I'm happy and sad today. I've "finished" my current WIP and the word count is 68.5K.
My target was over 70K.
Is it too short?
BTW the genre is sci-fi.
Amy
My target was over 70K.
Is it too short?
BTW the genre is sci-fi.
Amy
Is 68.5K too short?
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As long as your comfortable with it, then the length should be ok. Im sure there are tons of publisher out there with that size of novel in mind. Just make sure you didnt leave anything important out.
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She_wulf: I am not sure about this, but I heard that for SF/F the requirements are between 80-120K. This would indicate that your novel is "too short", though certainly short SF novels had been published!
Three possibilities:
1. If you write sparse drafts, you might expand it in a rewrite to bring the wordcount up.
2. You might consider adding a subplot
3. After the MS is polished, query as-is and see what happens.
Congrats on finishing the draft and good luck!
Three possibilities:
1. If you write sparse drafts, you might expand it in a rewrite to bring the wordcount up.
2. You might consider adding a subplot
3. After the MS is polished, query as-is and see what happens.
Congrats on finishing the draft and good luck!
Huh. I thought sci-fi was shorter than fantasy (120K word counts)
Bugger! and Drat!
I do write sparsely, but really don't see any action missing. To add just for the sake of adding just seems wrong.
Also, I wrote myself into a pickle by going first person the whole way. Sort of shoots a sub-plot in the foot because it would have to be in a different voice. The lead isn't a "feely" type person either so there are only rare glimpses into emotions. No long expositions about what things are like in his head to expand upon. (I hate those anyway.)
Ack!
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After reading this I am not sure you really have a problem. Why won't you give it to a couple of betas and see what they say about it?
best of luck,
Rose
Thanks, I am comfortable with it. In fact, there were a ton of "nothing" scenes that I toyed with and left out because they lacked movement or involvement with the plot. (sort of like waking up, brushing teeth scenes, although there were NONE of those...)
The worst (not worst) part is now the characters have resolved that story there are more brewing in the distance...I've actually built a world. Yikes.
But then again...maybe some of these future conflicts would be helpful to create more content here. So, how much is too much. I mean if it won't be resolved here in this work, shouldn't it be left out and not expanded?
Though I believe that a book should be excatly as it needs to be, DAW, the SF publisher, doesn't consider books shorter than 80K.
I'm not saying that's good. I'm just reporting a fact.
I'm not saying that's good. I'm just reporting a fact.
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Lots of times my first drafts are shorter because I tend to write narrative first and then expand it into scenes. Also you CAN have subplots 1st person- it just has to involve them...So have a few beta readers have a crack at it and see if they are satisfied.
dmytryp
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I predict you'll have problems with it being too short. Whilst 'a story should be only as long as it needs to be' the brutal truth is that publishers are in the business of selling product, and market forces tell them that scifi fans prefer a chunky read over a slender read. They're pretty good at disguising slender books with font size and spacing, but they can only do so much....hence most will specify a minimum word count.
So, not the end of the world - just shove one or two more hurdles, a betrayal, a moment of weakness, a good ol' chase-n-fight...in the way, and you'll find you've added 20-30k.
So, not the end of the world - just shove one or two more hurdles, a betrayal, a moment of weakness, a good ol' chase-n-fight...in the way, and you'll find you've added 20-30k.
Amy,
How are you figuring your word count, by page or actual computer word count? Also what font are you writing in? New Times or Courier? It can make a big difference!
Have you posted this question in the SCI-FI section? 272 pages doesn't seem that short, especially if there is an opportunity to make this into a series.
I don't think you should fill in with needless fluff but there might be ways to bump up your word count. You said there were areas of conflict that would lend itself to additional stories. Those might be the areas where you could add additonal pages.
EM
How are you figuring your word count, by page or actual computer word count? Also what font are you writing in? New Times or Courier? It can make a big difference!
Have you posted this question in the SCI-FI section? 272 pages doesn't seem that short, especially if there is an opportunity to make this into a series.
I don't think you should fill in with needless fluff but there might be ways to bump up your word count. You said there were areas of conflict that would lend itself to additional stories. Those might be the areas where you could add additonal pages.
EM
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In therms of work count my shortest ever was 107,000 and my longest 313,000. To me sci-fi is always has to do a little extra work in terms of world building.
If you want to up the word count you could go back in and see if you could be more descriptive in some areas. Or maybe you are "showing" and not "telling." In another thread someone used the example: "Susie was angry." As opposed to: "Susie stomped about and kicked over..."
If you want to up the word count you could go back in and see if you could be more descriptive in some areas. Or maybe you are "showing" and not "telling." In another thread someone used the example: "Susie was angry." As opposed to: "Susie stomped about and kicked over..."
dmytryp
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By a lot.
My ms is about 380 pages. By 250 w/p it is 95k. Using Word count it is only 80k.
Word page count is 318 using Courier 12 pt. That's roughly 79K that way...Is there a formula to convert?
I may have posted something about this on the Sci-Fi board a while back when I was struggling with ending the book at about 59K. The original ending was much more concise than the current one, but also "lamer". I'm glad I reworked it to bring out more conflict, help tie up a loose cannon, I mean thread, and put in a twist or two.
Sometimes these things just need to stew for a bit.
dmytryp
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Nope. Since it depends on amount of dl you have and the form of your paragraphs etc.
There are two ways to do the count:
1. MS Word count (but it is a bit decieving since editors usually look for an estimate of space on actual pages then for a wordcount per se. I beta read a novel that is longer in MS Word count, but shorter in the 250 w/p count)
2. 250 w/p count. Some say it should be 200 w/p for Courier 12p. though I personally am a bit unsure about this since it actually gives a shorter word count than MS Word and this would be illogical
dmytryp
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By the way, despite what many people say about how the story should be as long as takes to tell it etc etc, and how writing tramps all, I feel it is a bit unrealistic. Just the other day I read an agents blog about this. You just can't ignore the fact that some agents and publishers won't even look at the ms by a first time writer if it exeeds the target wordcount stated in the guidelines (and that means higher and lower). So I'd suggest researching specific guidelines.
Gosh, You'd think after hearing it four times ...but Epiphany moment. There's a part of the background story that just sort of lies there but doesn't get started, and a part of the actual story that just doesn't seem to have the right pacing...kill two birds with one stone, involve the lead in the background conflict as he's trying to accomplish his goal!
Hello.
and THANK YOU ALL!
dmytryp
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