Discussion
#WritersCoffeeClub – 5th Sept. Do you track your word count? How? Why?
Yes, in Scrivener, at project and scene level. Reason: at scene level to ensure even pacing for readers (and keep within their attention span given known average reading speed), and at project level because publishers like to know this shit for production reasons (my book contracts specify the required length of the book they're buying, +/- about 10%).
@cstross I didn't know they specified length to +/-10%. If memory serves right, Stephen King thought that The Stand was too constricted at 900 pages and then managed to get it re-issued at 1,200 pages, i.e. 1/3 more. Did you ever feel that one of your books wasn't long enough, e.g. needed some more space for more exposition or a deeper side-story?
@jsl The contract specifies length and +/- 10%; in reality there's a lot of wiggle room for (a) editorial cuts and (b) production decisions (use smaller margins/typeface to cram more text in). But there *are* hard limits and if you blow through them the physical book manufacturing costs skyrocket or the book looks too thin to the customers so they don't buy it.
@cstross - Does Neal Stephenson's publisher specify "as long as possible - please, longer than last time"?
@johncarlosbaez I have no idea, but probably not! The cost of goods issue isn't about ink/paper so much as the cost of binding a fat hardcover book block using traditional saddle-stitched binderies: they have to switch to a heavy duty sewing machine if the book goes over a certain thickness, but it's a step function, not a continuously variable cost.
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