Today, I leave you in the capable hands of fantastic author Heather Kuehl.Word Count
I recently read a guest blog post from a fellow Eternal Press author about word count goals and how they may hamper rather than help. While I was commenting, I discovered that I had a lot to say concerning word count goals. I think having goals, either daily or overall goals, makes for a better person. If you have a goal you’re more likely to sit down and work on it, and the proud feeling you get when you accomplish that task makes all the hard work worthwhile. When I sit down to write, I give myself an overall word count goal as well as a due date. For example, when I was writing Blood Moon my word count goal was 25k and my due date was July. Blood Moon was finished on time but my word count was 22k, which was fine by me. If I set a daily word count goal it would only lead to disappointment. There are days that I’m lucky to write 500 words (if at all). With an overall word count goal I am able to feel proud of the amount I am able to write per day, knowing that I am one step closer to having a finished manuscript in my hands.
I have a couple of rules that I live by when writing: 1) It doesn’t matter if I am below or above my word count goal, when a story is done it’s done. I’m not going to add some stuff in there to make to reach my goal. Which brings me to 2) No useless filler. Does a scene make the plot progress or add to character development? No. Then it’s cut.If you are a writer, what are your goals when you sit down to play with your characters? If you aren’t a writer, what do you love to do and what goals do you set?
Discover the Sarah Vargas Series. Books one and two in this series, Fade to Black and Malevolent Dead, are available now from Eternal Press. Book three, Blood Moon, is due out in March 2011.
Fade to Black blurb:
Werewolf bounty hunter Sarah Vargas has only one goal in life; to kill the Were that attacked and changed her. However a slew of werecreature murders send Sarah and her partner, Jared Fontaine, on the mission of their lives, ending with a discovery about Jared’s past that might destroy them both.
Malevolent Dead blurb:Werewolf Sarah Vargas thought all she had to worry about was the Blood Moon Corporation's retaliation. She never dreamed that another vampire would arrive, disputing Damian's claim over the throne to Charleston, SC. To make matters worse, he is no ordinary vamp; he's a vampire necromancer. He's exceptionally hard to kill, and Sarah will have to do what ever she can to keep those that she loves safe... Even if it means doing the unthinkable.
Blood Moon blurb:
After she broke her contract with the Blood Moon Corporation, Sarah Vargas knew that it was only a matter of time before they came for her. What she didn't know is what lengths they would go to to make sure that she had no where to run. Everyone Sarah has every relied on is in danger during a time when friends become enemies, and Sarah quickly realizes that the Blood Moon Corporation will never give up until she is dead. The Blood Moon Corporation is coming, and even Sarah doesn't think she can make it out alive.
Buy Links
Malevolent Dead: Book Two of the Sarah Vargas Series, Eternal Press
Fade to Black: Book One of the Sarah Vargas Series, Eternal Press
Promises to Keep, Eternal Press
Coming Soon
Just Another Paranormal Christmas (featuring my story “The Unexpected Guests”), Mojocastle Press (11/27/2010)
Blood Moon: Book Three of the Sarah Vargas Series, Eternal Press (3/7/2011)
Visit Heather Kuehl online at http://www.heatherkuehl.com/, http://www.heatherkuehl.blogspot.com/ or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.
