tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post7782813342151303280..comments2023-10-03T08:03:07.792-04:00Comments on Jay Eckert's Sharpened Pen: Word Count WanderingsJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01686142500678187823noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-65386688048346554082010-03-22T22:00:15.414-04:002010-03-22T22:00:15.414-04:00The Curious Adventures of Feltus Ovalton was 100k?...The Curious Adventures of Feltus Ovalton was 100k? See, you never can tell! I'm shooting for 55k for Mythos (YA urban fantasy) in the 1st draft, because my 2nd drafts tend to add 5-10k. :-)Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01686142500678187823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-68919323088004355262010-03-22T21:52:52.923-04:002010-03-22T21:52:52.923-04:00My published MG was around 100,000 words and even ...My published MG was around 100,000 words and even I can admit it was too long. However it was published!<br />Now that I'm writing YA I aim for around 70,000 and actually it's nice to be writing shorter, punchier books. It's funny though my new editor at Scholastic wants me to beef up my YA and make it longer than its 70K, so I guess you can't really call it.<br />You just need to write the story that is in your head and make sure your self-edit is on.Jo Treggiarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02417288480274268189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-17774492448466080362010-03-19T14:53:35.691-04:002010-03-19T14:53:35.691-04:00Thanks for dropping by, Elana! Near as I can figur...Thanks for dropping by, Elana! Near as I can figure, the big gamble for a debut author is whether to shoot for one of those exceptions.Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01686142500678187823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-53905211443600771932010-03-19T11:56:16.557-04:002010-03-19T11:56:16.557-04:00This is so true! For debut authors, rules are stic...This is so true! For debut authors, rules are stickier. And there are always exceptions. Great post!Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-75262286676862282692010-03-17T14:01:50.814-04:002010-03-17T14:01:50.814-04:00Whoa! I think all those numbers gave me a headach...Whoa! I think all those numbers gave me a headache! I would say that as long as you are somewhere in the ballpark, you're good. Turning in an MG novel with 9,000 words would probably not fly, though. :-)Shannon O'Donnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17299313309059235876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-90924308048734975912010-03-16T22:45:27.734-04:002010-03-16T22:45:27.734-04:00I didn't do the word count goals at first, but...I didn't do the word count goals at first, but now I do even for first drafts. I have a YA type that I was first learning how to write novels with and it's only 24k. The rewrite has its work cut out for me, lol. So, with the book I'm writing now in the same world with older characters my goal is 80k. I have 68k so far.Dawn Embershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00214560861614476799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-3779413644816974282010-03-16T22:17:06.731-04:002010-03-16T22:17:06.731-04:00Thanks for dropping by Kristan & Dawn. Yep, yo...Thanks for dropping by Kristan & Dawn. Yep, you can't worry about it in your first draft. <br /><br />Although, many folks set a word count goal for their first draft to measure how far along they are. I didn't do so for Mythos initially, but when I got to about 45k, I decided to set a target of 55k, and I'm nearly there. Midian, which is MG, wound up at 95k on first draft. I had some serious chopping to do!Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01686142500678187823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-86560890018388896722010-03-16T22:04:57.389-04:002010-03-16T22:04:57.389-04:00Indeed, it is a necessary evil and I see writers w...Indeed, it is a necessary evil and I see writers who struggle with it on a regular basis. I have a few friends on twitter who worry about their book lengths and how they might be too short. Course, they go for the genre that prefers longer books.<br /><br />Interesting to see the MG and YA ones on here. I hadn't looked up those before, so it's useful information. Thanks.Dawn Embershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00214560861614476799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1391668032246652294.post-15541109523849328332010-03-16T21:39:06.468-04:002010-03-16T21:39:06.468-04:00Yeah... Yeah, I mean I think you'll know if yo...Yeah... Yeah, I mean I think you'll know if you're in the right ballpark. I mean these agents' numbers weren't SO wildly different (not like 25-40k vs. 60-80k) you know? There was enough overlap that you could have a target, and if you over or undershoot it a bit, it's all gravy. I think writers especially shouldn't worry while they're drafting. It's more of a revisions consideration, IMO.<br /><br />It is a necessary evil, though.Kristanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04771013578685419826noreply@blogger.com