Questions about estimating fic lengths

[birdsofshore]

Hello! I don't know if people still have discussions on here, but I can't find any other platform where I can follow the conversation, sooo... Any advice gratefully received.♥  

I've signed up for the H/D Bang, and having finally got started with it, I'm now having a crisis that the fic I've planned is not going to reach 50k. 

The length my fics turn out is always a surprise to me. This year's erised ended up being 65k, and I had NO IDEA that was going to happen. I still don't really know how it did. Foolishly, I let this give me confidence to sign up for the Bang. After all, if I could write a 65k fic by mistake, how hard could it be to write 50k on purpose? /o\

So, I got a rough plan together and it's around 30 scenes long. No problem, I thought. My 65k erised only had 25 scenes! This was going to be easy!

Then I wrote the first scene and it's only 800 words long. FUUUUCK. What's gone wrong? No way is this going to be 50k! I looked back at some other fics. My next longest fic has 42 scenes. But it's only 41k! OMG! 

I looked at my other mid length fics.

28k = 18 scenes
28k = 19 scenes
22k = 14 scenes
32k = 19 scenes
28k = 16 scenes
34k = 18 scenes

This is reassuring. But what about the rogue '42 scene / 41 k' fic? How can I be sure this one isn't going to go fucked up like that one? 

I have so many questions. How do you estimate the length of a fic? Are you anywhere near being right when you do so? I've never even TRIED before, so I have no freaking idea.

Thank you if you can help! ♥ And I hope you are all well?

Comments

[tryslora]

A lot of my estimation these days has been based on the original stuff I'm doing. But over the years (and I've got a lot of experience doing the long stuff by now), I've noted the same thing others have said: (1) I have an average scene length, but does vary wildly throughout the story, and (2) chapters often start out shorter, then as I have more and more I'm trying to squeeze into each one, they get longer. (For me, chapter = one scene with the way I've been writing lately).

Also, remember most folks under-write in their first draft. Your words will expand in the editing. And the more your characters find their footing, the longer things will get. You'll be okay. Write it, have someone you trust read it, and if it's not quite 50k, you can find a way to fill it out. It'll work. There's almost always something that could use some more details after the fact.

Just write, hon. It's going to be brilliant!!! *HUGS*

[birdsofshore]

I think this is very reassuring, that first chapters tend to be shorter. It just threw me completely when I looked at my last longer fic and it was only 41k for 42 scenes! I still don't know what happened there!

I'm not convinced I under-write... I often get told to cut quite a bit at the beta stage. I think I'm a waffler!

Thanks so much for your advice and encouragement.

[tryslora]

BTW, if you're really worried? Add a subplot. Whether it's something to do with side characters and their story and how it impacts the boys, or some other kind of small plot coming in to throw wrinkles in things... a subplot is really great for expanding things in unexpected ways. I've sat down to write many a 10k fluffy bit and then had it develop plot and end up surprisingly over 30k accidentally. Just one extra thing to resolve or work out helps tons!

[birdsofshore]

Oooh, thank you, yes! I did think of a way to expand a subplot this week actually, I think that's very helpful advice. I wouldn't be that surprised if this story now goes wayyyy over 50k and I am cursing and panicking because I can't make the deadline. :D

[tryslora]

That seems to be what ends up happening. *grins* Best of luck with it!!

[birdsofshore]

Thank you so much <3