safe-to-put-your-work-out-there.html.Michelle Fayardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05323853315988838877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-67771142489888588772011-08-08T12:21:43.436-06:002011-08-08T12:21:43.436-06:00Cutting is always a little painful. I tend to writ...Cutting is always a little painful. I tend to write on the lean side though more than the long side. I still hate editing more than anything though. It's just so boring.Alyson Burdettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16916059117572619004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-47724125163244787962011-08-08T11:24:12.210-06:002011-08-08T11:24:12.210-06:00The first draft of my first novel was 477,000 word...The first draft of my first novel was 477,000 words long. That's not a typo, and I'm not joking. I just had no idea how to write well at the time, or what was a decent word count for what I was writing.<br /><br />I've since managed to cut it to 150,000, without losing a single important part of the main story. I still have to snip a bit more, but I'm working on that with my CPs.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-8966753106559344122011-08-08T11:22:31.032-06:002011-08-08T11:22:31.032-06:00To a degree, I am like you. I enjoy when a novel t...To a degree, I am like you. I enjoy when a novel takes me to a new place. To build a world takes time.Munkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04921320770712443773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-54861176643310059712011-08-08T11:06:28.835-06:002011-08-08T11:06:28.835-06:00p.s. that was my comment just now. Sorry!p.s. that was my comment just now. Sorry!Danielle Spearshttp://danielledspears.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-78449050546317541412011-08-08T11:05:47.863-06:002011-08-08T11:05:47.863-06:00Yes, I do struggle but in the other end of the spe...Yes, I do struggle but in the other end of the spectrum. I don't write enough. I find I have to go back and provide more detail. Maybe catching your disease would be a good thing ;)<br /><br />Good luck! You'll do just great and can't wait to buy your book!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-17414244213852485432011-08-08T11:03:38.154-06:002011-08-08T11:03:38.154-06:00Elise: Thank you for visiting. :) And you totally ...Elise: Thank you for visiting. :) And you totally deserve the congratulations. You had an amazing day.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-40441753021424612892011-08-08T10:18:29.560-06:002011-08-08T10:18:29.560-06:00Hi Michael. Thanks for the congratulations note o...Hi Michael. Thanks for the congratulations note on my blog!<br /><br />Concision is a challenge for me, but I can only attempt to be concise after I've let myself write freely. Trying to start the writin process with a low word count in mind is a sure-fire way to strangle my own creativity.<br /><br />Two things that helped me--reading all the way through Strunk and White's The Element's of Style. Secondly, and more important for me, was to make sure I knew the message of my story. If the scene or tangent or character didn't somehow support that message, it had to go.Elise Stephenshttp://www.elisestephens.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-85064924206687362562011-08-08T09:51:20.332-06:002011-08-08T09:51:20.332-06:00I understand this issue well. Not tangents, but pr...I understand this issue well. Not tangents, but presenting a humongous story over all. I have a couple of series that will be doorstoppers, but the rest I've decided to keep under 100K each. Fits the market better, for the genre, anyway.<br /><br />I took a gander at one of my old Sci Fi drafts over the weekend. Cringe-inducing.David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-801749319975840712011-08-08T09:49:08.558-06:002011-08-08T09:49:08.558-06:00Wait till you come to my age, that problem of writ...Wait till you come to my age, that problem of writing out of context will be followed by talking out of context if you do not watch out. <br /><br />Thank you for your kind words. A lot of people told my siblings and me that it was a blessing in disguise when our Mom passed away only after four months of being a stroke victim.MunirGhiasuddinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05232362559666320301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-7377619235884989192011-08-08T09:33:56.052-06:002011-08-08T09:33:56.052-06:00I've been doing a lot of free writing lately a...I've been doing a lot of free writing lately and it's always funny to re-read something after a few months. Most times I end up deleting paragraphs and recently got rid of a whole chapter. The whole process is frustrating and it makes me think of actors when they see a final cut of a movie and realize that their best scenes are on the cutting room floor.Kevin Longhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01092721842140433268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-35307040354715170672011-08-08T09:22:49.836-06:002011-08-08T09:22:49.836-06:00I had that problem the last couple years. The fir...I had that problem the last couple years. The first draft of "Where You Belong" was 220,000 words. I cut it down to about 170,000 by taking out some excess stuff. I could probably get it down to 120,000 if I'd wanted to, which I didn't.<br /><br />Some other ones got up to 130-160K last year. Though this year I've topped out at 98K so that's probably better. Though you've seen my outline for my new project which is 38 chapters. That could easily get up to 120K I imagine, which is why Saturday I tried to cut back on a few items in the outline to speed it up a bit.<br /><br />Look how long this comment is!PT Dillowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-20749923637166842392011-08-08T09:06:51.584-06:002011-08-08T09:06:51.584-06:00Interesting question. I once wrote a 2,000 word sh...Interesting question. I once wrote a 2,000 word short story (as a very novice fiction writer) that everyone said should have been a novella. I later wrote a 6,000 short story that I recently cut down to 2,000 words. I thought I wouldn't be able to do it without losing the essense of the story, but the story became tighter as a result of this cull. <br />Good luck with your own editing. :O)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-63383376434893590592011-08-08T08:48:08.076-06:002011-08-08T08:48:08.076-06:00I've never had that problem until my most rece...I've never had that problem until my most recent story. The main character just won't shut up. I swear, I'm going to have to insert a scene where someone smacks him on the head and he loses the ability to speak to cut the word count :)Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14121018905141253640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-45019459873107555202011-08-08T08:24:47.068-06:002011-08-08T08:24:47.068-06:00I am in the same boat as Cherie, although I do lov...I am in the same boat as Cherie, although I do love to read a big fat novel every once in a while.<br /><br />I kind of envy you because you can strip it all down to the real story which is a lot easier than trying to come up with new plot ideas :)Jennie Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17331827076858223497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-90673788586909051262011-08-08T07:59:14.673-06:002011-08-08T07:59:14.673-06:00I have the opposite problem. I'm a very lean w...I have the opposite problem. I'm a very lean writer, so I struggle to add things to a manuscript to make larger word counts without just repeating myself. It's really hard to find a balance between the two extremes.Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.com