Word count issue

I have been reading the recent word count thread but didn't want to hijack.

I finally finished my memoir ... it only comes in at 32,500 words. Initially, I was only at 28,000 words, but I worked myself back into the story and added what I thought might be missing. I haven't started the editing process officially, but I'm really concerned about word count. I don't want to add words simply for the purpose of adding words (does that makes sense?). At the same time, I don't want the book to be too short.

I am self-publishing, but I want for the finished product to be professional.

What are suggestions for going back through a manuscript to discover areas where more content might be useful?

Kris

Thank you both.

Telling rather than showing. I will definitely go back and take a second look from that perspective.

I also am sending it off to a former professor of mind for editing. Hopefully having 'new eyes' look at this will help.

Kris

As an update ... I went through and really worked on building out some of my scenes. I upped my word count to 42,000, which I feel really good about. At this point, I imagine there are things that I could add for the sole purpose of adjusting my word count upwards. I'm hesitant to do that. The book simply 'feels' done.

What are your thoughts on a 42,000 word memoir? I've read conflicting messages online about whether or not I can simply relax and call it a day. Do you think I'm okay letting my story rest as it is or is it really necessary to bring the word count up? I feel significantly stressed out about this.

kris

I have read and re-read my story many times. I also had an editor read through it and I asked her for ideas. She felt like what she read was "complete". That being said, I know that after I allowed myself distance from my manuscript, I was able to add 10,000 words during a serious and prolonged editing process.

What I have written to this point really feels complete. The question in my mind is if there are other stories that I could add that might improve on the overall book. I feel like I can come up with more, but I know that at this point it will be for the purpose of upping my word count and not because something is 'missing'. That might not necessarily be wrong.

Perhaps it is time for me to send it off to another person to read, while I work on coming up with other parts of the story that might be relevant or at least interesting.

I hate that I'm having this issue. It feels like it would be easier to shave words off. I wish I had written 'too much' and could just work on shaping my story better.

Kris

Is there a post minimum in the forum where you can get a critique of your writing?

Kris

Khobar,

Thank you! I have been thinking along these lines myself over the last few days. I printed out my entire novel and set out to read it (with a pen in my hand) hoping to find places where I could build out the story more or add more text. I realized that I had to remove some things I had added in my last attempt because they felt like padding and that basically ... my story is done. I had one editor read it who told me it is a "compelling masterpiece". LOL. I know ... it's just one person's opinion (but it feels good)! I am stuck on the fact that I've only got 43,000 words which makes it not a 'real' novel. At the same time, it is a good story. I believe there are some parts that I need to work on telling a little better, but for the most part, I just don't see how adding more text will benefit the story.

I'm not a fan of books with a lot of padding. I have been reading a lot of memoirs lately and some of them have been roughly the length of mine (traditionally published). Others have been longer with padded areas that I skimmed past. I prefer mine the way it is.

I really needed to read your post!

Kris