Word count
Well…it’s Junior Authors contest season again and I’m getting the same old questions about the word limit. Here are the answers to those nagging questions you have about word counts.
Why have a word count at all?
Because the judges only have so much free time to donate to reading your stories.
What counts in word count?
Punctuation does not count. The title and your name do not count. Page numbers do not count. But written out numbers do count. Every word–from the first word of the first paragraph to the last word of the last paragraph–is counted.
Does my story really need to be less than 1000 words?
Yes. The first step toward winning a writing contest is to follow the rules. If your story really needs more than 1000 words to be told well, then set it aside and send us a story that works with the given word limit.
What if I have 1005 words?
Like an editor of a magazine, I’m okay if the word count is over by a few words…but just a few.
How short can my story be?
As short as you like. Sometimes it’s the shortest stories that are the best. There’s no extra stuff; everything works to keep the plot moving. The judges love those.
Did I miss your question? Post it!
No poems, this is a short story contest. Thanks for your question.