As far as what’s generally acceptable in a broad sense, this is a good article:

thewritelife.com/how-many-words…

And on the craft level—low word counts make agents wonder what’s left out, what isn’t there to make your story well-rounded and complex.

High word counts, what excess is there, what’s been added in or extrapolated too far.

But please remember—you might think 20-30k outside the range isn’t THAT bad, but it’s a LOT of words to have to figure out. Especially for an agent that just signed you, doesn’t know how well you can edit, and doesn’t know 100% how well you’ll receive critiques

And of course, there’s a LITTLE wiggle room—if you’re a few thousand words within the standard, you’re generally okay (but should still try to consider ways to get it IN that range if you haven’t already)

When you have a large fan base that editors believe will buy your book simply bc your name is on it, they’re FAR more likely to take a risk on word counts way outside the normal range.

But if you don’t have a fan base yet? An editor isn’t going to take the risk on that 400k book

And I want to clarify—I’m talking DEBUT authors (and authors still establishing themselves) here.

Yes, your favorite famous author has a 400k book that sold really well—but that’s because they already had an established fan base.

These counts aren’t arbitrary—they’re based on what’s sold the best in the past. There’s a REASON they’re set where they are—because books too far outside of them tend not to sell as well for debut authors

First—WORD COUNT DOES MATTER.

I promise you, agents don’t harp on it because we’re trying to torture authors.

It’s because there’s a range (dependent on age category and genre) that editors will generally consider acceptable.

Too high or low and you run the risk of auto reject

I’ve noticed a lot of word counts WILDLY outside the acceptable range lately SO

Let’s talk about word count for a hot sec—why it matters, what’s generally acceptable, and what to ask yourself if you’re outside that range!

#querytip #amwriting #amquerying #writers

You could be stuck with a fatigued publisher for your next book & new editor who doesn't appreciate it. If given a choice, I would opt for single book deals unless the advance & terms being offered are outrageously good.

But what if my first book didn't sell well? Isn't it great to have a guarantee for the next book? Yes & no. Many publishers put the same level of enthusiasm with the 2nd book even if the 1st didn't sell well. But some don't, not to mention editors leave.

If your book sells a ton of copies, theoretically you should get a nice bump in the advance for your next book. Except in a multiple book deal, the level was already set. You're leaving money on the table.

A client asked if we could get a 3 book deal and I said even if we did, I would advise against taking it. Here's why. The sales of your book dictate the level of advance you will get for your next book. #pubtip

How, When & Why to Write Synopses youtu.be/2x_LyCPpBm8 via @YouTube #WriteTip #QueryTip

How to Research Literary Agents #QueryTip #PubTip youtube.com/watch?v=8PxmWY… bookendsliterary.com/2020/01/22/how…

Also I've added a few new questions to my FAQ page, so be sure to read that if you're thinking of querying me or are waiting on a response. #querytip literallycait.tumblr.com/FAQ

The point is that dialogue can of course be an effective tool to engage a reader but it has to be something worthwhile. If not it might be best to ground the reader first in the scene and give them a reason to care about what's going on.

#querytip

"I think we should break-up."

Now this might get someone's attention. There's implied drama that's most likely about to happen. A possible train wreck you just can't look away from.

#querytip

"Hey, what's going on?"

Starting with the mundane isn't grabbing either. It's also why you rarely see people say hello or goodbye in TV shows or movies. It's not important.

#querytip

"The Arugulaian forces must defeat the great beyond of Fantainian or all will be lost for the King of Exidian."

Starting with dialogue in fantasy can be especially challenging since we don't know the world or the characters. We don't yet know why we should care.

#querytip