by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
I’ve finally gotten the ebb and flow of the first half of the first draft of my first novel just about where I want it to be. The novel’s structure breathes like a real novel and there’s the proper cause and effect involved, which is good. But there is one huge looming problem — it may existentially have too many words.
I say “existentially” because relative to my writing ability, I have have come up with a really great story but for the number of scenes I feel is necessary to tell that story. In the past when I had this problem, I just split the novel in two — hence how I have six novels in total I want to write as part of this project.
But this version of the first novel is a coherent whole that flows well from first to second half and there’s just no need to cut the novel in half AGAIN. In fact, it just wouldn’t make any sense. So, I find myself in something of a conundrum. My best hope is that either I figure out how to shave off words as I transition the first draft into a second draft or my beta readers — should I somehow find some — will suggest some structural edits that will allow me to cut down the word count.
I really need this first novel to fall around the 100,000 word sweet spot if I have any hope of getting a literary agent. And, yet, I suppose I can rationalize the word count by saying if the story is strong enough maybe, just maybe, that, unto itself, will sell the novel despite the length.
That, of course, is an extremely delusional take on my part, but at this point, I’m still in the delusional phase of writing this novel and that kind of delusion is all I have.
But, in general, I’m very pleased with the state of the novel. I just have to keep plugging along, keep believing. I definitely think I’m not going to embarrass myself and maybe might event impress the haters who think I suck and am a drunk crank that they simply can not, will not, take seriously.
