You would think that after I posted my polemic about not counting words but making words count, that would settle the matter (yes, that’s a joke). Yet, a couple of days ago I ran across yet another blog posting about the need for word count quotas.

We’re all different, and I’ll avoid the fallacy that because I work one way others must also. Nonetheless, I’ll share that word counts alone don’t cut it for me. As I shared previously, I go through days when the count is zero or even negative — as when I’m editing and slashing away. More than that, I find forcing a certain word count arbitrary and highly conducive to writing words that go nowhere.

Somehow, in the past year this view hasn’t deterred me from completing 3 full novels and four half-novel length novellas, along with 2 short story collections. If we must count, that amounts to a little over 480 thousand words, excluding in-work stories I won’t yet tally until I’m convinced they amount to something.

Now, I do understand the appeal, and in some cases, necessity of counting words. First, to meet publication length standards, such as short-story or novel length, knowing how many words we have helps us achieve compliance with publisher set targets. But I don’t think that’s why many advocate word-counting.

You see, some folks need the motivation. Without a target goal, they flounder. Here we face that “we all work different” thing. In my case, while I see the merit in saying “let me pound 1,000 words today, even though I rather sit by the pool instead” to get me motivated, eventually motivation by obligation becomes a joyless burden. I rather find motivation in my inner drive to write, in giving flight to the story that won’t give me rest until I let it out.

And that’s the crux of it. Do I want to write X number of words, or do I want my words to matter? Do I want to feel productive in an assembly line sort of way, or do I want to create something that derives from inspiration and transcends the mundane? Do I want to tap at the keyboard, or do I want to tap into my heart?

Do I count words at the end of the day? Sure. I do it as an additional indicator of progress, but not the primary one. That one comes from within me and eludes counting algorithms. Painting by the numbers isn’t terribly fulfilling, and writing doesn’t fare much better.