In my last blog post, we looked at how to increase your novel’s word count by expanding your existing material, such as adding to scenes or giving characters more of a backstory or dialogue. This is a great way to start increasing the word count and may actually be sufficient if you are near to your target. However, if you are still under your target after doing this, it’s time to think about adding a bit more to your book. You can do this by creating entirely new elements, which should really help to bulk out your word count. The trick to doing this is to make it seem like those parts always needed to be there, rather than just being filler.
We will start by quickly reviewing how to calculate your target word count and why it is important to reach this. Depending on your situation, you may not need to decide on a target word count. For example, if you have a deal with a traditional publisher, you will likely be given their expected word count. However, if you are self-publishing, you will need to work out a word count yourself. The best way to do this is to look at other books in your genre and calculate an average word count. As a general rule, novels are about 80,000 to 100,000 words, but this can vary depending on genre and the intended audience. This length should be just about right to make sure readers are engaged but not so long that they lose interest.
Add Subplots
A quick way to add more words to your book is to add some new subplots. List your book’s existing main plot and any subplots you have. Consider what might tie in well with these to make a new subplot, but avoid adding anything for the sake of it. Try to identify areas where a subplot might naturally evolve. You could either use existing characters or create new ones, which we will look at in more detail later. Whatever you decide, try to weave in the plot threads so that your novel reads as one story.
The advantage of adding subplots is that you are not too limited in what you can add. It does need to tie in with the rest of your story, but it doesn’t need to be based on your planned storyline. Instead, feel free to branch out a bit and explore different scenarios in the universe you have created. Try identifying areas in your main plot that could create questions and start a new idea from this. For example, how did a character get hold of a particular item? Maybe another character had to fetch it, giving you the opportunity to create and describe some new areas, as well as obstacles and conflicts for them to face. This lets your story develop and grow in a way that seems natural while still giving a significant boost to your word count.
Add Characters
Another thing that you can add to your book is new characters. You don’t want to add unnecessary characters, as these will make your book confusing and lead to subplots that don’t really relate to the main plot or make sense. However, used well, new characters should actually enhance your book – the trick is working out where they are needed and what subplots they will be part of, as well as new subplots focused on them. If you break your story down into individual chapters and scenes, you will find it easier to identify where there are gaps and what new characters could bring, which should help to make the additions seamless.
There are a few different ways that you can use additional characters. You could have a character that helps your protagonist – for example, by providing information or assisting with a task. Alternatively, they might provide another obstacle that your protagonist has to deal with and find a way around. For example, they could be a red herring or deliberately hinder your protagonist’s progress. A different approach is to have a character that adds a new aspect to the story, such as bringing some comic relief to a story with a darker tone. You should boost your word count by expanding scenes in which they appear and adding new scenes to introduce the character.
Add Obstacles
An even simpler way to build your word count is by adding new obstacles and conflicts for your characters to face. This means that you can keep it all within the existing bounds of your story, just adding new elements to your main plots. If you want to ensure that your additions fit seamlessly, this is the way to do it. However, you may not be able to add as many words this way as you would by adding an entirely new subplot, so weigh up what is best for your book according to how many words you need.
Wrapping Up
If you are a long way off your target word count, adding new elements is a great way to deal with this. I hope that you find something useful in this blog post and can start writing once again! In my next blog post, we will be looking at how to write a memoir, so come back in two weeks to find out more!
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