Word Count Woes

We’ve all been there.

You’re writing a story for a call, and it’s incredible. The best writing of your life. Words are flowing out of you, and they’re the right words, every one of them making an impact. You bring the piece home, look down at the word count and…

…you’re a thousand words over the call’s limit.

So you go back through, but no matter how hard you try, you can only find 500 words to cut. Any more would change the story, take away from it, and make it less compelling to the editor.

Or, if you’re like me, you write a brilliant, compact tale that grabs the reader and is so powerful, it doesn’t need a lot of embellishment and description. You look at the word count and…

…you’re two hundred words under the call’s limit.

You go back and look through the story, but there’s really nothing to add. It’s tight, it’s on point, and adding fluff would subtract from your tale.

In both cases, it’s around this time that the profanity starts flowing.



One of the most common questions I get as an anthology editor is: “I know your word count limit is X, but my story is X words, will you still look at it?”

Some editors won’t, and that’s their call. They have strict word count limits and they stand by them, for various reasons.

In cases where they’re paying by the word, they may have a budget to worry about.

If there are a lot of submissions, they may worry that if they make an exception for one person, they’ll have to make one for everyone.

Or they may just know what they want, and not want to look at stories outside of that.

All of these reasons (and more) are valid and frustrating as hell for writers. I’ve seen calls I wanted to submit to, but I couldn’t get the word count where it needed to be. It’s part of writing.

I say all that to present the perspective of the editor, because that’s one of two things I try to do here on the Undertaker Blog: 1) show you why editors might do something a certain way, and 2) tell you what works for us.

Having done thing one, it’s time for thing two.

I hope no one catches that double entendre…

As an editor writing a call, I try to adopt Captain Barbossa’s attitude toward the Pirate Code:

They’re more like guidelines.

I can’t cover every conceivable scenario when I write my calls, and if I tried, I’d be too tired to read the submissions. So I try to show writers what I want, and trust them to read between the lines (and read our blog) and ask questions when they can’t figure it out.

When it comes to word count, as long as you’re within ten percent of the limit (so 1,800-4,400 on a 2,000-4,000 word limit), you’re good.

So why don’t I just say 1800-4400 word limit?

Because I know most writers trying to get close to a word count limit will end up within 10% before they get stuck.

I know because that’s what happens on my own stories. If I move the limit, instead of getting stuck at 4300 words, they’ll get stuck at 4700 words.

So what happens if they’re outside of 10%?

I say “send it,” with the caveat that it’s going to be a proportionally harder sell by how far outside the word count limit they are.

We pay by the piece, not the word. You get just as much for a 5,000-word story as you do for a 2,500-word story. If you think your 5,000 word story is so good I won’t be able to say no, shoot your shot.



So what should you do when you’re not dealing with a swashbuckling editor like me?

In most cases, if an editor is serious about the limit, they’ll make it very clear in the call:

Our word count limit is 1500-3500 words. We are strict about this limit, and writers who submit stories outside it will be fed to the Gila Monster we keep in the basement.

If they’re not this clear, you have two options:

1) Email them and ask.
Make sure you are clear that you know their word count limit and state how close you are to it.

I have a piece I’m considering submitting to your anthology, but it’s currently at 3600 words. Is your word count limit strict, or would you prefer to see this piece in its current state?

2) Submit it anyway.
I want to stress that I’d only use this option as a last resort, i.e. you’ve tried reaching out and haven’t gotten a response, and the deadline has arrived. If you do, you should mention it in your cover letter (you are writing a cover letter, right?).

My short story is 3600 words. I know you have a 3500 word limit, but I reached out for clarification and haven't heard back, and the deadline is here.

Are there editors that will balk at this approach? Yes. That’s why it’s a last resort. Personally, I’m going to be more concerned about why I’m not getting your messages than you being a few words over the word count limit, but that’s just me. 

I mean, if you are a little over the limit, what’s the worst thing an editor can do? Feed you to the Gila Monster in the basement?