Editing your Manuscript – Adding Novel Length

How to Add Fifty Page to a Too-Short Manuscript

Apr 10, 2009 Vickie Britton

You've just finished your novel and now you've found a potential buyer. Only the guidelines require a much larger book. How can you add fifty pages in a hurry?

You’ve just finished your novel only to find your book is far too short. Your manuscript is 250 pages (62,500 words) and the publisher wants at least 75,000 words or 300 pages.

While it is not as painful to pad a novel as it is to cut material, adding to a novel can be time-consuming because new scenes must be created. Always begin your editing by making a new file and renaming it so that if the edits you are considering don’t work out you can go back to the original draft.

Review the Novel as a Whole

One way to expand the novel is to extend existing scenes. Start your expansion plan by building on what you already have. First, go through the entire novel and mark places where the scenes are lean or could use more action or description.

Split Existing Chapters

Are there existing chapters that could be more fully developed? Consider finding a breaking point and making two chapters out of one. Be careful not to stretch the material until it becomes boring. Chances are you will find several chapters that can be successfully split. If not, then you will have to rely entirely on adding completely new scenes and chapters to get your required length.

Add Entirely New Scenes and Chapters

The very best way to add length to a manuscript is to add entirely new material. This is because while writing existing passages over helps, it is usually not enough to significantly increase the length of the novel. After you have gone over the novel once to extend existing scenes and to find chapters that can be split, look for places where new chapters can be introduced.

Often, a new plot twist or event can be successfully added to the existing storyline. One way to do this is to take a strong, exciting part of the story and add an extra thread. For example, if you are writing a mystery or thriller, add another threat or another murder. The event and ensuing investigation will take at least two chapters. If you are writing a romance, add another problem or conflict for the couple to overcome, or add another event like a romantic date. Make sure whatever you add has some connection to the overall plot and plays some important role in the story.

Final Edit

The last important step is to go over the manuscript and look for rough places that need to be smoothed in. Make sure the new material you have added seems a part of the book, and is not just excess padding.

For more writing tips click:

The Three Points of View in Writing

Creating a Believable Hero

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Adding Length to a Manuscript