How long should a novel be?

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 07 Aug 2014, 13:57

Well, the topic here was novel length not short story length, but either is still subject to general rules and standards, set by long practice in the business.

It's one thing if the writer is only writing for him/herself, and has no desire to sell the work. But if the writer does want to sell the book (my goal is to sell my novels, stories, articles, etc) then you have to comply with general guidelines of writing that the publishing industry goes by.

Of course I could just write and write and misspell everything and commit all sorts of textual errors, then either run off a bunch of copies and keep them in my car, attempting to sell them to friends at every opportunity, or simply email PDF copies to anyone I know.

The problem with self-publishing is that it's narcissistic.

And, oh yeah... It's kinda hard to self publish and then go into the local bookstore and look for your book on the shelf, for sale.

And I tell you, seeing you own novel sitting there in the shelves of a bookstore is a wonderful feeling, believe me. In a vanity attack, I want to yell out, "Hey everybody! That's MY book there! So buy it!" (ha ha)

MidwestCloud · Post by **MidwestCloud** » 07 Aug 2014, 14:03

I would much rather write a novel where the reader thinks "that should have been longer" rather than "that was waaaay too long!" Usually if I wish a novel was longer I'm much more likely to pick up another novel by the author. Nobody has ever wished there was more to a novel they didn't like.

moderntimes · Post by **moderntimes** » 07 Aug 2014, 15:28

Good point, Midwest, but we've got to consider the short/long general limits that most publishing houses adhere to, and "reasonably" comply with that, or our book may never get into the hands of the reader in the first place.

When I started this thread I hadn't yet really finished my new novel (my 3rd) and now that I've totally edited and revised the text, it's grown to about 60,400 words, which many guidelines regard as a bit light, but essentially "okay" for minimal length.

And thus far, I've had zero negative feedback from friends who've read the book, or from prospective agents or publishers. The lower word count limit isn't ironclad anyway, and as I'm writing private detective novels (and not mainstream fiction) this is acceptable, as PI novels tend to be a bit shorter than most.

I think I'm okay for length, and under the wire. And most important, I think I've written a terrifically good and quite chilling mystery novel.

As of this posting, a mid-size publisher is now taking a look at ALL THREE of my private detective novels (they're a series**) and thus far they've really liked the excerpts as well as the general overview and synopses. And nobody's made any negative noise regarding the 3rd novel's length (or lack of it, ha ha).

So the "short length" concern I had earlier is now essentially moot.

** The first 2 novels were purchased and published by a mostly e-book house but the contract has since lapsed (it was a typical 3-yr term) and so the publishing rights to those two novels have essentially reverted back to me. Which now allows them to be picked up by another publisher.

So wish me luck.

suzy1124 · Post by **suzy1124** » 07 Aug 2014, 15:34

MidwestCloud wrote:I would much rather write a novel where the reader thinks "that should have been longer" rather than "that was waaaay too long!" Usually if I wish a novel was longer I'm much more likely to pick up another novel by the author. Nobody has ever wished there was more to a novel they didn't like.

Precisely!

....

billorton · Post by **billorton** » 19 Feb 2015, 17:28

As I write, I listen for a voice in my head that says, "Ok, you're done. Stop." I hear it when chapters are done. I've heard it each time I have finished a novel. It goes off when I give a speech, and when I hear it, I stop.

Dawn Chandler · Post by **Dawn Chandler** » 19 Feb 2015, 23:04

It needs to be long enough to tell the story and short enough not to run on. My novels tend to be long, around 120,000 to 180,000 but it should only be that long if the story can support it. I have novels that are around 75,000 words as well, because the story did not support a long novel. So I guess my best answer is this. A novel is like a suspension bridge that supports your story across the depths of the readers. If your novel is too short for your story it will not get your readers to the other side, if it is too long it flows over the sides and you lose your readers interest and they will be lost.