[stylist] Story of hoodlums/word limit

Tue Jan 11 03:37:35 UTC 2011

indeed Judith,
another important issue is what is around your sentence.  perhaps a 
short snappy sentence is good because you don't want to overshadow 
the blockbuster that's coming soon.
or maybe you've just exausted the reader's tolerance for adjectives 
and the simple sentence is comforting?
jc

At 06:02 PM 1/10/2011, you wrote:
>Your sentence makes sense, but I have to see it within the context 
>of a paragraph in the story.
>----- Original Message ----- From: "James H. "Jim" Canaday M.A. 
>N6YR" <n6yr at sunflower.com>
>To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 6:39 PM
>Subject: Re: [stylist] Story of hoodlums/word limit
>
>
>>indeed,
>>that's the first question I ask myself when I am reading over the 
>>composition with an eye to editing or shortening.  but I have to 
>>balance with imagery and effect.
>>I could write:
>>He ran into the house.
>>or for the emotional place in the story, need of the character, 
>>etc., maybe it is better to say:
>>looking anxiously over his shoulder, he suddenly ran into the house 
>>for shelter.
>>
>>jc
>>
>>At 03:27 PM 1/10/2011, you wrote:
>>>There's a lot that's difficult about being a novelist.  If only a 
>>>publisher would buy a book that started out with, "Once upon a 
>>>time" and ended with, "And they all lived happily ever 
>>>after."  The in between space could be dedicated to sleeping.  But 
>>>that's not being a novelist.  Lori had the best advice for cutting 
>>>down the word count in a story.  Lori, correct me if I'm wrong, 
>>>but she advised taking out everything that didn't advance the plot. Judith
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: <LoriStay at aol.com>
>>>To: <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 4:12 PM
>>>Subject: Re: [stylist] Story of hoodlums/word limit
>>>
>>>
>>>Being a novelist, I know what you mean by having trouble limiting to 500
>>>words!
>>>Lori
>>>In a message dated 1/9/11 7:34:31 PM, n6yr at sunflower.com writes:
>>>
>>>
>>>>p.s. I did try to emphasize not exactly the opulence but the power of
>>>>Joab St. Brendan by how he ordered that the uniform be cleaned
>>>>in his hotel. and later the reference to the cigars.
>>>>
>>>>easily this could've been a 1250-word story.
>>>>jc
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>>
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>
>
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