How long does it get before you cut it off?

[kromen]

I just put my latest to bed and realized that I penned over 11,000 words. It's been my longest work to date and I'm very psyched for folks to read it. My only worry is that it may be too long. What is your average length on a story, before you chop it up into chapters? My average is between 4000 and 7000 words, about two Lit pages. I know I hesitate when I'm reading a story on this site, get to the end of the page and see I have seven more pages to read. Thoughts?

 

[Boxlicker101]

11,000 is pretty long, but no record. Not even close. I have written much longer single stories, not cut into chapters, than that. I even have chapters longer that. I'm not claiming my stories are the longest here, because I have no idea what the longest is.

As for when you cut it off, I suggest you cut it off when the story has all been told, be it 1,000 words or 5,000 or 20,000 or more.

 

[kromen]

I figured that 11,000 wasn't that big of a deal. Thanks.

 

[Noira]

Oh, 11k isn't a big deal. I personally like shorter stories but apparently no one else agrees with me and automatically vote up long stories. Or some bullshit like that. Use what it takes to tell the story. If you're then going to publish, edit and cut and cut and cut ANYTHING that doesn't advance the story. But for here? No one cares.

I know that if I see there's seven more pages, the story had better been incredible and chances are, being as this is Literotica... it never is and I'm not too keen on reading 7 pages of slightly varied porn. But most people don't feel like me on that regards, so you go ahead and knock yourself out.

 

[SamScribble]

My ‘day job’ is writing and editing non fiction. I’ve worked on a number of books (50,000-80,000 words). But, over the past few years, I’ve found that 500 to 1,200 words has more or less become the norm both for print and electronic pieces, with a 5,000- or 10,000-word job coming up only once or twice a month.

Possibly because of this, I have also got into the habit of ‘short’ short stories. Typically, I write about 3,000 to 3,500 words and then edit to about 2,500.

What is interesting is that my reading habits also seem to have changed. These days, a story has to hook me in the first 500 or so words. Plot, character, or just ‘good writing’ will all do it. But if none of these is present, I tend to be out of there before the second (Literotica) page.

Yes, I’d read an 11,000-word story. But not just to see how it ended. I’d need to be well and truly hooked within in the first, say, thousand words. But maybe that's just me.

 

[cahab]

My stories all ended with, or very soon after an orgasm. If you're aiming for the reader to feel empathy you can't expect them to keep reading much after that. If you need to finish the story after that, make it another chapter another time.

 

[PennLady]

I keep my posts usually to about 10k words, give or take. I go longer for the contests, but I know that I prefer to read stories in smaller bits, so I tend to post them that way. So mine are usually 3-4 screen pages, which is about 10k words. So 11k is no problem.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I have a shit story somewhere that was 60,000 words and only about 1/3 finished. However, the last time I read through those 60,000 words, I was quite ready to delete around 40,000 of them, and then the story would still only be about 1/3 finished, making a 60,000 word story again...

I don't remember which story that was now that I think back to it again (it's been a few years).

 

[sethp]

At first my stories were 700-1200 words then they got longer as my writing improved to about 1400-4000. If you have longer you can always cut it into parts or chapters. On Lit, that's totally acceptable. I'm currently writing a novella. When it's done it's done. it may end up being 40-70k words.

As with all my writing. It's done when it's done. You just know it and you finish it. I usually leave room for another part in the future in case I feel like revisiting it again.

 

[sethp]

I keep my posts usually to about 10k words, give or take. I go longer for the contests, but I know that I prefer to read stories in smaller bits, so I tend to post them that way. So mine are usually 3-4 screen pages, which is about 10k words. So 11k is no problem.

We can't all be world class Authors and Editors like you though! Most of us will never reach the pinnacle of excellence that you have currently achieved. We are like maggots crawling around in the carcass of a dead animal worthy only to feast on your leftovers as you hunt the literary wilds.

 

[PennLady]

We can't all be world class Authors and Editors like you though! Most of us will never reach the pinnacle of excellence that you have currently achieved. We are like maggots crawling around in the carcass of a dead animal worthy only to feast on your leftovers as you hunt the literary wilds.

That's only 53 words.

And all I really meant was that no matter how long a story turns out to be (contest stories aside), I usually only post in +/-10k blocks, which I think is a little easier on everyone.

 

[sr71plt]

The traditional definition of "short story" is one that can be read in one sitting. Originally that meant up to 20,000 words. In recent decades, readers haven't shown a willingness to sit that long. The current most-encountered maximum limit for short story competitions is 3,000-3,500 words. One Lit. page. And the trend is toward flash fiction, which is generally around 750 words, but sometimes is set even lower for contests.

I try not to submit anything over 8,000 words in one chunk at Lit. and have rarely opened to read anything over three Lit. pages (about 11,000 words) even when I've gone there to read on a recommendation or request.

 

[sethp]

That's only 53 words.

And all I really meant was that no matter how long a story turns out to be (contest stories aside), I usually only post in +/-10k blocks, which I think is a little easier on everyone.

lol I didn't think you were actually going to read my post!

 

[kromen]

I looked it over and tweaked it, just a little, before submitting it. It adds up to four Lit pages, but it flowed well enough that a potential reader will want to flip the page. When it's u, I'll post a link. Thanks for your suggestions and opinions.

 

[lovecraft68]

I just put my latest to bed and realized that I penned over 11,000 words. It's been my longest work to date and I'm very psyched for folks to read it. My only worry is that it may be too long. What is your average length on a story, before you chop it up into chapters? My average is between 4000 and 7000 words, about two Lit pages. I know I hesitate when I'm reading a story on this site, get to the end of the page and see I have seven more pages to read. Thoughts?

I put up a Halloween one shot that was 33,000+ words. 9 lit pages it got as many if not more views and votes as my 6-7000 word stories and chapters. If it is good and you can keep it interesting people will read it. If you look at my authors page in my signature I am fortunate enough to have H's next to all but one of my stories in my SWB series chapters 11-27 average 4 lit pages so 12,000 plus words. Length doesn't matter.

 

[Zodia195]

Um, well, it really depends on the story for me. But all my stories I plan on doing are novels so they are pretty long. The reason for this is because I love to write in detail. But some stories are longer than others because they have more chapters. The only one I completed so far is over 300 pages typed, but that was in Times New Roman size 12 font (for the most part). Currently I am putting this story in another software (Word) and the font there is size 11 Calibri so the number of pages may be different.

 

[kromen]

It's finally up and I'm giddy as hell.

http://www.literotica.com/s/liquid-bullets

I'm already working on a sequel, for the sake of my characters. They deserve it after the hell I put them through. Tell me what you think if you have time.

 

[kromen]

"Excellent...

story with a great plot--very intense and emotional. The plot was so strong that the sex was almost secondary to me. Excellent job." -durablue

Exactly what I was looking for. Maybe I stress because I like it.

 

[Darkniciad]

No sense on weighing in on the original question, so I'm finally going to derail this one for a moment with my silliness.

Am I the only guy who cringed and snapped his legs together upon reading the title of this thread?

 

[kromen]

No sense on weighing in on the original question, so I'm finally going to derail this one for a moment with my silliness.

Am I the only guy who cringed and snapped his legs together upon reading the title of this thread?

I've learned that I gotta sell the thread. What better way to make people do a double take?