Nothing generates word count quite so much as extensive adjectives on everything.
He got into the RAV4. It was blue, shiny, and the left rear tire looked slightly low. A bird had crapped on the hood and the sun’s reflection angle drew reluctant attention to it.
Must be entertaining if fiction. Preaching kills novels.
Chapter lengths should be between 12 to 15 minutes of reading time. (credit: Katherine Kurtz). 60,000 to 90,000 max word count. End chapters with a hook so they turn to the next.
First draft usually will end up being twice as long as it needs to be and you will have to go back and remove the fluff and side plots you put in.
Following Alistair MacLean’s advice: leave sex out as it ruins the pacing. (He was a master of description).
Many of the SiFi conventions will have writing programs with successful authors. Attend a few for what works and what doesn’t.
Just keep writing. The advantage of fiction writing is it just comes from the subconscious and it will flow out as you develop the story. Obviously, you have a beginning but do you know how you want to end it? Hold that ending in mind as you strive to develop the plot and side plots to get there.
Writing groups can be helpful for developing a style but on the whole, they are gripe sessions on how little money they make. Consider your writing as a hobby as first book will not make money.
Have you guys read any of the “Murderbot Diaries” by Martha Wells? She keeps the story short and sweet. They are great. It can be done!
Laz,
I think I mentioned Philip K Dick once before, mostly because I can imagine you writing frenetically through the night.
Check the word counts of these: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (aka Bladerunner) 67,000; The Man in the High Castle 80,500; Minority Report 14,400 (some consider this to be a novella length); Ubik – 66,600; Valis 81,100.
So I wouldn’t worry about word count per se but the narrative and what the characters are experiencing, and whether or not the reader should care about them. But not so terse that it reads like a computer manual.
Happy to take a look.
Writing can be challenging and I know first-hand since I’ve been compelled to record what I’ve experienced firsthand and have about 30,000 words done so far. Nonfiction is very different and in my opinion you shouldn’t force yourself to use too many words although creating a vision in the readers eye is important.
I worked in a news office as a photographer for many years where I worked with many writers. I will never forget seeing a sign in a colleague’s cubicle stating eliminate all unnecessary words. My process so far has been to first get everything important down and then on second pass wordsmith by eliminating words that don’t really add anything.
Boy do I have some stories folks here would find interesting. I’m thinking about rolling out some short pieces on X with photos