Comments on: Tips to writing a great second draft of your novel

By: Gary Smailes

Gary Smailes — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:20:46 +0000

thanks!

By: Robert S. Nahas

Robert S. Nahas — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:09:00 +0000

Great tips! If I might add, what has been very successful for me is to assume the perspective of the reader. Wipe the slate clean, so to speak. Knowing nothing about your story or information and seeing if you (the reader) can visualize or understand as vividly or clearly as you yourself want to portray as the author.

By: Gary Smailes

Gary Smailes — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:51:52 +0000

Terry, You are correct. However, many writers become obsessed by word count. If a publishers loves a novel the word count can be fixed. Just make sure you are not massively over or massively under.

By: Terry Odell

Terry Odell — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:55:09 +0000

Some publishers have very explicit word length requirements. If their guidelines say they’re looking for 70-90K, and you’re a first-time author, I wouldn’t suggest submitting anything very far afield from those guidelines. But don’t worry about the word count until you have your story on the page. Then you can go back and adjust it for specifics, if need be.

By: Iain Broome - Write for Your Life

Iain Broome - Write for Your Life — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:31:56 +0000

Oh no, I know you didnt. I hadn’t considered the translation thing at all, so very handy to think about.

*checks own word count*
*phones agent*

By: Gary Smailes

Gary Smailes — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:22:42 +0000

The translation thing never occurred to me until an agent once explained the maths. Yet, I didn’t mean to try and prove you wrong. We are both on the same page here – don’t worry about word count.

By: Iain Broome - Write for Your Life

Iain Broome - Write for Your Life — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:18:15 +0000

Well when you put it like that

I guess I meant don’t worry unless it’s extraordinary long or short!

By: Gary Smailes

Gary Smailes — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:15:10 +0000

Thanks – Ian

Very short novels present publishers problems with marketing. Very long novels presents problems with paying editors, but also further along the line. Often a publisher will be looking to sell work into other countries. However, since translators charge per word, very long novels quickly become too expensive to export. This removes a big potential income and makes the novel problematic for all concerned.

By: Iain Broome - Write for Your Life

Iain Broome - Write for Your Life — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:59:52 +0000

The last suggestions in your (perfectly smashing and sensible) list is one that I strongly believe in. When I get asked about my novel, the question always comes: ‘How long is it?’

Honestly, who cares?

Your novel is as long as it needs to be. It’s as long as your narrative lasts. Really, it doesn’t matter in the slightest whether it’s 50,000 or 100,000 words.

This word count worrying is one of my minor objections to NaNoWriMo actually. But that’s a different story!