Is it hard for you to stay within fiction word limits?

1. 84

   M. T. Dremerposted 10 years ago

   Is it hard for you to stay within fiction word limits?
   
   A lot of writers will say that you should use however many words it takes to tell a story, but the publishing industry says otherwise. I find that every time I'm either over the required word count or below, (specifically regarding novels). Does anyone else have this problem? How do you resolve it?

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2. 77

   FeniqueSposted 10 years ago

   Yes, I do have this problem a lot when I write.  I go back and try to reword the story, but it seems to loose  its depth and feel when I read over it.  I distance myself from it for a few;hours, days or even weeks.  Come back and try to write it again differently within the word limits.  Sometimes it helps other times not.

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3. 98

   Kylyssaposted 10 years ago

   YES! Gift of the Gruldak was supposed to be a short story I was trying desperately to keep under ten thousand words but it grew into a novel over a hundred thousand words long and now it's spawned two sequels.
   
   I resolved my inability to keep Gruldak a short story by saying, "Screw it!" and just letting it become a novel. Then I let it become a trilogy.
   
   Other short stories I've written have turned into novellas. Clearly I have difficulty staying under limits. My advice would be meaningless because I haven't sold a novel, anyway.
   
   Good luck fitting inside the box.

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   1. 93

      MizBejabbersposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Good for you. Good luck with selling your work.

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   2. 98

      Kylyssaposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. I don't know if they'll sell of not, but it's sure been a rush writing them.

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4. 69

   Tusitala Tomposted 10 years ago

   Are you writing to have your writing published, or are you writing because you enjoy writing for its own sake?   The publishers often use just about any excuse to not accept a major work: it's too wordy, it doesn't have enough general appeal, it's too descriptive, it doesn't have enough description, the list goes on.   If you're writing with the sole idea of writing so that it will become published you're forced into a sort of Creative Compromise.   Write because you feel impelled to, write for yourself.   Then see what happens.

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