Cutting Word Count

[Fyri]

I'm planning out a blog post about different tactics one might try if they need to cut their word count down. I'm trying to make sure I've considered as many tactics as I can.

So far, I have (and I plan to explain/expand on these in the actual post):

1) Avoid redundancy / repetition

2) Split the book in two!

3) Cut a scene / subplot / chapter

4) Combine characters

5) Delete Unnecessary Info (Do you really need that exposition / backstory / worldbuilding info?)

6) Can you say that in less words? (Reword wordy sentences! More impactful! Watch out for adverbs!)

7) Tell, don't show! (Is it really possible to show too much? )

What do you guys think? Am I missing anything?

 

[skip.knox]

Rewrite it. As it stands, it's too long or too slow or doesn't further the plot. Deleting the entire thing will only leave a hole, so you have to go back and try it again and do it better.

 

[pmmg]

Look for ways to cut dialog tags.

Look for places to condense proper names to pronouns.

Remove tag-ons wherever possible. (Whats a tag-on? Just extra stuff that dont matter. Bob raised his hand over his head and waited for the teacher to call on him. --Over his head is a tag on. Not needed, and just adding extra space).

 

[Fyri]

Remove tag-ons wherever possible. (Whats a tag-on? Just extra stuff that dont matter. Bob raised his hand over his head and waited for the teacher to call on him. --Over his head is a tag on. Not needed, and just adding extra space).

Oooh. I was needing this term earlier today while giving feedback on a story! Thank you!

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Eliminating unnecessary uses of "that" and other filler words can do amazing things. I once took a few chapters from a lady studying at some University writing program, and I showed her how to cut something like 7% in her word count lickety-split. Might've been higher. She was shocked to shit.

 

[Fyri]

Eliminating unnecessary uses of "that" and other filler words can do amazing things. I once took a few chapters from a lady studying at some University writing program, and I showed her how to cut something like 7% in her word count lickety-split. Might've been higher. She was shocked to shit.

Yes! "Had" is notorious as well. Also "There is" and "They noticed" and "seemed"

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Had can get ridiculous while remaining correct. GRRM had a paragraph that used about 6 of them, and it wasn't even that long. Not incorrect, of course, but bloat by my way of looking. Good for the KENP count for indies, heh heh.

Yes! "Had" is notorious as well. Also "There is" and "They noticed" and "seemed"

 

[Prince of Spires]

Had can get ridiculous while remaining correct. GRRM had a paragraph that used about 6 of them, and it wasn't even that long. Not incorrect, of course, but bloat by my way of looking. Good for the KENP count for indies, heh heh.

Didn't you mean "GRRM had a paragraph that had used about 6 of them, and he hadn't even made it that long. Not incorrect, of course, but it had bloated by my way of looking."? Sorry, couldn't resist.

Another one is to cut out places where you show, then tell (or tell, then show). Plenty of authors (especially in a first draft) write a summary of what they're about to show "He felt lonely. No one wanted to talk to him or even look him in the eye. He hadn't said a word to anyone in days." That sort of thing.

 

[Penpilot]

6) Can you say that in less words? (Reword wordy sentences! More impactful! Watch out for adverbs!)

That's a pretty good list, and I can't argue against any of the tactics. But one thing, I've learned when using #6 and editing down in general is I have to be careful about editing the life out sentences. There have been times where I've compacted down the sentence to be as short as concise as possible, and then when I come through again on the next pass, the sentence feels wrong. It doesn't fit the cadence of everything else before and after it. I realize the reason for this is it's not how the character, who's POV I'm in, would phrase things.

IMHO, sometimes it's more about clarity rather than minimizing the word count that matters most.


Just a thought

 

[Fyri]

Another one is to cut out places where you show, then tell (or tell, then show). Plenty of authors (especially in a first draft) write a summary of what they're about to show "He felt lonely. No one wanted to talk to him or even look him in the eye. He hadn't said a word to anyone in days." That sort of thing.

Yes! I intend to talk about this with the redundancy part. I used to do that and it was a breakthrough when I finally understood what my betas were telling me. XD

 

[Finchbearer]

Link the post when it’s live!

 

[Fyri]

Remove tag-ons wherever possible. (Whats a tag-on? Just extra stuff that dont matter. Bob raised his hand over his head and waited for the teacher to call on him. --Over his head is a tag on. Not needed, and just adding extra space).

I'm trying to make sure this is the actual term for this. I can't find more info on it when I look up the term. I mean, I guess it is also just redundant prepositional phrases?

 

[Fyri]

I have started the thing.

9 Ways to Lessen Your Word Count

Here are 8 things you might try in order to shorten your word count to the sweet spot you so crave!

nkvalek.wordpress.com

 

[pmmg]

You should try to opposite and make a lesson on adding length as well.

 

[Fyri]

You should try to opposite and make a lesson on adding length as well.

I'm not knowledgeable on that yet. XD Currently failing with my second book that was way smaller than my first. Now book 2 draft 2 is just a new kind of dumpster fire. XD

AND IT'S STILL TOO SHORT. FHAIOFLH

 

[pmmg]

Yeah...My goal is to have the books grow in size, not shrink. If book 5 is smaller than book 4, I think that will be okay, but I dont want them to start falling short after having set the standard. So far, they've been growing.

 

[Fyri]

Yeah...My goal is to have the books grow in size, not shrink. If book 5 is smaller than book 4, I think that will be okay, but I dont want them to start falling short after having set the standard. So far, they've been growing.

For sure. It's pretty expected that a series will either stay the same length for each book, or gradually get longer. Readers want to continue experiencing what they did in the previous story/ies.

The best ideas I've had so far are

1) add...subplot?
2) more space for more scenes to build existing character/plot growth?
3) Uhhhh

 

[pmmg]

Well...for me, I think the best answer is to add more characters, and do less telling.

I dont seem to have a problem with that, though. I already have characters who could get stage time, but don't. And some are just scratching at the door....give me a scene, give me a scene... I feel like I have to stave them off.

Book 1 (95K) had (doing math)... 6? Pov characters. Book 2 (100K).... (more counting).... 6 or 7. Book 3 (200K).... (yikes) 11 or 12.....

Hmmmm seems I get 100K/six characters. Had not seen it that way before


Book 4 already has 5, and many more waiting, but i've not gotten to their stuff yet.

 

[Fyri]

Well...for me, I think the best answer is to add more characters, and do less telling.

I dont seem to have a problem with that, though. I already have characters who could get stage time, but don't. And some are just scratching at the door....give me a scene, give me a scene... I feel like I have to stave them off.

Book 1 (95K) had (doing math)... 6? Pov characters. Book 2 (100K).... (more counting).... 6 or 7. Book 3 (200K).... (yikes) 11 or 12.....

Hmmmm seems I get 100K/six characters. Had not seen it that way before


Book 4 already has 5, and many more waiting, but i've not gotten to their stuff yet.

I tried switching POV characters. I don't like it as much as I hoped I would. I probably just need to practice it more, but I'll stick to one POV for this series.

However, I do have a looot of characters in general, some of which really deserve more screen time.

1) Add subplot/s
2) Add characters / depth to existing characters (through scenes...)
3) Show more than tell (That's a good one! I thought about that while making the previous post!)

 

[pmmg]

Well switching kind of implies, there are two characters, they are together, and you are changing who is the POV in their scenes.

I am more implying, there are two characters they go after two different things, they split and each gets their screen time. But...my stories are full of people doing stuff without the presence of knowledge of other characters. It takes up space.