Purely out of interest today, I did a little word count of the first nine scenes of Sibylline Nights before and after editing. I've added 4400 words!
I've only edited about ten percent of the novel so far, but if I keep going like this I could up my word count to almost 150,000! Aren't I meant to be making the story shorter to meet publishing standards? Does this mean I'll have a lot to cut?!
I know there will be some parts I cut. I can think of a large portion off the top of my head. But it still worries me that I'm going to end up with a novel that's too long and I won't know what to take out.
On the plus side, those nine scenes I've edited are good. They were a nice skeleton before, but now I feel there's meat on those bones. I think I've set up the foundation of the story and characters well. My CPs seem to agree.
Hopefully I can continue with this momentum, and get the first draft fully edited by June.
lol. I think you're doing fine! Especially since you said your 9 chapters were skeletons. When I went through my first edit, I added 100 pages, then my next edit, I cut 22,000 words. Now I'm working right around 150,000 words all the time. Up and down, writing and deleting equally.
ReplyDeleteYou know Ashley that actually makes me feel a load better. Thanks for the comment. ^_^
DeleteHey Clare- I'm knee deep in editing myself. I can't stand it. Sometimes I think I'm cutting out all the good parts, and other times, I want to throw it all away.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're making great progress and are on the right track. But I'm the last person to take advice from on this one, LOL Sorry!
Thanks for your comment Jaybird, and good luck with your own editing.
DeleteWell at least I'm not the only one who feels like that. But any progress is good progress, right?! :D
Sounds like you're making great progress! And I write bare bones as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alex. I like to call it NaNo writing, like in National Novel Writing Month. I write as many words as possible without editing and then go back and polish it later.
DeleteLOL. I'm editing right now, and while I have a whole big chunk of stuff I know I need to cut out, it does feel like I'm adding more and more, when I just want to cut. So, I feel ya.
ReplyDeleteWell at least I'm not the only one. Good luck with your editing.
DeleteI love editing! I wouldn't worry so much about adding now. Do your edits, then give it to other people to read. If your CPs are good, they'll tell you where the story slows, what can be cut, etc.
ReplyDeleteThen the trick is, listen to them and cut those 'precious' scenes :)
Yes, I'm sure my CPs will be quick to point out the slow scenes, they're ruthless!!
DeleteIt'll be hard letting go of my lovely words! :D
This sounds about right! I have so much more to cut, but new scenes keep creeping in. It's a long process, but after a while, you'll start to see what works and what doesn't. :D
ReplyDeleteGood to know it's not just me experiencing it. And perhaps the cutting hige chunks will come. We'll get there ... eventually! LOL
DeleteGood luck! It's tough to know what to cut out and what to keep.
ReplyDeleteThanks! It sure is!!
DeleteWell, critique partners are pretty good at letting you know what to cut :) I have a women's fiction novel that should be about 90k, and its over 118k. Yeah, I know what you mean. Cutting is so hard. Good luck Clare.
ReplyDelete.......dhole
Thanks for commneting Donna. Yeah, my CPs are pretty good, so I'm sure they'll let me know when something needs to go.
DeleteGetting from 118k to 90k shouldn't be too hard, right? Good luck with your women's fiction.