I have a fantasy novel that comes in at 160K by MS Word count.
Until recently, I have been operating under the impression that this count was accurate.
If I format it to 12 pt Courier I get 877 pages. At 240 words per page (24 lines), this comes out to 210k.
What is the correct method for counting words in a novel?
Posted by autumnmuse (Member # 2136) on :
I'd go with the MS Word count, it's far more accurate. The old methods are holdovers from before the computer age, and if an agent or editor needs it that way for some reason, they'll ask. Otherwise the program count works fine.
Also, particularly if this is your first novel, longer means harder to sell, so that's another advantage to using the lower count.
One more tip: most agents these days are okay with accepting Times New Roman, which should decrease your page number significantly, and help with mailing costs. (Though you know never to send an entire manuscript unless you are asked for it.)
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Also, changing fromthe default 1-1/4-inch margins to 1-inch margins will save a huge number of pages on a manuscript that long.
Posted by Rhynedahll (Member # 3856) on :
Thanks guys!
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Of course, the smaller the margins, the less room the editors have to scribble proof notes in them. (Not a factor in something going from computer to computer---but, given what I've observed, maybe it should be.)
Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :
I've been perusing the literary agent and editor blogs. The consensus there seems to be that the "comfortable" size of a manuscript from a first time author tends to be in the 70,000 to 110,000 word range. Going over 150,000 words means your writing has to be superb. Chances are an editor would ask a writer to knock several thousand words off a manuscript as large as yours. Nothing is written in stone, of course. Just make sure you tighten your writing before submitting. And every agent/editor agrees: if the writing is excellent, they will look at anything.
I share your pain, as I cannot fathom how I'll pull my manuscript down in word count to an acceptable range. When I watch a movie on DVD I always watch the DVD Special Features segments on "How the Movie was Made." I'm learning a lot about editing for pacing and removing redundant scenes this way. In some ways it's harder to edit than it is to write the scene in the first place, particularly when one is as long-winded as I am. good luck on your edits!
[This message has been edited by Elan (edited September 16, 2006).]
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Well, Elan certainly answered a question for me---I should have had the wit to check that out myself. I'm forty thousand words into my latest SF novel attempt---I'll try to wrap it up around the one hundred thousand word mark. Or maybe I'll go long and edit down---when you spend over a thousand words on two characters doing their laundry, you've got to wonder whether to cut or not...
Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :
The sad thing is that I just did a word count on my story. I'm at 69,830 words and I am not quite at the half-way point. I will have to get a machete out to whack this one down to an appropriate size.
I can only take comfort in knowing that, given the original compilation of game notes logged in at over 1,097,000 words, I'm doing an admirable job editing things down.
But I'm surely going to have to edit a few more times for brevity. I've decided to wait til the first draft is ALL done before I freak over the word count too much.
good luck on your edits!