How Long Your Stories Should Be (And What Publishers Want)

How Long Your Stories Should Be (And What Publishers Want)

First of all, thank you so much for over 8,000 followers!!

Short Story

-Under 500 Words is described as flash fiction. It’s one scene

-Between 1,000 and 8,000 Words is a short story

-Between 5,000 and 10,000 Words is as long as a short story should ever be

Novella

-A story between 10,000 and 40,000 Words

Novel

-Anything over 40,000 Words is considered a novel, but 50,000 should be the minimum amount of words you should have (If you’re trying to get published)

-Most novels are between 60,000 and 100,000 Words

-Publishers generally don’t like more than 110,000 words, unless you’re already established

Adult fiction

-Between 80,000 and 100,000 Words

Science and Fantasy

-Generally Between 90,000 and 120,000. Not abnormal to reach the 150,000 range. (It takes time to build a whole new world)

Romance Novels

-Between 50,000 and 100,000

Crime, Mysteries and Thrillers

-Between 70,000 and 90,000

Young Adult

-Between 50,000 and 80,000

Children’s Novel

-Between 25,000 to 50,000

A mini-guide on how to line edit! I’m gonna try and make a big long post later, but for those who don’t want to read a lot of words, here’s some quick tips!

What is line editing?

Line editing is a level of editing focusing on the sentences & paragraphs. It looks at the structure of each sentence to see if it’s conveying the idea the best it can. You want to upgrade the prose and clean up the text.

When do I do line editing?

After developmental (or “big picture”) editing, before copyediting (grammar & spelling). Don’t do line edits before you really workshop your piece, because you might end up getting rid of a lot of sections in developmental edits.

Ok, but Kels, what do I do?

Right, here are the quick-and-dirty line editing tips I use:

Use the “find” tool to search up your crutch words and get rid of them. These are words like: very, definitely, just, kind of, sort of, somewhat, somehow, maybe, enough, really, seem, sudden, guess, etc. etc. Everyone has different crutch words—I personally use “just” a LOT so I went and got rid of most of them! I tend to keep crutch words in dialogue to make it sound more natural, but up to you!

Look at your “that”s. Most of the time, a “that” in a sentence can be deleted. Read the sentence without the “that” and see if it makes sense. for example: “She told me that yesterday was her birthday.” vs “She told me yesterday was her birthday.” You can do without the “that” and it makes for cleaner, more concise writing!

(this is a pain BUT) read every sentence out loud. You might notice weird turns of phrase that you’d be better off changing, or clunky phrasing, missing words, weird pacing etc. if reading the WHOLE thing seems like A LOT (it is) do it one chapter or scene at a time and take a break! this will help u notice all of the weird small things that you just don’t pick up on while reading in your head

look at sentence structure! do you have a lot of long sentences? too many short sentences? a looooong paragraph of description that isn’t broken up? do a lot of your sentences start with the same word/phrase (like “He went upstairs / He called his mom / “Hi mom…” / He thought it was weird….” all in one paragraph, even with some other stuff between it?) make sure you’re changing up the composition so your readers dont get glossy-eyed!

read your dialogue out loud SEVERAL times. each time try for a new inflection. make sure it reads the way you want it to. make sure it sounds like something a real person would say. look at it again, and make sure it matches the character. make sure it’s not too heavy-handed or cliche or obvious to the theme.

look at your metaphors & similes. is there a better, more creative way you can say that?

word choice! word choice word choice word choice. this goes along with the reading aloud and metaphor bit, but pay close attention to the word choice. Are you using strong verbs/adjectives? was that an adverb you can get rid of? can you use one word there instead of two? 

double check plot and character inconsistencies. this goes past just dialogue—look at actions & thoughts, too. while a lot of this might be caught in developmental edits, some stuff is bound to slip by. question EVERYTHING.

Some more resources: 

Line Editing article | ShaelinWrites video | Alexa Donne video | Crutch Words list 

best of luck, writers! 

Creating maps for your world

There are so many ways to go about making a map for your story, that I’m almost intimidated to try and make a useful post. I’ve done a few things regarding maps in the past, but this will be a more comprehensive look at the physical act of getting the image of your world down on paper. Or, at least, fanning the spark of your idea and developing it further. 

