Authors, Writers, Publishers, and Book Readers

Book size for new writers

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Viviana Arteaga on December 9, 2010 at 3:35am

Great advise Robert! Thanks!

Robert Allen said:

Getting struck!!! At times I write for hours and hours only to delete the following day, I know what getting stuck means. But don't stop. Move forward and if needed, come back, however I know how hard it is to move forward when you're trying to put down an idea or revise something and it won't come out. Don't set a time on your work, once you get it to the publishers, they will be happy to give you deadlines. So have fun and move as you can...

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Permalink Reply by scribbler on December 16, 2010 at 9:39am

I second that! And when you're beating yourself up over it Viviana, remember this quote.

"The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. You can always do it better, find the exact word, the apt phrase, the leaping simile." - Robert Cormier

Only crappy writers never revise. They're so vain they think their work is perfection every time LOL. Rewriting is all part of the process, and a substantial one too.

Viviana Arteaga said:

Great advise Robert! Thanks!

Robert Allen said:
Getting struck!!! At times I write for hours and hours only to delete the following day, I know what getting stuck means. But don't stop. Move forward and if needed, come back, however I know how hard it is to move forward when you're trying to put down an idea or revise something and it won't come out. Don't set a time on your work, once you get it to the publishers, they will be happy to give you deadlines. So have fun and move as you can...

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Permalink Reply by 2 Moon Press Publishing on December 17, 2010 at 6:05pm

Word count depends on what you are writing. This also varies by the publisher. Some have minimums, and some do not. Word count equals page length, and this equates to cost for the publisher, that is why sometimes they ask for low word counts...

My suggestion is to write it as you feel it needs to be, submit it and then if asked to lower the count, ask why? What is the reason? Are you dragging along, not on subject, are you inserting information that has nothign to do withthe story?

If they are wanting less word count just so they can save money on printed media, then I would back off whatever publisher is telling you that.