Why I’ll Never Write a Novel

While compiling the latest anthology, I found this paragraph in the middle of one of my stories.

I wrote this while trying to pen a 500-word piece. Five. Hundred. Words. It’s no War & Peace, my friends. It’s five hundred measly words. And, wow, did I struggle.

It’s sad but kind of hilarious (to me, anyway). Figured I’d share it.

Me, writing:

Okay, think I’m done. Phew. Not bad, Sarah, not bad at…how is that only 136 words? Dammit!

Okay…add some here, one more…no, that sucks. How about here? Okay, not bad. Now it’s…what? 287 words? I can’t add anything without ruining… Well, I guess… Yeah, I could try that. Nope. Oh, how about here? And…again no.

Oh! This would work. Boom! 373 words?! FFS!

Maybe I’ll start a new one. No, I’ve worked on this all week. Argh! Okay…skim, skim…here could work…no. Here…nope.

Okay, I guess I could add to this part but I’m saving a draft because this is totally going to ruin the story. Type, type, type, aaaand…362?! Wait, what?! How?! Oh, right, I deleted that part so this part would work. RAWR!

People have asked me how I cut my pieces down to so few words. Well, that answers it. I don’t. I struggle to get to where you all are at.

We all have our crosses of t’s and dots of i’s to bear, I guess.

As funny as it is (because I really did write this in the middle of a serious story), it made me wonder if I’ll ever be able to string enough words together to write the book(s) I’ve always wanted to write. Maybe novels are not for me.

My random thoughts in 200 words or less.

Watch this space for news about the newest volume in The Shadows We Breathe series!

Do you write flash? Micro? Short stories? How do you cut your word count down (or do you)?