Word limit - Over or under? (1 Viewer)

adleberg

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Guess what, its almost time guys.

So who else is in conflict with the word limit?

I'm 1943 words over.
 

HinikuTheNinja

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At the moment I'm sitting on 7915 words, but I'm currently fiddling with it - I've been working on editing a hardcopy of it, and only just gotten it back so I can do it all in Word ^_^
 

starlitwonder

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Argh i was 2000 words over, now im 500 words over and i CANT CUT ANYTHING ELSE OUT
 

Emph

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YOU HAVE TO

ha ha nah don't panic. You can do it. Try creating shorter sentences to get rid of 'and' and 'but' and words like that. Also you could try inserting contractions, but this might make it too informal.
 
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For those who haven't finished yet, I advise you finish it off then have a look at the story as a whole to find weaker areas that could be chopped out.

Sometimes, you shorten a story as much as it will go and then it can take something 'deeper' like a direction change. Maybe demote a main character to a supplementary one so that you have one less thing to worry about, etc etc. Cut out one scene entirely and lengthen another one... you get the picture.
 

Dio-Rama

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916 words over. it doesnt really matter tho does it? i mean, its not like they r going to sit and count every word.
only a bummer if you have to say how many words you have; but even then you can just lie.
what if you already have short sentences and cant cut any scenes coz they are all relevant?
 

Emph

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I'm pretty sure the syllabus requirements state you need to include a word count. As for lying.... i guess there is nothing stopping you except your conscience.
 

dasphoebus

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Most extension markers will know if you're over limit. They can tell by how long it takes to read it, or how long it should be in accordance to structure etc.

If it's 1000 words over, thats another 15% (or thereabouts) they're going to spend reading. I guess a few words over won't matter, but Emph is right saying the only thing stopping you there is your conscience.
 

lady_bug99

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Mine is about 1000 words under the minimum. I don't know what else to add. My teacher keeps telling me to take out the irrelevant sentences and stop stating the obvious and i don't want to mention something just to fill in words if it is not relevant.
 

Scorch

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Mine is exactly 499 words under. After I finish this damn reflection statement I'm going to fill in abit more of Publius Habitus Lentulus' background and maybe add another minor character. I'll get there.
 

luscious-llama

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7711 :)
how delightful
299 words UNDER

Hopefulyl not much more to do.
Though its sitting pretty on 11 chapters
a 12th maybe?
 

lady_bug99

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466 words under. i am slowly making progress. i really hope i am not ruining this story it was fine before, just a few words under :)
 

velociraptor

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645 over, and I'll not be surprised to see it rise in the next err... what's left of the day. I could trim it easily, but... No.
 

Monty88

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Sitting on 7920 right now... looks like it might be staying there too. Finally, a stable word count.
 
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velociraptor said:
645 over, and I'll not be surprised to see it rise in the next err... what's left of the day. I could trim it easily, but... No.
Why risk loosing marks when you don't have to? :p
 

velociraptor

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Yes by the end, my audacity got cold feet, so after changing the ending I trimmed it down quite a bit. I think it was not quite 150 so near enough, I think I'm safe.
 

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