Is there an ideal length to a Literotica story?

[Maeven_quinn]

Your loss, then. Some of the very best content here is in the longer works. Some of the worst, too. Each to their own .

Yeah though, that's the thing. Low investment on something that's 2-3 pages, right? I'd hate to start following a story only to discover it's no good after page four.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yeah though, that's the thing. Low investment on something that's 2-3 pages, right? I'd hate to start following a story only to discover it's no good after page four.

You're going to know half way down the first page, surely - assuming the first three paragraphs didn't give the hint. Poor writing is there from the start; it's not something that appears half-way through.

I've always thought it a nonsensical prejudice, not to start something just because of its length.

 

[Maeven_quinn]

You're going to know half way down the first page, surely - assuming the first three paragraphs didn't give the hint. Poor writing is there from the start; it's not something that appears half-way through.

I've always thought it a nonsensical prejudice, not to start something just because of its length.

Ehh... you're probably right actually. Now that I think about it, I've stopped reading after the first page more times than I've click on page two. A lot more.

 

[Hypoxia]

You're going to know half way down the first page, surely - assuming the first three paragraphs didn't give the hint. Poor writing is there from the start; it's not something that appears half-way through.

The first three sentences may be enough, whether in a LIT story or an airport novel. Q: How much torture can we stand? A: Till unconsciousness.

Some here mention time constraints, like how many LIT pages can be consumed during a lunch break. But I recall reading GULAG ARCHIPELAGO during lunch breaks, a few dense pages at a time. And extended novels have done well on LIT, so apparently length is not a deterrent. YMMV.

 

[Desiremakesmeweak]

There's a sort of a consensus happening here. Yeah, it's not 2 pages as I blurted out - because in any case the format, and particularly, the amount of terse dialogue inside the story will push the pages out to more 4 - 6, or around thereabouts compared to something that is more descriptive and less 'dialogue.'

At the same time, it is so totally true that there are brilliant longer stories here as well - and these have the 'shape' of a novella at minimum.

'War and Peace, Revisited' - 2 pages... Bound to be sarcasm, right?

'Bitch on Heat,' half a page: 'sizzzzzllllllle. Sizzle sizzle sizzle sizzle.' Well, not even one full line, really.

 

[Handley_Page]

You're going to know half way down the first page, surely - assuming the first three paragraphs didn't give the hint. Poor writing is there from the start; it's not something that appears half-way through.

I've always thought it a nonsensical prejudice, not to start something just because of its length.

Up to a point, I'd agree with you.
But, (poor writing aside), if it don't grab me in the first page, I'll probably not make it to page 3. And yet, I have seen a couple of stories with such an appalling presentation
(capital letters, punctuation, etc.) but has grabbed my interest in the story.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I try to hit 7,000-8,000 words for a chapter in a multipart story. Since I’m taking my story from 90,000 word novel, I have plenty of material to choose from. I tend to combine 2-3 of my book chapters into one Lit chapter, but, if my one chapter hits between 5-6,000 words, I’ll look at the content to see if I need to beef up the sex content or just take the next chapter from my book. I’ve also taken just half a chapter if I think it will end the Lit chapter in a good place.

It’s all about content.

When my first chapter went up, it was only one Lit page and I had a couple complaints. Since then, I try to hit at least three pages, and everyone seems pleased with that. I submit my chapters in Arial 12, single spaced.

I used to shoot for 7,000-8,000 as my goal for each chapter. But the story had other ideas. The characters became more complex, their relationships more intricate, and the chapter lengths have gradually crept up. The story is going to do what the story is going to do.

 

[jaF0]

I can't even do Reader's Digest versions any more. For news, I read the headlines and scan a few paragraphs. Any more and the brain friztles out and the page becomes a jumbled mass. Even thread posts ... more than 100 words or so makes me skip them over.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

You're going to know half way down the first page, surely - assuming the first three paragraphs didn't give the hint. Poor writing is there from the start; it's not something that appears half-way through.

I've always thought it a nonsensical prejudice, not to start something just because of its length.

The first three sentences may be enough, whether in a LIT story or an airport novel. Q: How much torture can we stand? A: Till unconsciousness.

Some here mention time constraints, like how many LIT pages can be consumed during a lunch break. But I recall reading GULAG ARCHIPELAGO during lunch breaks, a few dense pages at a time. And extended novels have done well on LIT, so apparently length is not a deterrent. YMMV.

Apparently, there's an ideal size for catwalk models. I'm just glad my wife looks different.

Most of this below is just a reiteration of some of what has been said.

Don't write with some arbitrary length as a goal. Write the story that is in your head in the best way you can. To do otherwise...well, why? It's your story, it's a free gift, it's for your enjoyment of creating.

There are tools that are available here to "package" the story in terms of "length". If the story in your head needs more words than fit on the number pages you're comfortable with — form it up in the multi-chapter/multi-part style.

