Comments on: A to Z Challenge: O is for Overshooting Your Word Count https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/ Tue, 10 May 2016 04:20:20 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 By: JHWinter https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-287 Tue, 10 May 2016 04:20:20 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-287 In reply to Rowena.

Are you going to turn your “Letters to Dead Poets” into a book? You truly wrote something to be proud of with this series of posts. I was amazed at your dedication to the challenge. I thought that I had put in a lot of work, but you take the cake!

]]> By: Rowena https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-286 Mon, 09 May 2016 13:58:11 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-286 Julianne, the whole word count thing is a huge problem for me. I have been quite interested in writing for kids but realized that my vocabulary and length was better suited for adults.
I totally overshot the mark for the A-Z Challenge and clocked up around 68,000 words which I wrote over 6 weeks. I was not in good shape at the end and have been making up time with the family.
However, while I’ve totally blown the word limit for the challenge, I now have the makings of a draft.
How did the challenge finish up for you?
I’m by after posting my reflections.
xx Rowena

]]> By: JHWinter https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-285 Wed, 27 Apr 2016 20:14:06 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-285 In reply to Sheila Good.

Exactly! Better to have too much and be able to whittle it down, than to start with too few. Killing your darlings, can end up being a thing. 🙂 Thank you for checking out the post, Sheila!

]]> By: Sheila Good https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-284 Wed, 27 Apr 2016 14:57:29 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-284 Excellent post. It may take 100,000 words to get the first draft down, but then it gives you plenty of room to, “kill your darlings.” good advice.

]]> By: JHWinter https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-283 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 12:33:57 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-283 In reply to Glayds.

It is sad, but happens often (from my research on the subject), that an agent looks at a query and immediately scans for the word count and category/genre. If it is the first published work of an author, and the word count is way above the standard, they will move onto the next query, not even reading what the proposed book is about. They have a lot of queries to get through and it can be difficult to sell books that have far surpassed the norm in word count. Thank you for stopping by, Glayds. I hope you come back again 🙂

]]> By: Glayds https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-282 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 08:05:43 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-282 I do like the way you have framed this particular matter plus it does indeed give us some fodder for thought. On the other hand, through just what I have experienced, I just hope as the commentary pile on that folks stay on point and in no way embark upon a tirade associated with some other news du jour. Anyway, thank you for this exceptional point and even though I can not really concur with this in totality, I value the perspective.

]]> By: JHWinter https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-281 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 13:23:47 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-281 In reply to Elizabeth Hein.

That’s very true. I don’t know that I could write for adults. Maybe one day! For now, I’ll stick with middle grade and young adult readers.

]]> By: Elizabeth Hein https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-280 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 09:47:00 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-280 I don’t think about word count when I am writing a first draft, but I am very aware of it when I enter the editing phase of a project. Sometimes whole sub-plots have to be cut and sometimes they need to be fleshed out. It’s hard to cut, but the end result is usually a better product.

I don’t think I could write for middle grade readers. I admire your ability to do so. Kids are so insightful and demand good content at that age.

]]> By: JHWinter https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-279 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 03:16:20 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-279 In reply to Arlee Bird.

It’s so hard not to grow attached to our words. I do the same thing with checking on the word count. I won’t let it halt me from telling the story I want to tell, but I’ve noticed, that for the categories I’m writing for, they tend to start wrapping up when they should. Thank you for stopping by again, Arlee!

]]> By: JHWinter https://frizzybee.com/a-to-z-challenge-o-is-for-overshooting-your-word-count/#comment-278 Tue, 19 Apr 2016 03:14:18 +0000 http://blog.jhwinter.com/?p=244#comment-278 In reply to Anna (the drruth2point0).

Thank you! The only non-fiction I will write (and plan to in the future) are How to Crochet Amigurumi books filled with fun patterns to make. Thank you for stopping by, Anna!

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