Method One: Freedraw

This is my preferred method. I sit down with a pencil (or a drawing tablet, more often) and sketch a wiggly line in a nonsensical shape. I usually end up with something like this:

A single country. peninsulas, islands, bays, the works. Inevitably, I see silly faces in my land masses and I always make a point to name them. 

That’s not meant to be advice, just…a me thing. Anyway…

What helps me design islands and–especially–adjacent continents is the theory of continental drift. You’d be amazed at the difference that makes in sketching out landmasses, thinking about them all fitting together in misshapen puzzle pieces. 

Continue sketching, if you need to, and then you have a nice(ish) looking thing.

From there, you can do what suits you. I, personally, start adding land forms and cities somewhat randomly, following patterns that make sense and follow regional climates. 

This method gives you a lot of power and control. You can be as random or as intentional as you want, but this method relies almost entirely on your brain and offers little help if you’re stuck. (It’s always a good place to start, get your creative juices flowing, even if you don’t end up using the maps you create.)

Also - HERE is a link to the Photoshop brush set I created while making these maps. Includes 23 brushes and it’s free to download and use. I hope you can find it useful! I hope to make more such things in the future. If you have feedback, please give it! 

Method Two: Connect the dots

On a blank paper, draw an assortment of random dots. Using more gives you less empty space, using fewer gives you the opportunity to fill in that space however you want. 

Then, connect them! You can be as adherent or liberal as you want. 

Then, repeat the final steps of method one. 

Method Three: Spilling the beans

Step One: Lay out a piece of paper (or a large sheet of paper, or a piece of poster board) on the ground or table.

Step Two: Gather your beans (or rice or dice sets or pasta…or, if you’re me, your toddlers’ sensory bin contents) 

Step Three: Hold a handful of your beans over the paper (not too high, only a few inches or so, depending how large your paper is), and drop them, letting them scatter randomly on the page. 

Step Four: Grab a pencil (or a pen, if you’re brave, or crayon if you’re me and that’s literally the only writing utensil you can find in your entire residence) and start sketching land around the beans. If you’ve added some variety to your beans, then you can let certain beans represent certain things.

Example:

Black beans = forest

pasta = mountains

other pasta = plains

pom poms= towns

Now I can add in rivers and roads and other particulars, but this is a great starting point. 

And, like your writing, you might find that your map requires a few drafts before it’s perfect. That’s fine! You don’t have to produce a perfect map on your first try. Each time you do it, you’ll see things you like and things you want to change. It’s an art in and of itself.

Allow yourself to be imperfect!

Method Four: Map Generator

Sometimes, if you’re struggling to get started, you really just need someone to hand you something concrete. Generators can be great for sparking the imagination. 

THIS is a great generator that provides a lot of thoughts on map creation.

Here is a nice little map generator that gives you a lot of customization options. It doesn’t always work, in my experience, but when it does, it’s nice.

Other thoughts:

The style of your map will tell a lot about your story. Remember, your map will likely be the second thing your readers sees (the first being your cover), and how you choose to design it will give your reader a good indication of the type of book they’re getting into. If you’re writing a sci-fi novel, you probably won’t be using an antique-style map. Something a little more along these lines (the map for my current WIP):

Choose a style for your map that fits your narrative.

Also, have fun!

Happy drawing!

Check out the rest of the Brainstorming Series! Magic Systems, Part One Magic Systems, Part Two New Species New Worlds New Cultures New Civilizations Politics and Government Belief Systems & Religion Guilds, Factions, & Groups War & Conflict Science & Technology Wildlife & Ecosystems History & Lore

Writing a novel when you imagine all you stories in film format is hard because there’s really no written equivalent of “lens flare” or “slow motion montage backed by Gregorian choir”

Writer's Guide: Writing about Alcoholic Drinks and Cocktails

Or how to write believable bar and nightclub scenes. I often find myself helping friends with their WIPs and often it as a bartender, I find myself having to correct them on bar and mixology terminology. So here's my quick guide to keeping your lingo on the straight and narrow.

Terminology

DASH/SPLASH: a drop of a mixer such as juice or flavouring.

