tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post8437898482393975182..comments2024-02-02T23:22:33.356-08:00Comments on From Sarah, With Joy: Are you a Long writer or a Short writer?Sarah Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01185278849400551014noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-91315962866428458672013-02-20T01:30:33.140-08:002013-02-20T01:30:33.140-08:00I'm an in betweener. My scenes tend to run to ...I'm an in betweener. My scenes tend to run to long simply because I'll get caught up in character interaction and instead of the couple of lines of dialogue needed, I'll end up with an entire page. The less I secure I am about what I'm writing the more this happens. Luckily I have no trouble slashing during the editing process. <br /><br />What I've noticed while writing is I tend to panic about how long my scenes run, I'm constantly worrying about whether or not they're dragging on and on. As a result my style tends to get more abbreviated as the scene goes on. I haven't come up with a good way to fix this issue other than extensive editing. Jess Schirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04930756756945812094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-10471492609734417942013-02-20T00:55:31.756-08:002013-02-20T00:55:31.756-08:00I'm a short writer. I know it, and everyone kn...I'm a short writer. I know it, and everyone knows it. My first draft came out at about 61k. During the second draft, I cut out pretty much everything that stuck out to me as awful. So it's now roughly 57k. And it's fantasy, where books are generally 70k - 90k on the short side.<br /><br />But in order for me to be content with myself, I've decided I'll be happy as long as the book comes out at anywhere over 200 pages in print. Any less and it'll need reworking.<br /><br />It's going to the editor in a few weeks, so she'll doubtless have me cutting things out in several places, as well as adding things in. All in all, I'm feeling pretty good.<br /><br />Now I'm having this strange experience. I've started a novella, which I'm anticipating to be around 35,000 words. I approached this differently, planning out the plot and some scenes in a small amount of detail. The first chapter's now well over 5,000 words, where in the past my chapters would always fall between 2,000 and 4,000 words.<br /><br />It may be the fact that I'm writing more words each day that before, so now I'm placing myself in the scene more and can feel if it's moving too quickly. Or maybe it'll just need a lot of editing down the track. Who knows? I'm excited though, I can tell you that!Ryan Sullivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11093880801598251933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-85263406891479510492013-02-19T18:43:40.917-08:002013-02-19T18:43:40.917-08:00Sometimes I can be either one. All I can tell you ...Sometimes I can be either one. All I can tell you is to write and make notes if ideas pop into your head. ***shrugs*** That's what I do.<br /><br />Hugs and chocolate,<br />Shellyshellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09596621767297173021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-74343457550562414952013-02-19T17:16:19.974-08:002013-02-19T17:16:19.974-08:00I tried writing short when I had first started wri...I tried writing short when I had first started writing, but quickly found that my forte and comfort level for word length fell somewhere in the 20 to 24k range (my debut novel is the exception to the rule), although I do have a few polished short stories in the 10 to 11k word range.<br /><br />Both types are acceptable to perform, but it seems to me (from observing a few fellow writers) that some short story writers have problems makig the transition to a longer format, especially if they've been doing short stories for a number of years; and by the flip side of the coin, those whose comfort level is the longer story have problems writing shorter stories.G. B. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09783331838434598963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-22276040160102988772013-02-19T15:31:27.323-08:002013-02-19T15:31:27.323-08:00Well you did not define short or long in terms of ...Well you did not define short or long in terms of word count. My 75-80k novels are short compared to the cinder-block bricks that are known as HP5 and the Twilight books. Even all three of my books combined fall short. But they are long compared to my current series that is averaging just above 10k words each episode.<br /><br />I'm finding that the shorter works are developing more detail and character building than the long works. This may simply be a byproduct of my writing method as well. How much world and character building is there in one movie length book vs. an entire season of a TV show?<br /><br />I think the old advice still stands. To become a better writer you need to write. For me learning from the editing process has helped me the most. When a manuscript comes back, don't be afraid to ask why or get a second opinion. It's not like high school or college where you only have to satisfy the teacher (beware an editor that loves everything you do). Understanding that you will NEVER be able to make everyone happy is key. Short or long, it doesn't matter as long as it's good.SBJoneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10457239074744509487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-39359223580015158822013-02-19T14:14:52.603-08:002013-02-19T14:14:52.603-08:00I'm another short writer. In my head, why use ...I'm another short writer. In my head, why use 50 words when 2 will do?... Answer: because that way I'd actually achieve novel length! Still practising :-)Annalisa Crawfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14943610814274794998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-68204463114945265352013-02-19T13:38:36.392-08:002013-02-19T13:38:36.392-08:00I write fantasy, so hitting in at about 90,000 wor...I write fantasy, so hitting in at about 90,000 words works well for me. I don't usually have too much trouble either way - but I don't know why it would be better or worse to write too much or too little! Editing is a different process for everyone, and it just means you get to edit in more depth and characterization instead of cutting out your darlings. :)Bethany Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12829932931010851406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-33263545610609904002013-02-19T10:40:44.847-08:002013-02-19T10:40:44.847-08:00I am a long writer, but it comes from sub-plots an...I am a long writer, but it comes from sub-plots and multiple POVs. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Tina Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09892617933410379929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-74767653840524048392013-02-19T10:34:11.170-08:002013-02-19T10:34:11.170-08:00I'm a short writer thus far. I struggle to get...I'm a short writer thus far. I struggle to get "enough" words to meet the standards of the average novel (or even the average "verse" novel). But, it's not because I can't come up with words. And I don't think that stories necessarily should be filled with lots of words (often people over-do it on description). My problem is filling in the murky middles and keeping it exciting enough for me as a writer. As a reader, I love that part of books--good books, at least--but they're hard to come up with as the writer. The key there is to create sub-plots. Something, I'm going to talk about on my blog soon. <br /><br />Tif@<a href="http://tademings.com/" rel="nofollow">tademings.com</a>TA Demingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07208290063433622691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-57037043304949074142013-02-19T10:28:25.958-08:002013-02-19T10:28:25.958-08:00I tend towards too short, too. I dislike padding s...I tend towards too short, too. I dislike padding so much when I read that I think I go the other way when I write, trying to be too concise. <br /><br />mood<br />mooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-65475749559550068042013-02-19T06:49:26.327-08:002013-02-19T06:49:26.327-08:00I'm def a short writer and am always worried t...I'm def a short writer and am always worried that I won't have enough words. I've found that in my revisions I usually add a lot of words to flesh out the scenes, but even then I'm always worried! And I count on CPs/betas to tell me when a scene needs more meat (b/c I can never figure it out for some reason).Steph Sessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17418055704131162412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-90604383490315175602013-02-19T06:04:55.264-08:002013-02-19T06:04:55.264-08:00I'm a long writer, but I use easy language so ...I'm a long writer, but I use easy language so I think that evens it out. I like to show you whats going on so I have to describe and tell you how it feels, smells, sounds like, taste like. ALlt hat Jazz. Aurora Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08683985157118597158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3554125151787997248.post-69800090483377213762013-02-19T05:40:42.026-08:002013-02-19T05:40:42.026-08:00Sarah-- I'm with you. I'm a short writer. ...Sarah-- I'm with you. I'm a short writer. I actually read about this in some famous author's craft book recently. There are just two types and as you said, not good, not bad. I like to think of us as succinct and tight writers. ;) (Spin doctor, anyone?)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00741349796538313075noreply@blogger.com