I rewrite a novel as many times as I think it needs doing for a variety of reasons (and I mean rewrite not edit). With my first whilst it was good and had indeed gripped several readers - I had learned a lot in my year of writing. When I see something happening I want to know why so i studied where the words were coming and what was changing. Four novels now completed to at least first draft, I now know amount of action vs number of words is a good indication of pacing before I even start reading and editing it (in fact I don't always read my first drafts much). My current work Socrates' Children is a big story - when I read the synopsis I don't need to read the book to know that 75K or so in the first draft is a lot fewer words than I need and that is also knowing there are infodumps, and other scenes and characters that need to come out. Every writer should know their own abilities, faults and what works for them. With each story and novel completed that understanding and knowledge should grow. I am not uneconomical with words but I also know I spent several years writing first academically and then writing labels for museum displays. I have no bother describing six-hundred-years worth of history in a sentence. I am one of the few writers I know that does not struggle writing a 700 word synopsis. For a novel that is too fast especially plots as busy as the ones I write. Someone Else's Life was a good book at 50K words it had readers gripped and several who are passionate about it and the characters. 79K is a much better paced book, the characters are much better developed, allowing them to drive the story better - same readers are much happier with it (despite not wanting me to rewrite it). I can now tell once I write the synopsis at the end of the first draft whether the number of words is right or not - which then gives me an indication of where my focus is going to be on the second draft.
Let's also keep in mind that pace and word count are not the same thing, nor necessarily have any bearing on one another.
The problem I have when I write is that I'm a very to-the-point speaker and this usually translates itself into my written work. That means I'm usually done with a chapter that's barely 5 pages long and sounds a bit dry. A new technique I'm trying is to start from the larger details, like getting the plot outline down then breaking that up into chapter outlines. I move on from there with character profiles so that I know what my characters' reactions will be in any given situation. This usually helps me map out my dialogue and, from there, it's a quick journey into a complete & fleshed out chapter. Hope that's helped.
It is merely an indicator in MY work of a known fault of MINE. Something that only became a big deal when another poster has decided my way of working is wrong. Also word count has relevance when I want to try and sell the book to an agent or publisher - much easier if my first book is within their guidelines. Placing a synopsis of the work next to the word count gives me a good quick indicator of where my work is needing work. Nothing more and nothing less than that.
Ah, yeah, but didn't know we were all in a conversation about only you. My personal preference is to write what I think is good, entertaining, high quality and worthy of my pride. If it doesn't fit into the guidelines of a publisher then they can suck an egg. If they want to butcher my fiction, they can do it when I'm dead (posthumous Pulitzer would be nice, though). But just so everyone not you knows, in general, pacing has nothing to do with word count.
Perhaps you can show me in my posts where I stated that every other writer should do the same as myself? I am not the one stating another writer's way of working is wrong or telling them that the number of words used in a scene gives NO indication whatsoever of pacing. Nor will I be the only person on the board that naturally writes with a very fast pace - how many posts to we get about filling in details ? This is one of the tools I use to combat that and I find it very effective. Maybe someone else will have a look at their work and find it useful. It is certainly not the only tool I use - it is one of many. As a storyteller completes more and more stories their own way of working comes out. To be a good one they will know their faults and learn how to recitify them using every method available to them. After four books and short stories I have a fairly good idea how many words I need to tell certain types of scenes effectively (it is only a guide not rigid) - I know the difference between my first draft style and final polished style. A lot of writing is about gut and intuition as well as brains, and this where length of scene comes in. My gut will tell me if it right just by looking at it. With a scene I know what I want to achieve with it - whether I want it piercing or do I want my reader to be crying at the end or do I want them laughing. Whilst I will need to read what I have written the scenes length gives me an indication about whether I am going to achieve that. Obviously not to the last word but when I look at it I can tell if it is too long to pierce or too short to wring the heart in the way I want. Having that in mind as I read it over is useful. My mind is prepared for the task ahead. I know my style of writing and I am pleased with what it accomplishes. It is highly unlikely on a large forum I will be the only one who benefits from knowing what word count vs action means for their story. My educational background being mostly archaeology with other bits thrown in straddles arts and humanities, social sciences, science and maths - I use methods from all of them in my writing. Concerning the publisher - I have more important things to fight about than word count.
I write detail heavy on the first draft, then trim out the unneeded description. I have skimmed descriptions that did not add to the story in books I have read, and this is in published work. I definately over describe in my first draft. I think a detailed description can be kept in your notes in case you want to add more details later. That way you can refer back to them, and not change something without realizing it.
