I'm writing my first full novel and I have it all outlined out and have a couple of pages already typed out but as I go through my outline I start to wonder if it'll reach the word count that I want it to be at. I've already moved through a lot of the outline and I don't think I'm at where I want to be at. How do you keep your novel moving and reaching the length that you want it to be at?
Expanding a novel
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Are you showing scenes or telling them? Are people talking in empty white rooms (no description)? Do your characters succeed too easily at their tasks?
Don't worry too much about your first draft's word count. You might be like some of us who write short first drafts and build them up in subsequent revisions. I tend to leave out a lot of description and emotion in my first drafts.
Don't worry too much about your first draft's word count. You might be like some of us who write short first drafts and build them up in subsequent revisions. I tend to leave out a lot of description and emotion in my first drafts.
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just write that first draft. get to 'the end' that will be a huge step.
then read it and think about what could be added to bring out the characters and the settings. rewrite to include those extras. do that a few times and keep going untill you go slightly mad.
when its as good as you can get it, its done. its so easy to write a novel really.
then read it and think about what could be added to bring out the characters and the settings. rewrite to include those extras. do that a few times and keep going untill you go slightly mad.
when its as good as you can get it, its done. its so easy to write a novel really.
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Chances are you'll run into something in the story that will pique your interest and you'll want to expand on it; some character, some subplot, etc. The more you write the more you'll find the real problem is what to cut out.
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I agree with this one. It's much easier to add or cut later on when you get a finished draft done. Besides, I'm not sure any of us really guesstimate that well. I know I always end up longer than I expect, so it could be that you're worrying about nothing. Worry first about the story and worry about word count second.
I figured I was but I wanted to be able to make it into a book and not like many of the short stories I have to write for school. Since I'm always in that mindset you know I didn't wanna rush the entire plot and wind up with a 1,000 word story.
I've said it before and I'm going to say it again: I write short. I don't think that's a problem, because my first drafts are more like a rough draft/outline than anything. There is so much work I have yet to do with my subsequent drafts and I know it. I ended up with my current WIP (yes I have finally effin' finished it after months!) with 45 K. After my rewrites and editing, it should wind up around 60 or so. Still short, I know, but it was never my intention for it to be a long novel. Just finish that first draft, Tate, then hopefully everything will fall into place afterwards.
Regards,
Wally
Regards,
Wally
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I've stressed about word count a few times and the advice I tend to get is not to worry about the word count. Write your story the way you want it to read.
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Don't worry about the length. Try to give details, try to give more action and dialogues. That can expand everything very well. You can write down a street with one short sentence or you can describe the atmosphere with five or six.
You have to write the thing before you'll have any sensible way of determining whether it needs expansion or reduction. Stop worrying about your outline, and get to writing.
caw
caw
Tis not the outline I was worried about tis the entire story its self. If it werent for said outline I probably would have forgotten a lot of key details that I wanted to have in it and the entire thing would have dwindled off like a lot of my stories do *sigh* a bummer really. I remember reading somewhere on here that adding to a story was a lot harder than taking away is that true?
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Just write. The rest will take care of yourself. Worrying about the word count at this point is nothing more than a self-justification for failure.
Make sure you have enough conflict creating enough reversals/complications. Allow one 2K scene for each.
If you really want to extend your novel (I'd suggest after its finished, as many have said) then take one point in which your MC succeeds at a point in the novel and turn it around. Make them fail. Or, if you can't do that, make consequences come of their success that make it even more difficult to handle.
Then you have a bit more to write about.
Then you have a bit more to write about.
Novel Word Counts
I think you've answered your question when you asked in the last line: "How do you keep your novel moving and reaching the length that you want it to be at?"
Outlining your novel is definitely a good idea so you'll know where the story and characters are heading. Keep in mind that as you write the story those character will develop a life and you'll find that they won't (or shouldn't) always do what you want. This is a good thing, as it will take your story in new directions, therefore expanding it. Don't worry so much about how many words each chapter will have or the word count. Write as much as you need to and then, once completed, you'll need to revise the manuscript in most levels; characters, plot, structure, etc. This is all part of learning as a writer and what will equip you with the skills needed to be a competent writer.
I think you've answered your question when you asked in the last line: "How do you keep your novel moving and reaching the length that you want it to be at?"
Outlining your novel is definitely a good idea so you'll know where the story and characters are heading. Keep in mind that as you write the story those character will develop a life and you'll find that they won't (or shouldn't) always do what you want. This is a good thing, as it will take your story in new directions, therefore expanding it. Don't worry so much about how many words each chapter will have or the word count. Write as much as you need to and then, once completed, you'll need to revise the manuscript in most levels; characters, plot, structure, etc. This is all part of learning as a writer and what will equip you with the skills needed to be a competent writer.
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