As a
writer, I worry about word count. I want to meet my writing goals for the week.
I want to create a vivid picture for my readers. And, publishers have minimum
word count requirements for each genre. So as I’m writing, I keep these things
in mind.
But as
an editor, the last thing on my mind is word count. As a matter of fact, I
frequently remove words. A lot of words. Sometimes I feel as if I have two
personalities as writer and editor. I have to remember which hat I’m wearing at
any given time.
When
I have my writer’s hat on, I love to free write. I let the words flow on the
page making all the same mistakes I would edit out of someone else’s work.
Getting my ideas on the page and to a place where I can flesh them out is my
goal. I don’t worry about rules or word count when I write a chapter for the
first time. I may have some bullet points jotted down of things I need to
accomplish in the chapter but quite often as I free write a better idea will
come to me. Something that never occurred to me in my pre-write process will
manifest itself on the page leaving me staring at the screen in wonder. It
sometimes changes the direction of my story or develops a character in ways I
hadn’t thought of. For me, it’s where the creativity happens. If I rigidly
worried about writing rules or word count, I don’t believe I would have the
same outcome.
I
recently finished the first draft of my first book. My word count fell around 45,000
words. That’s about 10,000 words short of a minimum requirement for my genre. I
am working on my second draft. I am adding scenes, changing one character’s
personality, adding a character earlier in the book and giving him a bigger
part in the plot and cleaning up the narrative. I am also changing from third
person to first person point of view so my readers can better relate to my main
character.
So
now that I have my editor’s hat on, what has changed? I will look for
unnecessary words like, that, and had. I will look for weak verbs
like was, and replace them with stronger verbs. I will remove ‘ly’ words
or adverbs and if necessary replace them with stronger verbs. I will look for
passive phrases and make them active. And many other things that an editor
should do. It is not uncommon for me to open a chapter that is 20 pages and
whittle it down to 18.
It’s
not that I am looking for words to delete. That is not the purpose of editing.
My job as an editor is to make sure you have clear, vivid sentences that create
a picture in the readers mind. To make sure the writing is concise and easy to
understand. That the writer doesn’t bog down the story with author intrusion
explaining things to the reader. To make sure that the ups and downs flow with
the right amount, and right kind, of tension in each scene. That there are no
unanswered questions (unless it has a sequel. Spoilers!) and a feeling of
resolution at the end of the story.
Editing
is so much more than just content or grammer. A good comprehensive editor can
take your manuscript and enhance it to be your best work. They
can maintain your voice, identify plot holes, identify character
inconsistencies and help build tension in your scenes. A good comprehensive
editor wants you to succeed because in turn they succeed.
So in
your process, don’t be so concerned about word count. Yes, you want to meet
your publisher’s word count requirements. Yes, you want your editor to have
some wiggle room because they will cut
your word count down. But you don’t want to sacrifice your creativity to meet
someone else’s standard. Create the best work you can do. Push the limits, try
new things in your writing. Don’t be so worried about details like word count
that you stifle your creativity to make it fit in the perfect word count box.
Be the best writer you can be and the rest will fall in place. But most important
don’t forget to have fun!
Keep writing!
For
more information on standard word counts for different genre’s, check out the
link below and read Chuck Sambuchino’s article in Writer’s Digest.
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