tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post5104908733758235070..comments2024-03-26T11:25:04.513-07:00Comments on Learning to Write: Mickey J Corrigan on Why Word Lengths for Novels & GiveawayNashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14984530648140460594noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-80440582551862754082014-12-17T15:32:36.392-08:002014-12-17T15:32:36.392-08:00word count should be considered, to an extent, but...word count should be considered, to an extent, but content should definitely be the priority!<br />and your book sounds like an enticing chiller!Tara Tylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07587802105993889515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-27093044314362630952014-11-26T09:36:23.903-08:002014-11-26T09:36:23.903-08:00Interesting. I get so frustrated by books that are...Interesting. I get so frustrated by books that are padded out with unnecessary waffle in what is so obviously an attempt to meet a word count.Felicity Grace Terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17852843882007267665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-86755148264937236182014-11-23T09:07:39.831-08:002014-11-23T09:07:39.831-08:00I think the word count should be a suggestion, if ...I think the word count should be a suggestion, if anything. Like most books in this genre or for this age group are ____ number of words. But, books that have less or more words should be considered for their writing. I would rather read a shorter book that is well written than a longer book with fluff thrown in. <br /><br />Hopefully the author you mentioned will find the right press for his work! <br /><br />Thanks for sharing!<br />~JessDMShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04202502753961748992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-7551150885789844402014-11-22T09:19:41.080-08:002014-11-22T09:19:41.080-08:00This is just what I need. I just finished a manusc...This is just what I need. I just finished a manuscript that is way too short compared to 'current standards', but I don't know what to add apart from fluff. Great advice.Vanessa Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02953359344425030388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-34358465058590429202014-11-21T08:50:55.320-08:002014-11-21T08:50:55.320-08:00I do hope that writer doesn't give up trying. ...I do hope that writer doesn't give up trying. I agree he should take his manuscript elsewhere and with any luck someone, somewhere will see the sense of publishing it just as it is. Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05962552429792516213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-80898991285432363952014-11-20T19:10:16.572-08:002014-11-20T19:10:16.572-08:00I always find it odd that so many authors have a h...I always find it odd that so many authors have a hard time cutting their novels down. I'm like Medeia above--shorter is me! I guess that's why I fit in children's books...my MGs are only 40,000 words.Stephanie Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461865229341760836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-36023222014142010182014-11-20T03:41:19.133-08:002014-11-20T03:41:19.133-08:00I was rejected a few times because my manuscript w...I was rejected a few times because my manuscript was too short, only by a few thousand words, meanwhile my story was complete. I'll continue to shop it around. I believe shorter works can be published as novellas and longer works--I've seen this happen--have been split into two books to meet publisher requirements. Anything is possible. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-78591854328188986802014-11-19T17:17:56.683-08:002014-11-19T17:17:56.683-08:00Hello, Mickey! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.Hello, Mickey! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-39565922951251079662014-11-19T11:14:46.899-08:002014-11-19T11:14:46.899-08:00That is another benefit of democratizing publishin...That is another benefit of democratizing publishing. So maybe we'll have more space for shorter novels in the near future.Mickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08375691605239975089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-45420673333218781962014-11-19T11:13:41.580-08:002014-11-19T11:13:41.580-08:00Yes, it is typical. Still, I felt sorry for him. Y...Yes, it is typical. Still, I felt sorry for him. You have to be tough and hang in there in the writing biz.Mickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08375691605239975089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-88268199406269589812014-11-19T11:12:36.402-08:002014-11-19T11:12:36.402-08:00True, and I hope agents understand this. I hear th...True, and I hope agents understand this. I hear the NY publishers are asking their top authors to write novellas. As a way to draw new fans.Mickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08375691605239975089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-40696582948010128232014-11-19T11:11:30.567-08:002014-11-19T11:11:30.567-08:00Me too. But it makes for a harder sell.Me too. But it makes for a harder sell.Mickeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08375691605239975089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-34960328434718335132014-11-19T09:54:37.326-08:002014-11-19T09:54:37.326-08:00Thankfully in this modern day of self-publishing, ...Thankfully in this modern day of self-publishing, I think some of those crazy guidelines are being bent. Readers latch onto stories of all sizes, and it's awesome to see it happen. <br /><br /><a href="http://crystalcollier.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Unleashing the Dreamworld</a>Crystal Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03912469552483168148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-85866470829370724732014-11-19T09:27:36.635-08:002014-11-19T09:27:36.635-08:00Word count shouldn't matter. It's about t...Word count shouldn't matter. It's about the story. I hope the man finds a home for his manuscript. It sounds like it's a good one. Sherry Ellishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07844837212122243321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-47387822310230200842014-11-19T03:58:52.884-08:002014-11-19T03:58:52.884-08:00I have an editing client who has been asked to red...I have an editing client who has been asked to reduce her word count because it's over 100,000. Unfortunately, word count does matter to editors and agents.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-66098757885476253672014-11-18T16:37:00.801-08:002014-11-18T16:37:00.801-08:00I have heard this recently, but the truth is, most...I have heard this recently, but the truth is, most publishing houses have word length restrictions. I've found myself editing out good bits because I'm a few thousand words over the accepted length. This man's story is typical.<br /><br />Great share Mickey.<br /><br />Hi Kelly!<br /><br />Denise :)Denise Covey https://www.blogger.com/profile/07106490051555233439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-36322207848654149082014-11-18T15:31:10.541-08:002014-11-18T15:31:10.541-08:00That's such a sad story! I completely agree th...That's such a sad story! I completely agree that a story needs it's own pace, and sometimes it really sucks being forced into guidelines established that don't suit everything. Honestly, I tend to write on the shorter side of things and like it that way :)Meradeth Houstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06741790047121063893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919218811799644081.post-85697204570555259492014-11-18T14:47:18.197-08:002014-11-18T14:47:18.197-08:00That's horrible! I know why publishers/agents ...That's horrible! I know why publishers/agents mention such word counts because that's typically what sells, but a book should be the length it should be, whether that be a short story, a novella, or a novel. There are publishers and magazines/anthologies that take different lengths, and any length--to some extent--goes with self-publishing. In fact, self-publishing is bringing back some writing forms like the serial and the novella that almost vanished in the more recent years of publishing. Even publishers nowadays will have novella/short stories in between books in a series. There are places for all lengths. :)Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.com