So happens this is a situation I’m in right now.
My word counts always get me in trouble. I’ve never been a concise person. The opposite, in fact. Turns out the agent who’s interested here likes my book, but has given me a word count ultimatum of under 115,000 words. It’s 145,000 words right now. (Believe it or not, that’s after a massive cut before I started submissions. The first draft was 171,000 words.)
It’s frustrating to have to play by the publishing industry’s rules, but first novels almost never get a pass when it comes to high word counts. At least if this agent ends up not signing me either (like the last few who invoked word count or pacing when rejecting my full manuscript), I’ll have a more marketable book to show for it at the end.
If you’ll excuse me, I have some un-writing to do.
…D:
But…how…it’s 30k words…how do you manage to cut…that’s…
@_@ I hope it’s not complete and total torture, Ivy. But…at least you’re getting closer and closer to publishing! 😀
Just over 10,000 words dead on the cutting room floor now. ;___;
Good luck with it. (I intend to read one of your eventual books :)) And boo for shortening.
I managed to do it–I got the book shortened down to 115,000 words, and submitted it to the agent asking for it. It’s now actually in consideration by two agents, weirdly–one full manuscript, one partial. We’ll see what happens.
I have the opposite problem. I can’t seem to generate the word count for a short-short, let alone a series of novels. So, for the record, you’ve cut more, from 171,000 to 115,000, than I’ve written in my entire life.
On the other hand, most of what I’ve written has been published. And by more vain publishers than PublishAmerica.
This is great news! (yes, cutting is fun, and hard.)