Many writers discover that a book tends to grow in the writing. Nearing completion, they may discover the manuscript they have completed is too long to submit to the publisher they have targeted. Here are some tips on how to reduce the length of a too-long novel.
While it is more painful to cut length than to add length to an existing manuscript, it is a much easier job. Always start editing by making a new file and renaming it so that if it the edits being considered don’t work out you can start over with the original draft.
Editing a Manuscript by Cutting Excess Wordage
If your manuscript is only slightly over length, it can often be reduced by taking a red pen and searching for lengthy passages and descriptions to shorten or delete. However, this is not the best way to make a big cut. Writers who try to get big changes in length this way are often disappointed to find that after going through and editing the entire book, changing around the wording doesn't significantly alter the length.
Getting rid of or shrinking passages may reduce the manuscript length by a page or two per chapter, but losing fifty pages or more usually requires more drastic measures such as cutting entire scenes and chapters.
Cutting Manuscript Length by Looking for Expendable Chapters
Read the manuscript carefully. Consider it as a whole. Divide the manuscript into three parts and plan to make cuts from each section to maintain balance.
Are there any chapters that don’t further the plot along? Mark these chapters and consider cutting them entirely. While it is always agonizing to edit out a complete chapter of a manuscript, this is the quickest way to reach your goal.
If you find compete chapters that could be omitted, be sure to read through the manuscript again to make sure there are no events in this chapter that are carried over to other chapters that will remain in the book. Sometimes editing out entire chapters requires a little minor repair work.
Cut Manuscript Length by Combining Existing Chapters
Next, see if there are any long chapters that can be combined and shortened. Sometimes, there are entire scenes that can be omitted from existing chapters. Maybe some of your chapters involve a minor character or subplot that is not entirely necessary. A little rearrangement of material and a carefully-placed spacer can often condense two long chapters into one shorter chapter.
To reduce a manuscript’s length:
- divide the manuscript into three sections and make cuts from each to maintain balance
- cut excess wordage
- look for entire chapters that could be omitted
- try combining and shortening existing chapters
Readers may enjoy these additional articles on the craft of writing: Writing the First Chapter, Building a Character Biography, and How to Add Fifty Pages to a Manuscript.
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