Writing Comparisons

Writing is not about the word count, y'all.

This writing life can be tough. You've been typing away for what feels like forever at your WIP, and finally reach that 10K goal. Things are falling into place with the plot and characters, and you're feeling really good.

Then that writer acquaintance spreads the news: they just reached 50K (and they started after you did, too).

Or maybe you're checking out a new blog and go over to that "My Books" tab. Each book listed is over 100K words, maybe over 150K. Like, those WIPs are HUGE!!

Or perhaps you've finished your edits and have the story right where you want it. Each chapter, each scene, each character, is written to the best of your ability. But the entire novel is barely over 50K.

There's always that writer who can whip out a first draft in two weeks. Or someone who can sit down and type for hours on end. Or someone who has massive WIPs.

And we sit and wonder, are we just not as good? Could we be doing something better? Maybe we're just not meant to write.

No.

No. No. NO!

Just because you take twice as long to finish a draft does not mean you're a bad writer.

You write that book in your own time. You are on your own journey, so don't compare yourself to others. You don't know what goes on behind the scenes for those other folks. Personally, I have loads more respect for that writer who is only able to get 500 words in a day because they're also working and doing school/college and have family matters to attend to and have fitness or sports or animals or other (genuine)(not like scrolling FaceBook) things that take up loads of their time.

Just because a book is over 150K words does not mean it's a good book.

Quality over quantity, people. I know some books that have lower word counts but every word, every paragraph, every scene, counts and makes an impact, and by the end of the book, I can only say "WOW, that was amazing!!"

And then those larger books...sometimes they could really use a pair of scissors and loose a few of those not-so-necessary scenes or characters or side-plots that just weigh them down.

Don't focus on the word count, focus on the story.

Words of Betrayal is over 100K. I know that because I wrote that entire 100K in one month (for NaNo). I'm proud of myself for reaching that goal.

But when I go back to edit, I'm going to have to remove a lot. Some scenes at the end I only added in because I could tell the book wasn't going to reach 100K on it's own and I really wanted to hit that word count.

Granted, I write about zero description during NaNo first drafts, so the word count may go back up once I add all that in, but still...the final word count will likely be under 100K. And that's fine. I would rather the story run fluidly and not be bogged down with those filler scenes.

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So go ahead, and set that word count goal. But don't forget you need to focus on the story. Because the story, ultimately, is what you are trying to get published. You're getting that plot and those characters published - not the word count. Sure, some publishers only accept stories over or under a certain word count. That just means they're not a good fit for your book and you should look elsewhere. If your 40K novella becomes a bestseller somewhere else, it's their loss.

Wouldn't you rather be that author where everyone says, "I wish it was longer, but man that was good!" Or do you want people to say "Well, that was good. A bit tedious at places, and that one character plot could have been left out, though."

Please know that this post is coming from someone who has written big drafts. I love BIG books. The more pages the book is, the happier I am. I enjoy displaying these MASSIVE novels on my bookshelf.

But you know what? I love those novellas, too. Those smaller paperbacks that I can just slip into my purse and carry everywhere. Those small books that I can read in one night, which is a good thing because they're so gripping I can't put them down. Those books that are "average" size but leave me in tears because they were just so powerfully written.

Like I said earlier, quality over quantity. Quality over quickly. If you need to take your time to make sure it's written well, go for it. If you only get a fifteen minutes a day to write, seize that time and don't waste it. Write a GOOD book, y'all, not just a big one.