If a publication or writing competition specifies a word count of 5000 words or 40 lines, should you write 5000 words or 40 lines? Does it matter if your piece is significantly over or under the stated length?
One thing you absolutely should not do is go over the limit. 5002 words may be forgiven because different software can arrive at different word counts, but going significantly over the word count will result in a rejection or disqualification if a competition. Going over the limit is unfair on other entrants who have managed to follow the rules.
Poetry publications typically stick to 40 lines because in print publications, 40 lines usually fits on one page. Although there’s no limit in theory for online publications, poetry editors find it simpler to stick to the 40 line limit so they don’t get a collection’s worth of poems submitted as a single poem. In a competition, judging a haiku or a sijo against an 800 line epic is a little like comparing apples and oranges, not impossible but difficult.
Should you worry if the story or poem you want to submit or enter into a competition is significantly shorter? Unless a minimum word count or line length has been stipulated, no. An editor or judge would much prefer to read a 3000 word story or a 20 line poem where these are the right length for the piece, then struggle through a 3000 word story that’s been padded out to meet a 5000 word count or a poem that’s been extended by 20 lines to meet an arbitrary line length. It might be worth considering a different market for those pieces, but, if suitable, your piece won’t be disadvantaged by being shorter than the maximums.
It’s always worth looking again at your story or poem to see if there are extraneous words, if you’ve shown readers something and told them the same thing in the next sentence or if you need to add some description to clue readers into where your characters are.
Ultimately, don’t try to game editors or judges by trying to sneak in a story or poem that’s over the maximum length or under the minimum length (if there is one). Most editors have a feel for how long a 5000 word story or 40 line poem is and will know instinctively if you’ve gone over the limit (or under if a minimum is specified). Effectively, you are sabotaging your own submission. You are also showing you could be difficult to work with, because you are willing to break the guidelines. So, if an editor thought they might accept your piece with a bit of editing, but you’ve ignored the requested maximum length, they will be more reluctant to ask for the edits and reject your piece instead.
Contributed by Emma Lee
leicesterwritersclub.com 