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| Shrinking Word Counts... http://www.horrorworld.org/msgboards/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=2836 |
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| Author: | ristow [ Mon May 14, 2007 2:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Shrinking Word Counts... |
Ever notice that, after you complete a first draft, the first edit seems to drastically cut into your word count? |
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| Author: | Matt Cowan [ Mon May 14, 2007 5:28 pm ] |
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I guess that should be a good thing. It means that your editing out the stuff that isn't nessessary. It should make your work read smoother, I would think. You could always go back and flesh out some scenes that may have been underdeveloped or add a cool scene that you might not have thought of at first if you need more words. 
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| Author: | ristow [ Mon May 14, 2007 11:30 pm ] |
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Most of it is just cutting out unneeded verbiage or words like "That" and "really." Lot of adjectives going too. |
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| Author: | DarkHero2007 [ Tue May 15, 2007 2:59 pm ] |
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| Author: | ristow [ Tue May 15, 2007 3:46 pm ] |
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| Author: | Robert R Best [ Wed May 16, 2007 7:33 pm ] |
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My stories always get shorter with each draft. Sometimes I intentionally overwrite, putting in everything I can think of, knowing that I can cut it later. Whenever I try to do it the other way, adding stuff to something I've already written, the result always seems like a forced, awkward patchwork. |
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| Author: | ristow [ Thu May 17, 2007 1:14 am ] |
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I also find comfort in that prose retracts under revision. The current project I'm working on had a 15,000 word limit. I find the shrinking word count good, in that I have to add anything, the contraction is giving me some wiggle room. |
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| Author: | BryonMorrigan [ Fri May 25, 2007 11:04 am ] |
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During editing, I seem to notice a lot of the following in my writing: "Well," said the Character, "...I think I need to use less 'wells' in my dialogue." I wish I got paid $.25 for every "Well." Oh well... |
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| Author: | ristow [ Fri May 25, 2007 12:51 pm ] |
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| Author: | Robert R Best [ Fri May 25, 2007 6:36 pm ] |
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| Author: | ristow [ Sat May 26, 2007 9:32 pm ] |
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I run into the same problem. It's an easy fix, though -- and I'm sure you probably know it -- but just cut out the dialog tag and leave the action..... |
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| Author: | ristow [ Sat May 26, 2007 11:34 pm ] |
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My other problem is modals, like in Harold could hear the monster sneezing. Billy saw that the room was white... where as, "the room was white" is always better. I chalk this up to trying to "live" through the third person. Still, that crap has to be editted out. |
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