When Words Count (Advice for Aspiring Writers)
Words count. They matter. They affect. They resonate. They hurt and they heal. So, yes… words count. However, I’m referring to a different kind of word counting, the literal kind. It’s what authors are constantly checking when writing – the number of words in the story. Literally.
Aspiring and new writers (and the curious readers) are often surprised to learn that this is an important part of what we do. Different genres and even their sub-genres have different word count expectations. For example, a novel could be as few (yes, few) as 40,000 words. Although by most industry standards, a minimum of 50,000 is preferred. Most of my books are between 60,000 and 65,000 words and fall under the romance, chick-lit, and contemporary fiction umbrellas.
As for short stories, ones that consist of about 500 hundred words or less are deemed flash fiction. Works in the the 1,000 to 8,000 range are short stories and a novella is in the 10,000 to 40,000 range.
No matter what the general guidelines are, you’re ALWAYS going to follow whatever the publishing company dictates in their submissions guidelines. Most often they’ll ask for Times New Roman (font), 12 point (font size) and single-spaced.
Publishers are usually very clear in how they want their submissions. Some will want everything in the body of an email. That means your query letter, short bio, publishing history, synopsis, and (typically) the first three to five chapters of your manuscript. By the way, don’t waste your or their time submitting with WIP (work in progress). Wait until it had been edited, read by beta readers, and as ready for print as within your capabilities.
Other publishers will insist on separate attachment files for each requirement and only your query letter in the body of the email. There are also publishing companies that use a Submittable form where you plug in your answers to formatted questions and attach the document file.
What matters foremost, is that you follow their rules. When they tell you flat out, “We will not read any submission that doesn’t follow the guidelines,” they mean it. It won’t matter if you wrote the greatest book of all time if you can’t get it past the gatekeeper!
The obvious understanding is that you are submitting a manuscript that you’ve poured time, energy, and love into (maybe some blood, sweat, and tears, too) and you believe it belongs out in the universe. GREAT!! You know it’s special (also, you know it’s special) so, that query letter isn’t that important right? Wrong, wrong, wrong. If your query letter sucks – or, to be less harsh – if your query letter doesn’t capture and enrapture (or at least pique curiosity), then they might not read the manuscript. Think of it from their perspective – “If you can’t interest me with your letter, how’s your book going to?” – then you’ll see how important it is.
Sidenote – I’ve written crap queries. I’ve submitted not good enough manuscripts in my impatience to publish. I’ve done everything you’re not supposed to do, and I’ve had to start over, and try again, and eat crow, and kick myself, and pull myself up by the bootstraps. It’s all good, my friends. Plus, if throwing myself under the bus helps you on your journey, it’s even more all good by me.
