SF Regulars: a question.

[Voboy]

Hi,

TL;DR: will SF readers balk at 37,000 words?

My usual rule in most of the categories I post in is to NOT shy away from a long piece; that it’s preferable to post one 30k-word story rather than two installments of 15k or even three at 10k. I’ve had good luck with my longer works in most of my categories.

But!

Now I find myself putting in a continuation of my SF piece from the Geek compendium, and I’m stymied because it’s pushing 40k words. I could always cut, but I like the piece as-is and I’m confident in its quality. What I DON’T know anything about is the regular SF readership.

So. Submit a long piece, or go against my better judgement and split it up?

 

[Weird Harold]

Hi,

TL;DR: will SF readers balk at 37,000 words?

My usual rule in most of the categories I post in is to NOT shy away from a long piece; that it’s preferable to post one 30k-word story rather than two installments of 15k or even three at 10k. I’ve had good luck with my longer works in most of my categories.

But!

Now I find myself putting in a continuation of my SF piece from the Geek compendium, and I’m stymied because it’s pushing 40k words. I could always cut, but I like the piece as-is and I’m confident in its quality. What I DON’T know anything about is the regular SF readership.

So. Submit a long piece, or go against my better judgement and split it up?

As a long-time SF fan, I'd balk a bit at such a short story/chapter.

 

[Voboy]

As a long-time SF fan, I'd balk a bit at such a short story/chapter.

Ah.

I see what you did there. Thank you.

 

[Blind_Justice]

37k? That's about what my longer stories run up to. No problems. My Geek Pride Day story clocks in at around 55k, and it's my best-rated so far. No complaints about the length either.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Hi,

TL;DR: will SF readers balk at 37,000 words?

No.

My Geek Anthology thing was 10 Lit pages, so a similar length. It's done nicely, still being read, nobody has complained about length. Submit yours in one piece, I reckon.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Two of my SF publication have gone way past 37K. Would you believe 110K. I was told that it would have been good even without the sex. No one complained about the length. If the story is good, why would they.

I have since taken it down and published it at Smashwords and Kindle.

 

[Voboy]

Excellent! Thanks, everyone. You’ve eased my troubled mind.

 

[LaRascasse]

I am not a particular fan of erotic Sci Fi, so I cannot comment on personal tastes. Just on available information

The current top of the SF HoF is the conclusion to Lien_Geller's excellent series The Missing Dragon. The concluding chapter is 60 Lit pages (~225K words)

In second place is Tefler's Three Square Meals (chapter 100!! not a typo). It is 28 Lit pages (~105K words).

One of the most popular SF authors on the site is Etaski. Most of her 50 odd chapters are over 20 Lit pages (75K words) ... each.

If you write it, they will read it. Being a massive fan of non erotic fantasy (both high fantasy and science fiction and their innumerable sub branches - gothic, cyberpunk, swords and magic, steampunk etc.) I can safely say that most fans are used to having to wade through hundreds of thousands of words of world building, setting, plot and the most fascinating character work.

Enough said.