top of page

How many words?

I emerge from my cave to say….

The finished manuscript is set for nearly 95,000 words. Out of interest I tallied up the words I have so far in the “finished chapters” and I was at 70,000. I can’t say they are all golden words, but it is 70,000 words of edited language that I consider good. I have volumes of discarded language–no reason to count that.

I wish I could say it has been one flash of genius after another. But like most writers in a project of this size I go through moments of great exhiliration, feeling that I am writing something original and worthwhile. At times I feel like I am reading the book that I wanted to read when I was searching for a good biography of Toole four years ago. And then at other times I doubt and question every choice I make. Why did I use that image? Am I going to far in my interpretation? Should I restrain myself or should I give more?

But with over 2/3 of the book more or less ready to be submitted, I at least have some sense that this project is survivable.

Ah–I have breathed the fresh air too long. Back to my cave…

 
 
 

Comments


Contact Me

Thanks for submitting!

Cory MacLauchlin is represented by Peter Steinberg at United Talent Agency 

 

For subsidiary rights to Butterfly in the Typewriter contact William Clark Associates at wmclark@wmclark.com

bottom of page