Tuesday 24 March 2015

Frustration

I printed my finished novel out! It was so exciting. Then, the next day I looked at the word-count on the front sheet, and my stomach felt like it had swan-dived from the top board. It's only 50, 000 words!

I'm genuinely shocked, and hoping that it's a miscount, otherwise I've got to find a few more. As an over-writer/blatherer, I usually need to word-cull whenever I write anything. I was expecting to do so with this book (although, I have tentative hopes that there is less to edit this time....). Instead, I'm wondering where I can conjure 30,000 more words from. Do I need a whole new sub-plot?

My immediate thought is that one of the main characters could be  fleshed out more, and given more of his own problems to run alongside the main ones. That would ensure he wasn't a cardboard cut-out standing on the side-lines (I have worried that he's a little passive). But I don't know what that will be. And when you've typed 'The End' and then begin to realise you've done so prematurely, it is a little bit of a blow.

1 comment:

  1. I definitely understand that feeling. Don't give up though! The words will come.

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