Comments on: 150,000… and counting. http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/ fiction by paolo bacigalupi Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:50:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Jess http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/comment-page-1/#comment-56864 Jess Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:26:41 +0000 http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/#comment-56864 I have always thought that literature is a piece of art and there is no room for commerce. The content of a book does matter but not the number of words! I think it is awful that writes have to count the number of words in order to sell a book. I have always thought that literature is a piece of art and there is no room for commerce. The content of a book does matter but not the number of words! I think it is awful that writes have to count the number of words in order to sell a book.

]]> By: Paolo http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/comment-page-1/#comment-54804 Paolo Thu, 06 Dec 2007 02:37:13 +0000 http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/#comment-54804 This is sort of depressing. I've been sitting with this for the last day and a half and it still bums me out. Short of lobotomizing the book, there's no way it could be cut into two satisfying chunks. And the Ellroy trick... meh. It really makes you think about the strange interaction between creative work and commerce. This is sort of depressing. I’ve been sitting with this for the last day and a half and it still bums me out. Short of lobotomizing the book, there’s no way it could be cut into two satisfying chunks. And the Ellroy trick… meh.

It really makes you think about the strange interaction between creative work and commerce.

]]> By: Ted http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/comment-page-1/#comment-54304 Ted Tue, 04 Dec 2007 01:05:34 +0000 http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/#comment-54304 James Ellroy was once told to cut a manuscript by 30% for reasons of cost. Rather than remove any scenes, he just cut words out of each and every sentence. He liked the prose style that resulted, so he deliberately adopted it for subsequent work. Obviously this approach won't work for everyone. James Ellroy was once told to cut a manuscript by 30% for reasons of cost. Rather than remove any scenes, he just cut words out of each and every sentence. He liked the prose style that resulted, so he deliberately adopted it for subsequent work. Obviously this approach won’t work for everyone.

]]> By: Chang http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/comment-page-1/#comment-54281 Chang Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:46:51 +0000 http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/#comment-54281 The Great Scalzi says 100K if memory serves. That's what I'm aiming for. Good luck on editing that beast! The Great Scalzi says 100K if memory serves. That’s what I’m aiming for. Good luck on editing that beast!

]]> By: Tim Pratt http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/comment-page-1/#comment-54276 Tim Pratt Mon, 03 Dec 2007 23:31:54 +0000 http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/#comment-54276 Yeah, at that length, you run the real risk that a publisher will buy it, then hack it into two roughly 80,000 word pieces and publish it as "volume 1" and "volume 2" (that's if you're lucky; sometimes they don't even give a hint on the cover that the first book is only half a novel). This is happening more and more in recent years, as the big chain bookstores are unwilling to sell hardcovers above a certain price point (unless you're Thomas Pynchon or something). Yeah, at that length, you run the real risk that a publisher will buy it, then hack it into two roughly 80,000 word pieces and publish it as “volume 1″ and “volume 2″ (that’s if you’re lucky; sometimes they don’t even give a hint on the cover that the first book is only half a novel). This is happening more and more in recent years, as the big chain bookstores are unwilling to sell hardcovers above a certain price point (unless you’re Thomas Pynchon or something).

]]> By: Shara Saunsaucie http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/comment-page-1/#comment-54258 Shara Saunsaucie Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:12:54 +0000 http://windupstories.com/2007/12/03/150000-and-counting/#comment-54258 Bah! Worry about your word count later. Get the stuff down first, get it trimmed, polished, etc., and then worry about the word count. ;) Bah! Worry about your word count later. Get the stuff down first, get it trimmed, polished, etc., and then worry about the word count. ;)

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