tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post2432492570703218641..comments2024-02-02T23:22:33.356-08:00Comments on From Sarah, With Joy: Pantsing and Word CountSarah Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01185278849400551014noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-91523984559401422202012-08-03T12:33:15.524-07:002012-08-03T12:33:15.524-07:00I always used to do the outline thing, complete wi...I always used to do the outline thing, complete with hypothetical page counts (Chapter 16: pages 175 to 185). <br /><br />But for my latest book, I'm doing the pantser thing. I have a rough outline, only completed as far as I see the next few chapters going. The book started as a short story, then a novella, now I've got 140 pages and I'm barely halfway through. It's going be chopped considerably after I'm done, but the word count is proving to be no problem at all and I'm *loving* the pantser approach. <br /><br />Of course, this means I still have no idea what's going to happen in the end, but it's a new experience for me to write this way. I'll just have to see where the story takes me, instead of taking it where I think it should go.Jenni Wiltzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02661050256535845651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-77620519808662996082012-08-02T09:00:03.456-07:002012-08-02T09:00:03.456-07:00This is my firs time seeing your blog. Congrats!
...This is my firs time seeing your blog. Congrats! <br />Responding to your question, my answer is, I dont think about word counts. To me, its a number on a little bar at the bottom of my Word window. <br />I am in the middle of writing my third book, which is the 2nd in what will be a trilogy. The first portion is- after much painstaking editing- approxiamtely 99,400 words. In the repetitive process of reading and editing, I am constantly finding an area where I believe something profound has happened and therefore must be explored further... Then I go back and take it out, or move it, or remove and save it for later. <br />I am with you on the "filler" scenes. If you dont need them, take them out. But that raises another qwustion: How do you know if you really need certain scenes in your story? How can I, as a writer who loves every facet of my imaginary world, possibly be objective enough to know when something is written because the storyline needs it it or simply because I want/like it?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04328116669207050463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-79532604733018775462012-07-29T20:12:48.904-07:002012-07-29T20:12:48.904-07:00My word counts bob up and down like the stock mark...My word counts bob up and down like the stock market during revisions. I've been lucky to always end up in the right word count zone.Leslie S. Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17122865337924270039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-56481134029938371142012-07-27T16:13:51.953-07:002012-07-27T16:13:51.953-07:00I'm a pantser too and so far my word count has...I'm a pantser too and so far my word count has always ended up in the right range--although I have no idea how or why (not knowing, the life of a pantser!)<br />Happy writing.:)Coleen Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15863892455120177554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-56184916515213220082012-07-27T12:30:22.125-07:002012-07-27T12:30:22.125-07:00I write straight through, and when I reach a certa...I write straight through, and when I reach a certain point I start to think about wrap-up. For NaNo that's 30k, but if I want something longer I start thinking wrap-up around 50k. 20k plus to wrap up from that point. It seems to work rather well.Laurenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04137538450232783883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-90509492188909682092012-07-26T17:01:30.801-07:002012-07-26T17:01:30.801-07:00The pantser route for me leaves me with too many w...The pantser route for me leaves me with too many words, never too few. Then, cutting scenes you really like to squeeze the story into a preferred word count range is tough--maybe even tougher than having to add.<br /><br />With the book I'm about to revise, I started fretting about 2/3 through knowing my word count was too high. Being aware of that, I think, actually hurt my initial drafting of the story as I cut short or omitted some scenes that I had planned to write.<br /><br />I'd recommend throwing word count guidelines out the window while you write your first draft. Dealing with it later may not be fun, but at least you'll have the complete story to work with when you begin your revisions.Jeff Hargetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198367021884647821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-29461757989931548782012-07-26T09:55:44.069-07:002012-07-26T09:55:44.069-07:00I think an outline is ok, but don't like to ge...I think an outline is ok, but don't like to get too technical because the story IS the thing. I would prefer to err on too many words; as you will have room for editing. So pantsing seems more natural. <br /> Write the story. Ignore for a couple days and then read a chapter. If you like it, proceed on, but wait a day. When you have done this throughout, put it down for a couple days. Then get a friend to read it with the idea of content and flow comments. Basically you want them to tell you how the story reads, like is it too pedantic or whatever. Good luck.In other words, do the words flow right and is the imagery done well.<br /> Hope this helps a little Sarah.<br /> Sure you want to get the story length right, but please don't obsess on it.anthony stemkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15666462157746049139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-40475275893742736402012-07-26T03:26:02.108-07:002012-07-26T03:26:02.108-07:00I'm a pantser when it comes to writing and abo...I'm a pantser when it comes to writing and about the only thing that I outline is the ending.