What should I do? After going to yesterday's workshop, I learned that my unpublished YA book is almost 37,000 words over the max. "Sage: Dance of the Marked" is just barely over 126,600 words at the moment. I've had some suggestions that I should make it into two books, but honestly that is the last thing I want to do. I don't want to put the time forward to split it into two books unless I know that I'm going to get it published.
Another suggestion that I had was to make it an adult book. I'm not sure the story and writing is of the adult caliber.
For now, I'm trying to edit out the frivolous words that I like to add when I write. I know that there are two chapters that I could edit down significantly but I don't see how I can edit out 120 pages of my book. Any suggestions out there?
About Me
- Brandi Bain
- I live in beautiful San Diego with my husband of 20 years and our two gorgeous, young daughters. I'm a pharmacist by profession but a writer by hobby. Honestly, I think I spend more time writing than dealing drugs (I mean dispensing medication).
Several of my readers have given their opinion on this. Some of you think "Sage" could go Adult, while others say I keep it YA but Denise said it the best describing "Sage" as straddling the YA/Adult line. Honestly that was how the book was intended, after all, Sage herself is straddling that line too. :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely wouldn't try to make it purely an adult novel. As you mention, part of the appeal of Sage is that it does straddle that line between youth and adulthood. I think that this is a period during our lives when everything is so emotionally weighted and every decision we make feels like it will have life altering consequences. There's a reason that so many movies and television series are focused on these transitional, formative years. As we mature it seems that our ability to ride that roller coaster is dampened, and we find ourselves longing for those feelings again; which in turn leads us to seek out characters like Sage to relive those experiences vicariously.
ReplyDeleteI'm determined to keep it YA. :) I've managed to cut out 1500 words over the last six days and bring the count down to 125,500. I have a plan on how to rewrite the beginning of the book to reduce my word count down another 5K words. I'm shooting for 115K words at this point. When I get the count down around there and I'm satisfied with the rewritten first chapters, I'll submit another query letter. I've decided that I won't seek a professional editor to help me cut the word count until I've got a dozen rejections under my belt. I don't think it will come to that though.
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