Tera Lopez Vannoy

When I started this journey to become a writer, I thought my knowledge of good and bad writing would sustain me through the process. I began to write stories from my journal of ideas, but quickly found myself stuck. My Scrivener account was filled with several inciting incidents and ideas for the climaxes, but I would always get stuck at Act II. I also struggled with the creative tendency to leave a project unfinished because I was too excited about the next idea.

I recognized I had a great deal to learn and needed to be more disciplined.  I began researching format, structure, pacing, and character development.  My days were filled with research and note-taking, jotting down book ideas and symbols.  (I’ll warn you now that I am a huge fan of symbolism.)  At some point in my perpetual education, I decided I was ready to work on a novel, but I needed to focus my energy on one idea.

I started with an idea for a book that came from a conversation followed by a question: “Would people treat me differently if I were a man?” I asked this in a theoretical, not literal, sense. I began to develop this idea into a story about a woman fed up with being used and neglected, even though she followed society’s expectations for women. I kept writing even when I had to painfully craft some terrible lines and paragraphs. I was determined to finish one idea and to experience the feeling of completing the last lines of a book.  

I did it. I wrote a rough first draft and really disliked it. Some sections were incomplete, the main character was unlikable, and the plot was shaky at best. I let my supportive husband read it, then I put the draft in a drawer. Maybe I will return to the little novel someday, but not until I am a more experienced writer. Still, I accomplished what I set out to do. I wrote a book from start to finish and got some of the first-novel jitters out of my system.

The word count for different novel types typically ranges from 50,000 to 110,000 words, depending on genre and target audience. A standard book typically contains about 60,000 to 80,000 words, which translates to roughly 200 to 300 pages. My first novel only reached 40,000 words, which felt like a crazy number. I was unsure how to add another 20,000 words, or even double that, to create a typical 300-page novel. I realized I need to form a better writing practice and outline my next book idea.

Whenever possible, I aim to write 1,000 words daily, though I’ve become more flexible, and sometimes 750 words suffice. With this discipline and a new story idea featuring a more sympathetic protagonist, I began work on my second novel. This time, I incorporated a classic Cinderella arc while continuing to research effective writing techniques. After a year of dedicated effort, balancing motherhood and writing, I’ve reached 60,000 words. What’s most reassuring is realizing that I am primarily a skeletal writer—initially creating only the basic framework of my story. This approach leaves plenty of room for expansion. Since my current length already meets the minimum for a standard novel, I am confident that my word count will grow as I add more detail.  

My current goal is to reach between 75,000 and 80,000 words. This goal feels manageable and would bring me closer to a 300-page novel. I am not trying to write a saga or an epic, just something light yet meaningful—a book I can be proud of, yet only the first few steps in my writing journey.  The important thing is not to get too focused on numbers and just write.