<br /><br />I don't worry about word count much as I go pretty much by page count. I've entered quite a few contests over the years and because they use word limits, it's been relatively easy for me to estimate word count via the page count.<br /><br />On the average, 10 pages equals about 4600 words, give or take.<br /><br />And my current novel, which I'm proofing, comes in at 69K for 177 pages (originally 130 pages).G. B. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09783331838434598963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-31282986377013450672012-07-25T17:43:07.393-07:002012-07-25T17:43:07.393-07:00I'd love to have some pantsing words of wisdom...I'd love to have some pantsing words of wisdom for you, but frankly I've never been able to predict how long my novels were going to be. Most finished around 50k while one finished around 100k. I write my novels, then work out word count.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05746017057593508370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-28043317186112311882012-07-25T13:44:23.623-07:002012-07-25T13:44:23.623-07:00I tried being a pantser and it was disastrous. As...I tried being a pantser and it was disastrous. As I'm trying to finish writing and editing there are just crap scenes and gapping plot holes everywhere. Not the way for me and not much help for you - sorry :)Tasha Seegmillerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11489911822054861132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-69895964142074466502012-07-25T11:40:49.875-07:002012-07-25T11:40:49.875-07:00Hi Sarah,
As you know, I'm more of a haphaza...Hi Sarah, <br /><br />As you know, I'm more of a haphazard writer. My only thought here is that you can't be afraid to end up with whatever length comes out with for your first draft. For a first draft in this writing method, longer is usually better. Then, during the editing process, you go into it with the mindset that huge chunks of your work may have to go. I usually end up slashing quite a bit from my first draft--my first 1 1/2 to 2 chapters of my final draft are usually made from scenes from about the first 5 chapters of the original draft. Sometimes this is a painful way to write if you have trouble deleting, but it works. <br /><br />-KimKim Slaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07435495222646205799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-61589043012658594862012-07-25T11:15:38.488-07:002012-07-25T11:15:38.488-07:00I think if you just continue writing the way you a...I think if you just continue writing the way you are, it's going to be fine. Even if you're above or below the word count, when you edit you'll be able to find areas that need to be expanded upon and things that need to be cut. It will work out :)Samantha Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09370961661054617338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-667945344678747452012-07-25T11:10:47.112-07:002012-07-25T11:10:47.112-07:00I am mostly a pantser. I make a rough outline but...I am mostly a pantser. I make a rough outline but otherwise I like things to happen organically. For me, if something is too short, I know something is missing, whether it's adding another plot-line or building up the characters more to make sure they are real. I tend to write short as well, but you're right, you can always add scenes in revisions (I added 7k).Steph Sessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17418055704131162412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-26732845728999859912012-07-25T09:29:30.425-07:002012-07-25T09:29:30.425-07:00I'm *such* a pantser... and usually the word c...I'm *such* a pantser... and usually the word count just happens... I tell the story the way it needs to be told, and I've never struggled with word count! ;)Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15747144518868320969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-67122987080917123062012-07-25T06:52:33.406-07:002012-07-25T06:52:33.406-07:00All my stories so far have ended up being novella ...All my stories so far have ended up being novella length, even though I tend not to pants at all. I was never a fan of unnecessary subplots I guess.<br /><br />The good news is with the ongoing ebook revolution, writers of shorter works (or longer works for that matter) stand a better chance of finding their readers than in the solely print days, where length was one of the many factors publishers used to reject such works.<br /><br />If all else fails, you can always combine a number of themed shorter works into an omnibus. That's exactly what I did with <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008J5D9SI" rel="nofollow">my latest release, Neuro</a>.Michael Abayomihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07276804685807238328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-62723532042744944272012-07-25T06:04:25.488-07:002012-07-25T06:04:25.488-07:00Definitely a pantser, and then I keep rewriting an...Definitely a pantser, and then I keep rewriting and adding until I get the right kind of word count. Or not... I've never actually tried to write a novel, if the story gets to novel length I'm happy, but equally if it stops at novella length, that's good too.Annalisa Crawfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14943610814274794998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-46698820411417427072012-07-25T05:57:37.295-07:002012-07-25T05:57:37.295-07:00I'm still working on this myself. I'm curr...I'm still working on this myself. I'm currently 15K under where I want to be. I have some that I can add, but sheesh. It's a tough one.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13194120188040608319noreply@blogger.com