Editing Progress
I’m up to page 199 of 266 in my editing of “Shapeshifters” (woefully mistitled!). That is a good thing, but also a bad, because here’s the issue: I want this to be a novel but it’s only got 64,500 words. You need like 100,000 for a novel. Now it IS true that there is subplot that needs to developed, so that will add. And also that I need to move it from being as explicatory as it is to descriptive, but even so I’m not sure I can get there. I’ll have to really think it over and decide.
I’ve been longed resolved to this thing having at least a 3rd rewrite/edit, but plotline and character emotions are coming together.
OK, now I’m off to write some backstory on a pivotal character that may in of itself be an interesting side-story.
100,000 is the MAX. I’ve heard 60,000 and 70,000 as the minimum.
So you’re in great shape, especially if you have a subplot to bring out.
And…GOOD FOR YOU! Huzzah!
Really? I did not know! I’m now PSYCHED!! Whooohoooo!
Katrina, is there some excellent resource (book or site) where I can get important bits of info like this?
Hey there! I’m in the online writer’s group that you joined on June 13.
Good luck.
I believe 75,000 is the ideal word count for publishers re: novels. So it sounds like you’re right on track! I’m jealous … I fizzle out on all my novels around 30,000 words. I guess I haven’t found my story yet.
Hi, E.K.! Well, that is good to have confirmed! I wonder where I got 100,000 words from? Perhaps it’s an old, old course I once took and things have changed?
Perhaps you are more of a short story or novella writer? I cannot do short stories at all, and I always resent when I read books that say, “start your writing career by submitting short stories”. Well, I can’t because I don’t do that format - frustrating!
thanks so much for posting, see you on the list!
PS - Your story on the list rocks!
Thanks for the compliment!
BTW, I’ve read dozens of books on writing and find that most of them are more of a hindrance than anything, but have you ever picked up “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers”? If I would have read that first, I would’ve never had to read the others. It’s written by Renni Browne, a former editor for Random House. The fact that you are a good editor certainly makes things easier for you to polish anything you write. I worked as a features editor at a newspaper and I find that being a good editor is “part two” of being able to write well. I don’t adhere to the belief that a good editor isn’t a good writer, or vice versa. Anyway, I would highly recommend “Self-Editing.”
Also, re: 100,000 words … it’s possible you got it from an old course you took once. But I’m sure you’ve noticed that over the past 10 years, especially the past five years, novels have gotten much shorter. No one has the patience to spend with a long book anymore! (Except bookworms like us writers).
Thanks, E.K., I will definitely look into that book for my next Amazon purchase.
One book that bothered me was Stephen King’s “On Writing”. I always like to hear how other writers made it, but it was very preachy. “You have to be writing 3-4 hours daily at least”. OK, well, that’s just not true. You do have to write all the time or you get rusty, but some great books have been written by people with no time, like moms with jobs. Grrr.
Ah so novels are shorter - you’re right, I just noticed that, and I hate it, lol…
You’re right about “On Writing.” He made some good points (I am a huge Stephen King fan), but my theory is this: Every writer is different. I despise these writing books that say things like “Wake up at 5 a.m. and write at least one page,” or “You have to write one page per day,” or “Set aside a block of time only for writing.” The bottom line is, everyone is different. I learned to be comfortable with my own method (which, incidentally, is no method. LOL). Lots of writers say you have to write every day, or you’ll never succeed. I don’t agree …. after all, even when I’m not writing, I’m writing. I’m writing in my head, I’m writing when I observe things around me, I’m jotting down ideas, etc. It took J.D. Salinger 10 years to write Catcher in the Rye!
Well, I think you have to write enough not to get rusty. Doesn’t have to be everyday, but for myself, I’ve found that I have to actually write the genre frequently for it to work. Can’t just be any writing.
I don’t think it matters how long it take, either, but one has to balance avoidance of writing and taking time to restock the well (to quote The Artist’s Way). Been on both sides, so I always need to be careful.