THE RAM’S HEAD REVIEW
Oct. 14, 2007
WRITING TIP:
Average Words / Approx. No.Double-spaced Typed pages
Short-short story: 500 – 2000 / 2 – 8
Short story: 2500 – 5000 / 10 – 20
Novella: 7500 – 40,000 / 30 – 160
Novelette: 7000 – 25,000 / 28 – 100
Novel – hard cover: 25,000 – 150,000 / 100 – 600
Novel – paperback: 35,000 – 80,000 / 140 – 320
Children’s picture book: 500 – 2500 / 2 – 10
Juvenile book: 15,000 – 80,000 / 60 – 320
Nonfiction book: 20,000 – 200,000 / 80 – 800
TV Script – ½ hour: 25 – 40
TV Script – 1 hour: 55 – 70
Play: one act 20 – 30 min. 20 – 30
Movie scenario 1 ½ - 2 hours / 120 – 250
Radio feature copy 1 min = 15 double-spaced lines 3 min=2 pages
Poem 2 – 100 lines (most mags prefer 2 – 16 lines)
Query letter 1 full page, single-spaced
Speech 250 words = 2 min. 12-15 pages = ½ hour
…..
Four of us were here to honour The Muse on Thursday. Margaret supplied the above
writing tip.
Bob wanted advice on whether or not to include personal anecdotes of people who used to come into the store to socialize. We said yes, as long as the jewellery business angle was stressed.
Ellie read more of their trip to the desert in Saudi Arabia. She told of seeing the Milky Way, of preparing supper, of getting chilly and serving hot tea, of how they located Mars and Saturn, and of then deciding to sleep for a couple of hours before the main event.
Margaret read of Rev. Peabody getting curious about the letter from the detective to Marie and of his opening it and starting to read it when Marie is spotted in the doorway. He says he’s practicing for a concert and then seals it and mails it to Marie instead of admitting his trespass.
All I had to read was one funny line from the latest issue of Writers’ Digest. My mother’s health had been an issue for a week and I had been running out to her nursing home most days. But as of Friday, her health had improved somewhat, so maybe I’ll get some writing done this week.
Next meeting here at my place Thursday, Oct. 18th at 7:00 p.m. Hope to see you then. Bring your Muse, too.
Lisa