Brevity is the soul of wit.
Something pounded into my head was, "WHAT CAN YOU CUT OUT OF YOUR STORY?"
Every word you include is a fraction of a second to read. Every fraction adds up. Time is the currency of exchange between an author and a reader. I am asking you for time. I am asking you to SPEND TIME ON ME. So, I go through and I pare it down. Carefully and deliberately ask myself, "What Does This Bring To The Story? Is it redundant? Have I already told this to the reader? Does repeating it serve a purpose? If not, how do I cut it? If it is new, then how can I make it serve a second purpose? Is there a way to have this information have a second meaning? A third meaning? Can I combine it with something else? Will It change when the reader knows the ending and will it be BETTER? Is there a better plot point I can use instead? Can I subvert their expectations and give them something BETTER than they expected and if so, how much can I keep hidden from the reader so they truly can't see it coming, yet will think it was obvious in retrospect?"
Smaller. Tighter. More concentrated. BIG is the enemy. Flowery fluffy filler is a sign of weakness. Hit him hard, let the reader breathe, then hit him again, but short rabbit punches.
I know that quality is what matters, but in the back of my head, I have this Big Is Evil, hang-up. 500k Well Written Words is fine. the 500k isn't the problem.
Except it's a problem.
Part of me wonders, like it or not, is it too much? Then I say, "If it's quality, then it doesn't matter. You can have large quantities of quality. It does happen."
Then I say, "No it doesn't. You arrogant FOOL!"
I dunno. If I didn't have self-doubt, I'd have nothing to keep me up those long overnight shifts I work.
Honestly it completely depends on your content. Of it's that much words of fluff then it can seriously dilute the work, but if your story requires that much words because there's that many events going on then it's great you can write that much. Take game of thrones, those books are dense but their events per pages count is pretty high so it stays gripping throughout.Now, typically a paperback is supposed to be around 100k words. 80k was typical back in my day. However, I just noticed I broke 100k for IWS. Both FTS and HKN both are at 220k-ish.
I'm I writing too much? Like, war and peace pushed 587k, that thing is a goddamn monster. I have now written more than Infinate Jest. When these stories are done this is gonna be huge. Like each one will be pushing 500k, easy.
I know in a forum of, how do I write more, I'm bitching about too much, but I feel the need to get opinions from outside my comfort zone.
I feel like I'm cutting everything I can. I feel like I'm culling everything that is not core to the plot. I feel like I'm cutting too much, because when everything is only plot, it feels wrong. Normal things happen. Slice of life occurs. Yet this interconnected puzzle in my head still needs so much more.
Is this hubris?
I know the answer is, "It is only hubris if you are wrong." But damn, I'm starting to see that these three books, which are all part of the same story is maybe too big. I dunno. You pass a half million and you start to wonder about shit.
Not looking for, "Wow, that's cool."
I'm actually wondering how do you know when you've done too much?
There is no such thing as writing too much. If your ending is satisfying, then you have written enough.Now, typically a paperback is supposed to be around 100k words. 80k was typical back in my day. However, I just noticed I broke 100k for IWS. Both FTS and HKN both are at 220k-ish.
I'm I writing too much? Like, war and peace pushed 587k, that thing is a goddamn monster. I have now written more than Infinate Jest. When these stories are done this is gonna be huge. Like each one will be pushing 500k, easy.
I know in a forum of, how do I write more, I'm bitching about too much, but I feel the need to get opinions from outside my comfort zone.
I feel like I'm cutting everything I can. I feel like I'm culling everything that is not core to the plot. I feel like I'm cutting too much, because when everything is only plot, it feels wrong. Normal things happen. Slice of life occurs. Yet this interconnected puzzle in my head still needs so much more.
Is this hubris?
I know the answer is, "It is only hubris if you are wrong." But damn, I'm starting to see that these three books, which are all part of the same story is maybe too big. I dunno. You pass a half million and you start to wonder about shit.
Not looking for, "Wow, that's cool."
I'm actually wondering how do you know when you've done too much?
Whatever you like writing.I'm actually wondering how do you know when you've done too much?