MIXER: non alcholic beveraged served with the measure of alcohol in the same glass.

NEAT: Plain, without any addition of ice or a mixture. Just the alcohol.

ON THE ROCKS: Served over Ice.

STRAIGHT UP: The cocktail is chilled with ice and strained into a glass with no ice

DIRTY – if somebody asks for a dirty martini, you add olive juice, the more juice the dirtier it is

DRY- A dry martini includes a drop of vermouth and an extra dry martini contains a drop of scotch swirled in the glass and drained before adding the gin

BACK – a ‘back’ is a drink that accompanies an alcholic beverage such as water or Coke, but isn't mixed.

GARNISH – something added to a drink such as a lime or lemon or orange.

TWIST - a twist is literally a twist of fruit skin in the drink.

BITTERS – a herbal alcoholic blend added to cocktails.

RIMMED - the glass is coated in salt or sugar to enhance the taste.

VIRGIN- non alcoholic

MOCKTAIL- a virgin cocktail

DOUBLE - Two measures of the same alcohol in the same glass. A bartender can only legally serve a double in the same glass. They cannot serve you a triple.

Equipment

COCKTAIL SHAKER - it is a metal cup that fits into a glass, used to shake the components of your drink together with ice to chill it.

STRAINER- used to seperate ice in the shaker from the liquid within as you pour it into the glass.

MEASURES- these are little metal cylinders meant to measure out the pours of the alcohol. You pour the alcohol from the bottle into the measure and then put it into the glass. It's imperative that the right measure goes into the glass or the drink will taste of shit.

BAR SPOON – a long spoon meant to mix the drink.

OPTIC- it is a mechanism that attaches a bottle to an automatic pourer. The bartender usually fits the glass under the spout and pushes up to release the amount which cuts off at the single measure.

SHOT GLASS- a shot glass is a small glass to contain one measure

PINT GLASS- a glass used for serving pints of lager or ale

HALF PINT GLASS - a tulip shaped glass half the measure of a pint glass

SPEEDWELL/TAPS/DRAFT: are the taps used to pour beer from kegs stored under the bar floor.

SLIM JIM/HIGH BALL GLASS- It is a tall straight holding 8 to 12 ounces and used for cocktails served on the rocks such as a Gin and Tonic.

ROCKS GLASS - or an old fashioned glass, it is short and round. These glasses are used for drinks such as Old Fashioneds or Sazerac

COUPE GLASS- Are broad round stemmed glasses used for cocktails that are chill and served without ice such as a Manhattan, Boulevardier or a Gimlet

MARTINI GLASS - a martini glass is that classic stemmed "v" shaped glass, used to serve drinks without mixers such as Martini and Cosmopolitans

MARGARITA GLASS - is a large, round bowl like glass with a broad and a tall stem used for Margaritas and Daiquiris

HURRICANE GLASS- a tall tulip-like shaped glass with a flared rim and short stem. It holds 20 ounces which means it is the perfect glass to serve iced cocktails in such as Pina Colada, Singapore Sling, Hurricane

Alcoholic Drinks

Vodka- Vodka is made from potatoes or fermented cereal grains. It has a strong taste and scent. It is usually consumed neat with a mixer such as Coke or Orange juice or cranberry juice or in cocktails like Martini, Bloody Mary and Cosmopolitan.

Whisky/Whiskey- Whiskey is a distilled alcoholic beverage, made from fermented grain mash such as barley, corn, rye, and wheat. It gets its flavour form being fermented in casks for long period of time. When serving a whiskey, one asks whether they want ice or a mixer. Everyone has their own preference. I prefer mine like myself, strong and Irish. Scotch is Scottish Brewed whisky.

Rum- Rum is made by fermenting and distilling sugarcane molasses/juice. It is aged in oak barrels. It has a sweet taste.

Beer: is made out of cereal grains and served chilled in bottles or pulled from taps/speedwells.

Ale: Ale in the middle ages referred to beer brewed without hops (a kind of flowering plant that gives beer its bitter taste). It is sweeter and would typically have a fruity aftertaste.

Stout- is a darker beer sometimes brewed from roasted malt, coming in a sweet version and dry version, the most famous stout being Guinness.

