Word count is obviously quite important to a writer, whether you have a limit (for a short story, for example) or a number you're aiming for. I write chick lit and aim to write between 80,000 and 90,000 words.
I like to keep track of my word count on my blog and use a little counter. It can look a bit poor when I first start as the counter is blank but the words soon begin to tot up and I find it spurs me on as the bar fills up.My progress bar is nice and full at the moment as I've finished that particular book but when I start my new one (very, very soon), all that lovely green in the bar will be gone.
How many words do you aim for? And do you keep track of them?
I love that counter! What a great idea :)
ReplyDeleteThank you. I 'stole' the idea from Cally Taylor's blog. Thought it was a great idea to keep me motivated.
DeleteI think it's quite easy to get hung up on word count, although it's nice to rack up an impressive number, we should focus on the story first. The good thing is with self-publishing, a lot of the conventions over appropriate counts for different genres are melting away.
ReplyDeleteIt goes both ways with me - I've racked up too many words and have had to cut down.
DeleteI aim for the minimum I need for a rough draft of whatever I'm working on, be it a novel or a short story. Keeping track of the wordcount helps spur me into action. Setting a deadline to make that number is even more effective. Getting that draft down is the hardest part for me. Once that's done, I just make note of the wordcount ceiling and make sure the final draft ends up less than that. :)
ReplyDeleteI find setting myself goals spurs me on too, especially if I'm in a bit of a slump.
DeleteAnything over 50k for me is pretty good and gets me motivated. Without WC goals we wouldn't have 'Word Wars' and I don't know about you, but I don't want to live in a world without word wars!
ReplyDeleteWhat are words wars? I'm intrigued.
DeleteAs for blog posts, I try to keep it between 500 and 600 words. I am a high school student, so I unfortunate.y don't have time to really sit down and write right now :(.
ReplyDeleteWe've all been there!
DeleteSometimes, when I set myself word count goals, I panic more about reaching the goal and lose my flow, concentrating more on the count. Love that progress bar though : )
ReplyDeleteProbably best to just concentrate on the story to begin with then. You can always expand or cut down later.
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