Counting Words

By Mark W. Danielson

I hear a lot of authors counting words. One will say, “I wrote one thousand today,” while another boasts ten times that many. I once wrote over fifty thousand in four days during a Kazakhstan layover because there were no distractions, and I wasn’t the least bit concerned because it was a first draft. At this point, my only goal was to document my thoughts down without regard for word count or quality. While this may sound contradictory, count and quality apply to later stages of manuscript writing.

As with many fiction writers, I do not use outlines. I admire those who do because it probably cuts down on editing and makes writing the synopsis easier. But I prefer letting my characters walk me through the tale. Words flow easily because my plot has been teasing my brain for weeks, months, or even years. During my initial draft, I want my characters to transport me through a variety of obstacles while leading to a viable conclusion. I become so entranced by the words appearing on my screen that my heart stops if the phone rings or the dog barks. There is no magic number of pages or words that I expect to complete by day’s end. I’m happy, so long as my story progresses. Truth be known, I’m better off counting calories than words at this stage. But once this draft is complete, I am absolutely driven by word count because most publishers cap novels at one hundred thousand.

If I find myself significantly over the cap then choices must be made and the quality search begins. If I’m not sure where to start cutting, I’ll pick an adjective, do a word search, and see if it’s been overused. I avoid lengthy descriptions because they slow the pace, and fewer words generally paint better pictures. If I’m still over my word count, I’ll check to see how often I used “said”. Bear in mind that “said” identifies who is speaking, but if I’ve already introduced who that is in a conversation between two people, then “he said, she said” is probably unnecessary.

It isn’t difficult to cut fifteen or twenty thousand words from a 100,000 word manuscript and replace them with another ten or fifteen thousand that improve the story. In this sense, my “word diet” is like a “people diet” because my numbers will fluctuate like a scale’s reading before they stabilize. A good rule of thumb is when in doubt, cut.

By the time I send the manuscript to my editor, I feel pretty good about its quality and word count, but I also realize that my editor’s job is to return me to earth. Objective editors look for logic, believable characters and scenes, flow, and conclusions with little concern for word count. If my manuscript is over the cap after I’ve made my editor’s corrections, then I’ll consult the editor about what other cuts could be made. I will never send a manuscript to anyone other than my editor that does not meet a publisher’s parameters. To do so would mean instant rejection.

Authors agree that writing should be fun, but they also recognize that professional writing is a business with specific demands. Style, font, and layout are as important as word count. Numerous guides provide this information, and Writer’s Digest is one of the best. In the end, counting words is a reality, but count should never override quality.

Writing for Profit

Mark W. Danielson

There is a huge difference between writing novels and other professional writing. Sadly, the difference is seen in your paycheck. Unless you are fortunate enough to sell thousands—no, make that millions of books—you’re probably better off having a second income.

I’ve mentioned freelance writing for magazines before because it can be done at your leisure, invests a relatively small amount of time (compared to novels), and there is a great return on your investment. Getting an “in” with a magazine takes time, but once you’re there, you can generally continue to get articles published. Of course, each article is weighed for its merit, but continuous submissions will assure you some income.

Not every magazine accepts freelance submissions, so do your homework before ever investing your time. Bear in mind that your articles must be geared to specific magazines and the editor must see your topic as marketable and profitable. While national magazines pay the most, they are also the least likely to accept freelance submissions. The Writer’s Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing can be quite useful in determining good prospects.

If you’re not into writing non-fiction, then you might consider writing short stories. Again, the Writer’s Digest Handbook can provide expert guidance on which magazines accept fiction submissions and what type of stories they are looking for. Like magazine articles, well-written short stories can be quite profitable, and your time investment is far less time than novels.

Laymen assume that writing novels is profitable, yet for most authors, this will never be the case. As such, if you are considering entering the fiction business for profit, perhaps you should re-evaluate your motive, for creative writing must come from the heart.

While it’s true there are a handful of financially successful authors, most tend to write formula books. They do this because formula books sell, and that’s the bottom line. It matters not how often they have re-used their recipes. Sadly, these are also the authors that chain book stores cater to. But don’t fault the book stores, ladies and gentlemen. This is nothing personal. It’s just the nature of the business. So the most important lesson here is to write because you love to write, and let whatever happens happen. If you want to get rich quick, then buy a lotto ticket.