General Chat

Hi there team,

Just wondering how I can increase the amount of words in my stories. I have two down and one to go, but I know they need more work, they are only in edit stage.

I don't want to add words, just for the sake of adding words, I know some areas of the story still needs description, which will also help, but would like some other ideas also.

"You will never get published if you don't write." Said Kerry Mead (my darling husband!)

WIP - Book III - The Rise of the Chrystias 58326 / 50000 words (First draft)
Total word count - 158543!

Well, could your characters be given hobbies or something like that? Such as swimming or something along those lines. That can help with expressing your characters better. And remember people do random things sometimes just for the sake of being random. Plus, there could be things like walking into a room and forgetting what you wanted, so you leave the room, only to remember what you wanted and have to go back in.

September Zing Thing -> 0/2,000

Illuminated Words - My writing blog

Maybe add another subplot or something? Those can be good ways to bulk up your word counts while also adding to the depth and quality of the story.

WIP: Ayden: 92,043/95,000 (estimated total).
Rough Editing: Lifelines: 104/104 pages.

J.C Hart

Thanks for the suggestions. The hobbys are a little hard in a Fantasy novel, but one is a Herbal (herbalist), so I could perhaps expand on that a little, each member of the nomadic tribe has a role, could also expand on that.

As for the subplot, I have actually added two new characters with their own plots and they are kind of taking over! Also, I don't want to complicate things too much.

I also have some conflict between main characters - any suggestions are good suggestions.

"You will never get published if you don't write." Said Kerry Mead (my darling husband!)

WIP - Book III - The Rise of the Chrystias 58326 / 50000 words (First draft)
Total word count - 158543!

I agree with Cassie, add a subopot.
But sailorchibi, didn't you just finish an 188000 word novel? Hard to imagine a lack of words.

Subplots are the answer, I think. But be carefully they don't take over the story as else there'll be a lot of rewriting to do. :) speaking from personal experience

http://writerspress.co.nz/writersblog/

http://www.leepletzers.net

My suggestion was going to be subplots too. You can do this with existing characters as well as adding new ones like you have. Maybe you can find something in another aspect of your main character's life that could complicate the rest of what you have going on?

You could always throw in an external conflict like a natural disaster or just a really bad storm. :)

No Excuses. Just Write.
WIP - Freeing the Flame: 31/66 scenes of scene review #3.
Eve's Vineyard: 3,375/6,000 (Sept Zing Thing)

Thanks KerrynAngell, have already made some very complicated subplots and guess what, threw in an earth quake! Hahaha, I'm starting to find this amusing because I think I have already maxed out the words with the suggestions already made!

New characters have been added, conflict between then and main characters have made it so that they have almost taken over the story, will have to promise them a story of their own, but another time! Also some of my protaganists are part of an elite society and age differently to the others... one has been kidnapped, one is falling in love with another and developing a wee love triangle there, one has just been cursed and about to transform into another creature which explains why another (animal) character is part of the story - And I didn't want to complicate things. Any more suggestions...? Greatfully appreciated.

"You will never get published if you don't write." Said Kerry Mead (my darling husband!)

WIP - Book III - The Rise of the Chrystias 58326 / 50000 words (First draft)
Total word count - 158543!