Word Count for Young Adult Fiction

Honestly, I'd say 120K might very well slaughter your chances.

Standard is between 50 and 80K.

I think 90-100k would be the upper limits for YA, so I would try to at least get it down to 100k if you could.

One thing to consider is that if you absolutely can't get your manuscript down from 120k words, can you divide it in half so that you've got two manuscripts of 60k, but the first one can work as a standalone story?

Talkatoast:
Even though my manuscript's being editted, I went in and rewrote my prologue from 4400k to 1206k.

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Who's editing your manuscript and is there a reason why you can't look at it yourself to reduce the word count?

MM

Talkatoast said:

This seems like it's such a gray area right here. I was over in writer's digest and someone told me 120k was fine for a young adult novel. Then, someone else told me it's the recommended limit for an adult novel.

I think that's right. I think it is almost certainly too long for a newbie.

I already know what I'm going to do to take out about 20,000 words, but I'm also going to see what my editor wrote down on my manuscript. Someone give me some clarification for a lost writer who is trying to decide where to go!

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Is this an editor you are paying for?
It is much easier to do this yourself. Some things I would suggest.

1. Look at the plot arc - is it clear? Take out complicating factors that don't enhance the plot/ character building. What is the story really about? Take out anything that doesn't fit with that.
2. Remove any significant info dumps, purple passages and chunky descriptions and try to drip that info within the text. (You can usually do this by turning static description into something more active.)
3. If there are too many subplots or characters - axe some.
How many POV characters have you got? Do you need all of them?
4. Remove repetition of ideas or events that are too similar.
5. Have a look at your sentences - are they too wordy? Are your paragraphs too rambly. Make sure your writing is clear and that there is plenty of forward momentum.


If you can't do that you could maybe split the book into two volumes but that may take significant rewriting so that each half has an appropriate arc and a reasonably interesting denouement.
It is usually quite easy to get rid of material if you are ruthless and focused on the main plot thrust.

While that is true and a good editor is invaluable, people rarely know what to do about the problems they see. I don't mean copy editing stuff but the main story. Even after an editor has given me comments I always see a lot more that needs doing when I reread a book. You really have to do the big stuff yourself.

Talkatoast said:

Well, I pretty much told her my goals for the manuscript. I didn't hand it off to her without telling her what I wanted done. That would have been completely stupid because I know I go through and edit people's writings, give it back to them, and they write back to me with a bunch of stuff that's confusing because they never discussed what they wanted done.
But I also know not to take all of the editor's corrections and suggestions. I already know I'm going to have to handle the big stuff. I didn't hand my manuscript off to an editor in ignorance.

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You have confusion in both of your threads because of your use of the term editor.

Sounds like this is what is generally called a Beta Reader, rather than editor. Usually an editor is either someone from a publishing house who buys your work and then works with you to get it into shape, or someone who you pay to get your work into shape.

If this is just someone who is giving you suggestions then they are a critique partner or a beta reader.

Doesn't matter one bit what you call them, but it would alleviate some of the confusion.

Ah that makes more sense.

Talkatoast said:

Well, I pretty much told her my goals for the manuscript. I didn't hand it off to her without telling her what I wanted done. That would have been completely stupid because I know I go through and edit people's writings, give it back to them, and they write back to me with a bunch of stuff that's confusing because they never discussed what they wanted done.
But I also know not to take all of the editor's corrections and suggestions. I already know I'm going to have to handle the big stuff. I didn't hand my manuscript off to an editor in ignorance.

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If someone is actually editing the book for you; i. e. an independent (not affiliated with an interested publishing company) entity is putting it into the form you will eventually submit it in, as opposed to reading it and sharing impressions and the occasional typo for YOU to decide how to edit your MS, IMHO they deserve either money, credit, or both. Even if they're a family member

But Bethany's right from your posts I don't think it's clear whether you've got a ghostwriter, an independent editor or a beta-reader/critique partner.

If the person reviewing your work is not your contractual, bona-fide "editor," then look at their changes as suggestions or constructive criticism. Don't look to them to make all the changes for you, as ultimately, the changes need to be your decision.

BTW, going back to length, I cut my manuscript from 115k to 90k words, and I'm still paranoid it's too long. 120k is probably too long for yours.

Good luck!