tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post5211679321163624894..comments2024-02-18T07:27:48.299-08:00Comments on Amparo Ortiz: Word Count vs. ContentAmparo Ortizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05751368034351196820noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-74176415949460350512011-01-20T04:50:24.024-08:002011-01-20T04:50:24.024-08:00Def just focus on getting your story out. You can ...Def just focus on getting your story out. You can always worry about chap length and word count later. Most of my chaps are 6-7 pages and I wrote one yesterday that was like 20. Ooops. I'll deal with it later. Good luck and congrats on the 30k!Jennifer Walkuphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15441887850464334900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-30815042090801962512011-01-19T07:16:27.289-08:002011-01-19T07:16:27.289-08:00Are you a pantser? I'm a outliner and I have ...Are you a pantser? I'm a outliner and I have a pretty good idea of the number of chapters to expect, and therefore the word count as well. My first draft usually comes within 5000 words of my target. :)DL Hammonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02007260062331783715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-34016626065379821862011-01-19T03:38:58.377-08:002011-01-19T03:38:58.377-08:00My word count goal is always "somewhere betwe...My word count goal is always "somewhere between 60-100k words". I never really get more specific than that. You write what's necessary and cut what's necessary, and the story, the "content" as you say, should always come first.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06636585111057799728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-18662429014902007712011-01-18T20:20:13.742-08:002011-01-18T20:20:13.742-08:00I heard setting a word count goal for the first dr...I heard setting a word count goal for the first draft is silly, BUT I think it's a good way to have a place to look toward. For me it's been a great way to know when I need to start condensing, when I'm starting to just write for my fancy and not for a purpose. Just think of it as a goal and not a restraint :)Jessica Silvahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405267450788581689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-18134529040243635512011-01-18T16:23:09.094-08:002011-01-18T16:23:09.094-08:00I never usually think about the word count, except...I never usually think about the word count, except for when I did NaNo. :) I like to have an idea of how many chapters I may have, and then I worry about the logistics later.Pam Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09872183610393667619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-36419657040300479662011-01-18T15:49:43.283-08:002011-01-18T15:49:43.283-08:00First draft anything goes. It's funny going fr...First draft anything goes. It's funny going from editing madly to that first draft stage again, where you have to let all your cares go...Elena Solodowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03037029195682225565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-64642614506723183332011-01-18T14:39:18.063-08:002011-01-18T14:39:18.063-08:00Only once have I worried about word count as I wro...Only once have I worried about word count as I wrote a first draft. I wrote the sequel to A Bitch Named Karma this past summer and I wanted it to be about the same length. But I didn't let that hinder me...I just wrote and in the end, it came out a little under. Which was fine. I always add words when I revise. That's when I rework and "show" instead of tell and I always bump my word count.Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17401931638397651614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-78600630423574448152011-01-18T13:37:05.851-08:002011-01-18T13:37:05.851-08:00I never worry about word count until The End. Then...I never worry about word count until The End. Then I worry!! LOL!!! Content always for me! Take care<br />xOld Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13185547869183611159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-71763624767043385292011-01-18T12:03:51.628-08:002011-01-18T12:03:51.628-08:00I struggle to get the words out. My first books we...I struggle to get the words out. My first books were long and I didn't really notice that they were long b/c I had no idea what my word count was supposed to be. But now that I'm a constipated writer (hee hee, well, you asked), it's work to get to the end of a manuscript. I'm constantly second-guessing myself, probably because of that focus on content above all. Sigh. <br /><br />But it's nice because when I get to the end, I've usually already cut most of what needs cutting and I have room to beef up my bare-bones dialogue, which is what I usually end up with. Great points about worrying about cutting/padding words later. First draft is all about the story.Katrina L. Lantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06871272394922775923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-39431560571435075772011-01-18T10:02:38.389-08:002011-01-18T10:02:38.389-08:00I never establish word count goals for the first d...I never establish word count goals for the first draft. Most of the time they get torn apart and rewritten, so I don't see the benefit of a word count in the long run.Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-17465169239543319912011-01-18T09:10:57.712-08:002011-01-18T09:10:57.712-08:00My last draft I had content and word goals, and th...My last draft I had content and word goals, and they ended up being pegged together almost perfectly. Now I need to cut a bit -- I can see where I padded a bit (consciously or not) to meet daily goals. <br /><br />It's SO much less painful to cut once you get to the end. Until then, it seems like you'll never get there.Kell Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18089691866850131698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-17241155241189327882011-01-18T09:09:33.342-08:002011-01-18T09:09:33.342-08:00My word count was too high - easily over 200,000. ...My word count was too high - easily over 200,000. Now I am editing, cutting, and even slashing chapters, sentences and characters. IF I had to do it over...I would do it differently. But it really depends on how you get the words onto paper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3917729637280439180.post-31181349358061836632011-01-18T08:57:37.296-08:002011-01-18T08:57:37.296-08:00I had a very specific word goal for my WIP and the...I had a very specific word goal for my WIP and then I just said screw it and instead of focusing on word goals I focus on content goals. (Great advice from Claudia Gray). It doesn't matter how many words I get done in a day as long as I get through the scene. It makes life easier and you aren't dwelling on word count as much.Maganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14045036129073244749noreply@blogger.com