Poitín- (pronounced as pot-cheen) is made from cereals, grain, whey, sugar beet, molasses and potatoes. It is a Dangerous Drink (honestly i still don't know how I ended up in that field with a traffic cone and a Shetland pony) and technically illegal. Country folk in Ireland used to brew it in secrets in stills hidden on their land.

Vermouth: Is made from infused with roots, barks, flowers, seeds, herbs, spices, brandy but vermouth is classed aromatized wine. It comes sweet or dry

Gin- is made from juniper, coriander, citrus peel, cinnamon, almond or liquorice and grain alcohol. Gin has a strong scent and taste and is usually served in a martini or a tonic water.

Schnapps- refers to any strong, clear alcoholic beverage. It is considered one of the best types of spirits because of its pure and delicate aroma. Lesson: never drink peach schnapps.

Cocktails and Drinks

Irish Coffee: an Irish coffee is adding whiskey to coffee and sugar and topping it with cream. As a bartender, I would honestly rather cut my arm off than make one of these.

Baby Guinness: Is a shot made by pouting Tia Maria or Kaluah into a shot glass and spreading Baileys on the top so it looks like a small pint of Guinness.

Silver Bullet: a shot of mixed tequila and sambuca.

Long Island Iced Tea:  The Long Island contains vodka, gin, tequila, light rum, lemon juice, triple sec and cola. It has a real kick.

Mai Tai: is made with light and dark rum, lime juice, orange curacao, orgeat syrup and rock candy syrup and served with a mint garnish.

Manhattan: The Manhattan is made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters.

Margarita: The margarita is made with tequila, cointreau and lime juice.

Mojito: a mojito is made with muddled mint, white rum, lime juice, simple syrup and soda.

Martini: a martini is made of gin, dry vermouth and garnished with a lemon twist or olives.

Mimosa: a mimosa is a made with sparkling wine and orange juice.

Mint Julep: Made with Kentucky bourbon, simple syrup, mint leaves and crushed ice

Pina Colada: is made with white rum, dark rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream

Screwdriver: Vodka and Orange juice

Tequila Sunrise: tequila, orange juice and grenadine

Tom Collins: made with spiked lemonade, sparkling water, lemon juice, simple syrup and gin

Whiskey Sour: is made with powdered sugar, seltzer, lemon juice and whiskey.

White Russian: made with vodka, coffee liqueur and cream.

Black Russian: made with two parts coffee liqueur and five parts vodka.

Gin and Tonic: gin served with tonic water

Bloody Mary: made with vodka and tomato juice mixed with lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, fresh herbs, brown sugar and cracked black pepper.

Brandy Alexander: served straight up and made with brandy, cognac, creme de cacao and cream

Cosmopolitan: Made with citrus vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and fresh lime juice

Daiquiri: made with rum, lime juice and sugar.

Gimlet: gin and lime juice

My Top 10 Bartending Rules and Responsibilities

Overpouring is never an option. You can seriously hurt somebody by overpouring, not to mention spoil the drink and ruin your sales. You only serve people what they ask and never more.

When somebody has had enough, you stop serving them. After a while, you know when to cut somebody off.

Never leave bottles on the counter or in reach of customers. Your expensive spirits should never be in reach of anybody but you.

If you tell somebody your selling them premium and top shelf alcohol, you cannot substitute with cheaper licqor. It's illegal.

As a bartender, your eyes always have to be scanning a crowd. You can't leave people hanging.

The golden rule - if you see somebody messing with someone's drink, you chuck it if you can or warn the person. And you get that son of a bitch out of your pub.

50% of the job is cleaning. You have to clean your tools constantly. You cannot reuse measures and spouts, you have to wash everything. Beer traps are clean out every night, rubber mats are washed and anything you have used has to be clean.

You have to hand dry your glasses. You never polish a pint glass as it fucks up the pint. You polish your cocktail glasses, shot glasses and straight glasses.

If someone seems down or on their own, you try make conversation. Often you'll hear some disturbing stuff but always try lend an ear or make everyone feel included.

If you break a glass in the ice bucket, you got to get rid of the ice.