Word Count Matters

Word count matters when it comes to having your writing published.  With the exception of poetry, if your preparing to submit to an agent or editor they'll want to know what your proposed or actual word count is.  As you're writing it's good to keep this in mind.  Knowing that you may have to revise your work many times over anyway, don't assume that because you've written a 500-page novel with a gazillion words that none of it will be cut.  This doesn't mean that some books aren't the exception to the rule (ie. Harry Potter).  But if your novel or memoir doesn't call for all of those extra words, it's best to revise and save all of your various versions.

Writing forever into infinity with no goal in mind can put you in a precarious position when it comes to submitting your work.  If you don't take the time to edit your work down to meet the acceptable word count range, it could be more work for an agent or editor who would rather consider a writer who has done the proper work.

Check out fiction genre word count rules.

Nathan Bransford on novel word counts.

Writers Digest Conference (New York City)

Writers Digest Conference
Sessions
From educated predictions on the future of publishing to concrete advice on marketing and selling your book, this year's sessions are packed with information that's going to revolutionize the way you look at your writing career. Click on each session for more information.


Friday, September 18
4:00 pm - 4:45 pm
Opening Address: The Changing World of Book Publishing: An Author-Centric View

4:45 pm - 6:15 pm
Decisions, Decisions: Deciding the Best Publishing Route for You
Do You Have a Meaningful Marketing Platform?

8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
The First Annual Writer's Digest Poetry Slam
Saturday, September 19

7:00 am - 9:00 am
Breakfast with the Stars

9:00 am - 10:30 am
Indie Authors and the Temple of DIY
We Control the Audio: Podcasting Your Way to Book Sales
Working with an Independent Editor: Do You Really Need One?

10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Click This! Build an Effective Author Website
Do You Have a Meaningful Marketing Platform?
Panel: How Agents Discover Talent and What They Really Want

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Keynote Address: The Book as Platform: Seeding Your Future

2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Break Free of the Bookstore: Drive Your Online Book Sales
Effective Marketing and Promotion for Fiction Writers
Panel: Moving from DIY to Traditional Publishers

4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
"The Editor Will See You Now": One-on-One Critique Appointments
Sunday, September 20

7:00 am - 9:00 am
Breakfast with the Stars

9:00 am - 10:30 am
Blog Hogs, Social Twitters and Online Tools for Authors
Panel: eBooks, Kindles and the Digitization of the Industry
Top Five Legal Issues You'll Face as an Author

10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Effective Marketing and Promotion for Fiction Writers
Indie Authors and the Temple of DIY
Twitter, Facebook, and I Really Should Update My Website

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
"The Editor Will See You Now": One-on-One Critique Appointments

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Closing Address: Show Me The Energy: Finding the Energy to Write and Complete Your Writing Projects