So, here's the problem... (length and queries and synopsis, oh my!)

[SeeCeeWrite]

Hi Folks!
My novel is currently edited down to 193k (roughly), down from 213k. I know that it's going to be a tough sale at that length, but I can't objectively find another 75k to cut out.
For a while, I decided to cut it into two, and leave it at a cliffhanger... which makes the first half unable to stand alone.
Ideally, I would like to pitch it as one - but I can't figure out how to get my synopsis down to the standard 2 pages. (Easily done if 2 pages can be allotted to each book - I have it at 4 for the full length)
Cutting down to under 150k will be challenging because it's kind of like a spider's web... if you pull on any string, it either becomes distorted or all falls apart. I'm at such a loss.

So, my laundry list of questions are:
- Should I try and tie up the first half to make it more standalone?
- Is the word count that big of a deterrent?
- Does anyone have any advice on how to pitch a title & sequel?
- Should I attempt to cut more?

Thank you SO much in advance!

[Libbie]

How many other folks have you had read it? Sometimes they can help you find quite a lot that can be cut, and may even be able to help you find a place to break it if that's what you want to do.

It's not impossible to get a very large first novel published. The deck is stacked against you, but it's been done before. You'll need persistence and a lot of patience and realistic expectations, and you'll need to be sure the ms is spectacular.

[SeeCeeWrite]

Libbie, thank you for your advice!
I've only had one other person read it - I haven't asked her yet, but she's been such a cheerleader, I have a hard time imagining she will have any helpful critique.
I can see where I would be able to cut about 5k out.. but upwards of 50-60k? I don't see it!

[Empress_Isis]

I've seen agents say that they automatically reject anything over 120K or 140K words (depending on the person). 193K is very long, it would probably be better to cut it into 2 if you can. Failing that, go and find some really big books in the bookstore and query the agents of those authors!

[sunandshadow]

You could kill 2 birds with one stone - post your 4-page synopsis and ask people if they see a place where the book could be cut in half or anything that could be cut to tighten up the synopsis.

[ChaosTitan]

Unfortunately, querying a novel at 193k words is going to get you an auto-reject form a lot of agents. To give you an idea of what that means for a paperback, my debut is about 103k words, and it will be 405 pages in mass market paperpack. Your book will be double that. Very, very few agents (not to mention editors) will take the financial risk of an 800 page book with an unknown author, especially in today's climate.

You have to cut it, or find a way to make it work as two volumes (without a cliffhanger, if possible). As unknown authors, the deck is already stacked very high against us. Word count is something, though, that we CAN control and use in our favor.

Good luck.

[SeeCeeWrite]

Thank you everyone!
At the moment, I'm going through every scene and writing them out on index cards with the purposes, trying to see what can go, and what can stay.
It would be 800 pages?!!? Clearly, I'm too wordy.



[ CUT ]

[Wayne K]

I wouldn"t send that out as a query because it's another auto reject. Query's are one page. As far as the length, if you can't figure out what to do, Dorothea Brandt says in "Becoing a Writer" to put it away for a while.I know it's the last thing you want to do with something you're passionate about, but I followed that advice and the results were amazing to me.

[KikiteNeko]

Querying a 193K novel doesn't bode well for you, I'm afraid. I'm not saying it's impossible but it's a real long shot. First, it would be tough to sell because if you go to your local bookstore, what is the average size of a book's spine? Thick books take up more shelf space, eliminating the number of books the store could sell, which takes away from other titles the bookstores also sell.

If your novel is 193K, it may also say to an agent that you are not a very disciplined author, and that you are too long-winded and that your story is filled with unnecessary things, whether it be unnecessary scenes or adjective/adverb/modifier hell.

In your synopsis alone I am seeing a lot of unneeded information, which makes me doubt all 193K is necessary. Maybe you should try signing up for a novel-writing course? I took one and they are very useful. Writing classes are great, whether you're new or experienced. Also, a synopsis should only be one page. Your query should only be a max of about three paragraphs. If you cannot do this, how will an agent pitch your book to a publisher? You can't expect they have a lot of time to read a long summary.

[SeeCeeWrite]

I should say that I wasn't planning on submitting this as is It's a first draft.
I've been advised to set it aside for a month or so, and come back to it fresh ... I think it might be best, hopefully I will be able to be more objective.
Thank you again, and of course, as much advice as possible is appreciated!

[Bufty]

Based upon what?

Originally Posted by SeeCeeWrite

I should say that I wasn't planning on submitting this as is It's a first draft.
I've been advised to set it aside for a month or so, and come back to it fresh ... I think it might be best, hopefully I will be able to be more objective.
Thank you again, and of course, as much advice as possible is appreciated!

[seun]

Originally Posted by SeeCeeWrite

I should say that I wasn't planning on submitting this as is It's a first draft.

As it's a first draft, you can definitely cut it. I work to the idea that my second drafts are around 10% less than the first. In this case, I'd cut a lot more than that.

[Linda Adams]

- Should I attempt to cut more?

Post a chapter on Share Your Work and mention the problem. Critters are likely to identify places that could easily be cut that aren't obvious to you.

[Andrew Jameson]

Originally Posted by SeeCeeWrite

Clearly, I'm too wordy.

Probably. To be blunt, when I see 193K, I don't assume you have a lengthy plot, I assume you're simply using too many words to get your ideas across.

If you trim 10% of the words out of each sentence, and 10% of the sentences out of each scene, and 10% of the scenes out of each chapter, and 10% of the chapters out of your book, you're down from 193K to 126K.

Surely you can manage 10%?

Originally Posted by Linda Adams

Post a chapter on Share Your Work and mention the problem. Critters are likely to identify places that could easily be cut that aren't obvious to you.

What she said.

[SeeCeeWrite]

Thank you!
@ Andrew.. I do have a lengthy plot, but I can see that number being immediately looked at as too wordy. And thank you for the 10%... when you put it that way, it doesn't feel or seem so overwhelming.
@Linda.. Thank you for the suggestion! I will certainly do that. I'm in a critique group as well (although I haven't brought in THIS book to work on just yet)

All in all, I think I'm seeing more and more places where things can be cut down, elements that aren't integral can be removed.