Word limit intimidates even the most experienced authors. It’s arguably one of the most common problems of writers and authors. Writing, in general, is a very complex profession. You have to learn about the different types of manuscripts and the word count that comes along. If you think that’s tough, you still have to consider if your work is too long or too short. Forgetting to check your word limit can become a major factor in getting rejected by your desired publisher.
Afterward, you have to familiarize yourself with the requirements of different publishers. Not all of them accommodate different writing genres. Publishers like Cambridge International Science Publishing Ltd (CISP) mostly cater to non-fiction books focused on science and math. Meanwhile, there are self-publishing portals like Barnes & Noble Press that assist authors to easily sell their work in print or ebooks. Almost every publisher strictly follows the required word limit of different types of manuscripts.
All of this may sound intimidating but the challenges that come along with this career path exhilarates most writers. Coming up with fresh ideas for content keeps your mind active. Keep your mind alert and free from the stress of rejection. To help you out, we came up with a list of tips and tricks to keep your writing on track.
Remember to Practice Your Word Limit
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The word limit applied in written works may or may not be similar. Some may have an astonishingly high number of 6,000 words while others may be as low as 200 words. Getting a book deal is more than just submitting your story. You also have to prepare the short introduction and the commentary. These parts contain an additional 5,000 words to your book. To keep yourself from getting overwhelmed, try training yourself to write in smaller portions.
For example, you have to write your book’s commentary with a word limit of 2,000 words. Divide your work into four portions with 500 words. Use an online word counter to keep your word limit goal in check. This keeps your head from stressing over the looming word count you have to submit to your editor. This practice helps you leave more room for additional words to keep your word count intact after your editor reviewed your work. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with this practice, writing another book will be a lot easier.
Familiarize Yourself With The Importance of Word Count
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Experienced writers use various online tools to keep their word limit in check. Publishers strictly follow word counts to keep readers interested in the books they sell. Each word count attracts certain readers. Sending work that has less or more than the required word limit puts you at the risk of getting rejected. You have to remember that publishers don’t want to waste the money they invested in the authors that they signed with. Most publishers provide the list of instructions and manuscripts they expect to receive from authors. You should keep their rules in mind before submitting anything that might get rejected later on.
Go Ahead And Use An Online Character Counter To Achieve Your Word Limit
Save yourself from failing to follow your required word limit by quickly searching for a word count tool online. If you’re required to submit a blurb of your book, you can easily find an online character counter. This saves you from going over the character limit that most publishers follow. You don’t have to be ashamed of using online tools especially if you’re a rookie writer. Even the most experienced published authors use whatever helps them submit their work before their deadlines. Most online tools even have grammar checkers that will help you save your editor some time in reviewing your work.
Best Practices to Keep In Mind When Writing
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The saying practice makes perfect especially applies to writing. Choosing this career path teaches you so much in honing your craft. Don’t be afraid of taking the plunge when you decide to be an author. Producing the best content for publisher-worthy books takes time. To boost your writing skills, we compiled the two most important practices to keep in mind.
Avoid Writing With A Passive Voice As Much As Possible
One of the most common mistakes of writers includes writing with a passive voice. It may easily increase your word count, but it also makes your content confusing to readers. You must consciously change passive to active voice to avoid this. Train yourself in avoiding sentences with the “by the” phrase. To achieve this, you may switch the sentence’s act as your new subjects. This step challenges you to come up with verbs aside from am, is, and, are.
No matter what genre you’re hoping to write about, always consider making your content easier to read. Use website builders like WordPress that feature active voice checkers in their writing areas. To further help you, check out some online guides to avoid writing in a passive voice too.
Follow an Outline
Creating a detailed outline before writing content for a book makes everything a lot easier. It may or may not speed up your writing but it certainly keeps you from getting stuck with writer’s block. Following an outline applies to both fiction and non-fiction writers. You can use an online mind map maker or just write one from scratch. Start by scribbling down the factors of the introduction of your book. Enumerate the succeeding events that follow like the rising actions, conflict, and the climax of your story. For non-fiction authors, you can list down a timeline of the notable events of your topic. This helps you elaborate on important details that will help you achieve your required word limit.
You will face a lot of rejections before you can get your book published. But, that’s okay. Don’t be ashamed of failing. Failures hone your skills in making you a better writer. Not all published authors succeeded in one go. You can’t please every publisher you encounter. Take your time and familiarize yourself with word counts and manuscripts. Set time in finding publishers that understand your vision. Think long and hard before you consider signing with a publisher too.