Making Word(s) Count #1: Less is More … Sometimes.

When less is more

Over the years, as I’ve participated in writer’s workshops and mentored writers’ groups, I’ve encountered a number of literary habits that can keep a story from having the impact a writer so deeply desires it to have.

Why didn’t the reader get my clever punch line, or thrill when I revealed the full scale of the horror faced by my protagonist?

Sometimes the answer is simple: too many words.

I often am paid by the word. Literally. Magazines such as Analog and Interzone pay a per...