Well, today I got a more polished version of chapter 6 of my book. Now then, the chapter was over 2k in words. I can't stand short chapters. Just an OCD of mine. I got to reading it and the chapter was WAY shorter than what I had originally typed up. So, I stuck it in Word Processor and checked the word count. It was cut quite a bit. Practically 1000 words less than what it was originally. I was shocked and upset. The chapter is now pitifully short. ;-; Only a little over 800 in words. Which caused my OCD to spazz!
So, I added more stuff back in. Now it sits a little over 1k words. Which soothed my bruised OCD. I appreciate all her hard work in finding my errors, but cutting content just... irks me. I think I can understand some of it. Honestly, I can, but over 1k in words cut? *shudders* Most of it was stuff that eluded to other stuff in the story. So, I had to fix some of it. ;-;
I understand that when I find an agent and then if an Editor gets a hold of it... I could be dealing with the same thing. BUT, I just was extremely shocked at some of the cuts and words she put in. For example, she refers to Rupert as a child or kid sometimes. When he is a YOUNG MAN. Early twenties. Even though he is a Lycki and Immortal. It just sounds wrong when he shows his attraction to Agatha (a Jackal that was cursed to be an elderly woman = spoiler!) and vice versa!
All I want to do is face palm and just edit it. Some of the word edits are fine. Like describing certain characters better or movements, etc. I am appreciative of this, but I just get irked over the 'kid' word edits. ^^;
Any way... I need to write more to 13 and add it to the list to be looked at. *sighs*
I think you should free-flow with it. Having paragraph lengths and chapter lengths vary can actually build a sense of curiosity and reader interest. I allow a chapter to end when it feels like adding more information would feel cumbersome for the content in it.
ReplyDelete(That's just me though.)
BTW ... I followed. Please RTF
http://VampireReview.blogspot.com
I look forward to reading your updates!
I do apologize if I didn't come off as coherent when I posted that. XD I actually to write a chapter until it sounds finished, but my OCD really likes me to hit around 1k words or better. I am not sure how to explain this OCD other than it is an odd want and need to make sure each chapter is close to or over 1k in words.
ReplyDeleteAny way. Really it wasn't the word count that bothered me as a writer. It was the content that was blatantly cut out. I mean, there were things that eluded to other stuff in later chapters that was cut out. Quite on purpose. That bothered me the most. Even though it doesn't seem so in said above post.
I am just going to have to really watch and fix those areas. Cause when it is cut like that... there is no transitional sentence. It just jars you when you read a paragraph that you know has been cut. It is like one thought goes on for a bit and then, WHAM a new thought emerges and you don't know how or why. So, I am going to have to go in and edit some stuff. Cause sometimes... it reads weird. ^^;
Oh and I followed back!