How To Write to a Word Count

You've finished your story, and you're pretty happy with it. The plot is gripping, the characters are lively, and the pace zooms along. Great! You've done it!

Then... you count words.

It can't be! How can your short story be so far over the word count? The guidelines say '900 words' - and your story is (eeek!) about 1460.

1460! That's more than half as much again. There's no way you can cut your story by a third, you decide gloomily. It will be ruined!

But... will it?

I've written many short stories and articles over the years. At first, it was torture to cut them to the right size. I always, always wrote many more words than asked for. If I wanted to sell, I had no choice - I had to cut.

And guess what? When I look back at those stories (yeah, yeah, with the benefit of hindsight - it's a wonderful thing) I can now see that in almost every case, they benefited from the surgery. Those that didn't really should have been books - the plot was just too 'big' for a short story.

Some Tips On Cutting

If your story is not too far out of the word count, you can probably cut it down by pruning a few words here and a sentence there. That's easy. Anyone can do that. But if you're 50% or more over the count, then it's time for more radical measures.

1. Cut paragraphs.

Look for whole paragraphs that can be either eliminated altogether or be swapped for one vivid sentence. Do you need all that description? Can you use one or two powerful words that will conjure up the same impression?

2. Shorten transitions.

Rather than taking three sentences to explain how your character moved through time or space, use phrases like 'The next day...' or 'An hour later...' or 'On the other side of town...'. Zip through several days or weeks by tightening up the time frame: "By Wednesday Jane was sure something was going on. On Thursday she decided to take action. Friday saw her boarding the train for Sydney."

3. Cut characters.

Do you need every character in your story? Can you tell it using three characters instead of four, or two characters instead of three? See if you can give some of the lines to someone else to speak, or cut some of the action along with one of the characters.

4. Simplify the plot.

Short-short stories (say up to 1200 words) are akin to writing a joke. There's a brief introduction that sets the scene, a steady build-up, and then the punch line (or a quick wrap-up). Don't try to explain too much about what happened before the story opened, or waste words on the setting. Go for emotion rather than description.

5. Redress the balance.

In a vast number of the short stories I see, too much time is spent on the introduction. You may be 'writing yourself into the story' - that is, explaining the action to yourself as well as the reader. Ask yourself: "what is this story about? When does the main action happen? Am I giving it the space it needs?" Time after time, I've seen a whole page (250 words) of a 900-word short story allocated to setting the scene. By the time the writer gets to the action, the word count is already half used up.

Read through that first page. Can you ditch most of it? Often it's possible to give any necessary background via dialogue when the action starts. You might be surprised to find out how much you can leave out. (This was one of my major failings when I started writing short stories - I took too long to get to the point!)

Some Tips on Adding Words

The main thing to avoid when you have to increase your word count is 'padding'. Readers always know when a story has been padded - the action goes nowhere. Scenes of unnecessary dialogue clutter up the story; boring description adds pages, and characters spend far too much time musing over things. Dull, dull, dull.

Make sure that everything you add to your story builds the tension, adds new plot wrinkles, or fleshes out your characters. Everything must move your story forward. If it doesn't - toss it out!

To add length (and depth) to your story without padding:

1. Add a new sub-plot.

This is one of the easiest ways to increase the length of a story. Quite often, you'll find that the seeds of a new subplot are already there, ready to sprout. For example: suppose you have one of your characters tracking down a suspect. In the original story, your character located this person fairly easily - and was able to eliminate him/her. This is where you can add a twist: make that suspect harder to find. Give the suspect a story of their own - one that complicates the main plot. This is just one example. Have a brainstorming session and work out a good sub-plot.

2. Add a new character.

Make sure this character is not just window-dressing. Give them a background; make them relevant to the main plot. Have a bit of fun with this. Can you create someone really outrageous who will add life and humour to your story? Or a really dastardly villain?

3. Add one or two complications to an existing plot or sub-plot.

Give the main character a few extra hurdles before he/she reaches the prize; make one of the original characters more uncooperative; give the main character a secret somewhere in his/her past.

You can, of course, mix up or add all of the above. One may be enough for a few thousand words, but if you need more, then all three could combine!

It's a challenge to write to a word count, whether you're required to add words or cut them. Use these few simple tips and you'll find the task a lot easier.

Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/

Alto Pass chicago limos ..
In The News:

A Google DeepMind team has developed an artificial intelligence system that can play video games like a human and take native language commands from players.
Four of the largest school boards in Ontario, Canada have launched lawsuits against TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat, claiming that they have impacted students' thinking and behavior.
Finalists for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Nonfiction, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in nonfiction publishing, were unveiled on Wednesday.
Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson breaks down whether the government is watching citizens and what they can do to protect online privacy.
A benchmarking group for artificial intelligence has released new results evaluating the speed of hardware in running AI applications and responding to users.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane provides a glimpse into the future of space travel. Traveling to space may become a part of everyday life.
The new European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands aims bring in a new era of transportation. The center will use a steel tube as a proving ground for testing the new vehicle.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
While it may be incredibly tempting to have a “go with the flow" mindset like the rest of your vacation, your technology definitely should not be compromised while traveling.
Have you ever accidentally deleted an app from your iPhone that you’ve already paid for? Don't worry. We’ve got a trick that will help you get it back without having to buy it again.
Apple's new Journal app has raised privacy concerns among Apple's userbase. Tech expert Kim Komando examines social media rumors and explains what steps to take to protect yourself.
Although Facebook has denied that our phones listen to us, they do have other ways of finding out what we are talking about, listening to and searching for.
With the integration of OpenAI technology, Figure 01 has taken a significant leap forward, showcasing the potential of robots to understand and interact with us on a personal level.
Port Ellen, newly reopened whisky distillery in Scotland, is using SmokeDNAi technology to understand mouth-feel and flavors during the whisky maturation process.
Telly, a smart TV firm, is promising to give out their 4K 55-inch TV for free. What must you give in return? The innovative, yet potentially unsettling, answer might shock you.
The moment a spam invite hits your calendar, it’s like an uninvited guest at a party. So, what do you do? Show it the door.
Identity thieves are now targeting children and are making large sums of money by exploiting children's identities, possibly hurting their financial future.
There's a clever way to change the notification sounds on your Android without having to look at your screen. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
If your bank accounted has been hacked, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent it from happening again. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The Wave House, a data center in Heidelberg, Germany, is the the largest 3D-printed building in Europe. Its walls were built in about 140 hours.
Some government agencies around the world are struggling to meet their staffing goals when it comes to hiring artificial intelligence experts.
Google Maps' recent upgrades have introduced real-time ETA and turn-by-turn directions to your phone's lock screen while you are traveling.
Kat Cammack says AI could disrupt the 2024 election. A report says shared AI image tools generate election disinformation in 41% of cases and voting disinformation in 59% of cases.
Deepfakes have become commonplace, and the technology is only getting better, but there are certain elements that might give away the fact that an image is AI-generated.

Taking the Free Out of Freelance Writing

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors... Read More

Good Writing

Good writing is like sex. Two people are involved ?... Read More

How To Write Thank You Letters With Class

When I first started tracking the information preferences of people... Read More

Top Seven Mistakes Writers Make and What to Do About Them

Writers often get stuck because they make assumptions about writing,... Read More

How to Relax Your Writing

Q. My writing sounds stiff and stilted. Help!A. Memories of... Read More

Local Knowledge: Background and Historical Setting in Novels

You're writing a story set in your local city, but... Read More

Keeping a Love Journal

Do you love someone very deeply? A spouse, son, daughter,... Read More

Mama Dont Allow No Fighting in Your Writing

When you sit down to write a steamy romance, a... Read More

How To Publish Your Own Newsletter

With the expansion and diversion of businesses, manufacturers, and even... Read More

The Importance of Writing Clearly for Business

Creating written documents reveals so much about you and your... Read More

Celebrating Writing and Life

Every morning I excitedly get out of bed. Just a... Read More

A Writers Inner Battle

There is a psychological nuisance so powerful that can deflate... Read More

Writing Styles for Fiction: Which Voice to Use

I recently set up a website to promote a new... Read More

The Writing Life

In the 7th grade I wanted to be an architect... Read More

8 Tell-Tale Signs That Forecast Writing Success!

'Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented... Read More

Multiplying Sales As A Writer

Often, time is an enemy of writers. Sales seem slow... Read More

How To Become a Freelance Grant Writer

What is a freelance grant writer? These individuals have a... Read More

The Daily Rite

If you want to be a writer, then you must... Read More

A Writers Tools

William Faulkner, the great Mississippi writer, said, "The tools I... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio... Read More

7 Secrets For Beating Writers Block

Most people can easily identify with the dreaded "writer's block".... Read More

Top 7 Writers Sites for 2005

If you dream of turning your book into a best... Read More

Publication Road

The journey to having my first novel for children published... Read More

3 Quick Tips on Plotting Your Book

Plotting a book can seem an overwhelming task when you're... Read More

First Priority

No matter what you are writing, the first priority is... Read More

Alto Pass cool limo ..