My current plan

I have 22 chapters in my novel so far. I am not ready to start pounding away at a new chapter tonight.

My average Chapter has 1415.272 words.

My plan is to add 200 words to each chapter. I plan to do this by adding adjectives, elaborating on character's feelings. describing scenery, and describing characters.

200 words times 22 chapters is 4400 words.

This will help me catch up.

Have you considered adding a dream sequence or two? This can be useful for word count--as well as to flesh out the characters or the situation. Make the dream something the char is scared of, or conflicted about.

Also, have you considered adding a character -- someone colorful who can add an interesting note? Since you're planning on going back to multiple chapters, you could place the char in every 3 or 4 scenes.

If you have dialogue, adding beats actually helps with word count. Have the fight happen at the grocery story and show them buying stuff (great way to work in squid) while arguing.

Instead of "I disagree," he said.
You can have.
"I disagree." He tossed three frozen packages of squid into the grocery cart, crushing a package of sour cream and onion potato chips.

"Oh Squid it" is actually a swear replacement in my land.

I love Katherine's suggestion of "adding beats" to dialogue. I did not know that this descriptive process was called "beats", bad me, but it helps the flow and life of the novel. Mine could use this technique more in revision, I believe.

Do you feel your chapters set each other up? If not, you might want to consider building in the set up to the next chapter. As you write it, get into the action and try to visualize what everyone is doing and where you are. You may find more than 200 words.

PS, I love using dream sequences. Maybe I overuse them, but they give a lot of latitude and of course word count in writing.

I added three dreams. Two mirrored each other. but that is just right for my purposes.

At least I didn't write something silly like "He descended upwards."

Archon_Huskie wrote:
I was always kind of scared by my mother's obsession with the 'good scissors.' It implied that somewhere in the house lurked... the evil scissors.

I've been expecting you to go on a bit about scissors, and mother's obessions. That should be good for a few hundred words or more.

I remember writing that. I can't remember where I posted it though.

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!