If you decide on the 'multi-chapter style'. There's an additional step one needs to do in the writing phase. That is to try your best to make each chapter fulfilling, end each chapter in a way that makes the reader eager for what comes next, and to do this requires a bit more management on your part. For starters; Do a word count check at the close of each writing session. Shoot for at least two pages — up to four (7500 to 15k words.) [advice: Finish all chapters, then submit each one individually on the same day. They will be posted out every couple of days once approved.]

I think fully developed characters that cause the reader to actually care about them, a believable tension device — antagonist, threat, etc, a disciplined showing instead of telling pov as possible, and a satisfying resolution are the important things. Many readers won't recognize all of these elements, but they will know it's a good story.

For what it's worth; Some of my best received stories have been my longest ones. Some are one long story and some are multi-part.

Ditto.

Others have given you such good advice that there’s little to add. I’d only throw in that 1) you’ve already demonstrated that you can draw in many readers with long multi-chapter Hot Wife Amanda, and 2) there are millions of users on Literotica so most every story can find an interested audience, regardless of factors like chapter length or number of chapters or chapter post dates, merely because of the volume of available readers.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

But the story had other ideas. The characters became more complex, their relationships more intricate, and the chapter lengths have gradually crept up. The story is going to do what the story is going to do.

"The story had other ideas." Well said!

Who is the Potter, pray, and who the Pot?

 

[8letters]

My question to the authors out there is, what do you think is an ideal length for story on Literotica?

What are you trying to ask? You should write what you want. If you want to write a one Lit page story, do it. If you want to write a story that fills twenty Lit pages, do it.

If you're asking "What is the relationship between page length and the various story metrics", for over a month I pulled the stats for stories seven days after they were published. Here's the stats of stand-alone stories by number of pages:
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Level​

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Red H​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]1[/td][td]

674​

[/td][td]

11.7K​

[/td][td]

10.5​

[/td][td]

3.93​

[/td][td]

3.3​

[/td][td]

8.5​

[/td][td]

6%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]2[/td][td]

312​

[/td][td]

17.0K​

[/td][td]

18.5​

[/td][td]

4.13​

[/td][td]

6.2​

[/td][td]

8.4​

[/td][td]

22%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]3[/td][td]

119​

[/td][td]

19.5K​

[/td][td]

28.4​

[/td][td]

4.21​

[/td][td]

9.7​

[/td][td]

8.4​

[/td][td]

41%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]4[/td][td]

61​

[/td][td]

17.3K​

[/td][td]

23.4​

[/td][td]

4.39​

[/td][td]

8.0​

[/td][td]

8.8​

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56%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]5[/td][td]

27​

[/td][td]

26.3K​

[/td][td]

34.8​

[/td][td]

4.32​

[/td][td]

19.5​

[/td][td]

8.1​

[/td][td]

46%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]6[/td][td]

25​

[/td][td]

19.7K​

[/td][td]

36.1​

[/td][td]

4.62​

[/td][td]

10.4​

[/td][td]

9.4​

[/td][td]

84%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]7[/td][td]

11​

[/td][td]

19.6K​

[/td][td]

45.4​

[/td][td]

4.58​

[/td][td]

9.5​

[/td][td]

8.8​

[/td][td]

82%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]8[/td][td]

8​

[/td][td]

26.9K​

[/td][td]

36.3​

[/td][td]

4.52​

[/td][td]

10.3​

[/td][td]

8.2​

[/td][td]

57%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]9[/td][td]

7​

[/td][td]

29.0K​

[/td][td]

60.1​

[/td][td]

4.72​

[/td][td]

33.1​

[/td][td]

7.6​

[/td][td]

100%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]10[/td][td]

3​

[/td][td]

79.5K​

[/td][td]

187.3​

[/td][td]

4.67​

[/td][td]

59.7​

[/td][td]

12.5​

[/td][td]

100%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]11[/td][td]

1​

[/td][td]

28.5K​

[/td][td]

30.0​

[/td][td]

4.59​

[/td][td]

7.0​

[/td][td]

9.7​

[/td][td]

100%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]12[/td][td]

2​

[/td][td]

22.4K​

[/td][td]

51.0​

[/td][td]

4.52​

[/td][td]

14.5​

[/td][td]

9.2​

[/td][td]

50%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]25[/td][td]

1​

[/td][td]

27.9K​

[/td][td]

32.0​

[/td][td]

3.66​

[/td][td]

88.0​

[/td][td]

6.2​

[/td][td]

0%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]26[/td][td]

1​

[/td][td]

6.1K​

[/td][td]

8.0​

[/td][td]

4.74​

[/td][td]

3.0​

[/td][td]

7.2​

[/td][td]

100%​

[/td][/tr][tr][td]35[/td][td]

1​

[/td][td]

2.4K​

[/td][td]

6.0​

[/td][td]

3.68​

[/td][td]

4.0​

[/td][td]

5.5​

[/td][td]

0%​

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[/td][/tr][tr][td]All[/td][td]

1253​

[/td][td]

15.0K​

[/td][td]

17.1​

[/td][td]

4.07​

[/td][td]

5.8​

[/td][td]

8.5​

[/td][td]

20%​

[/td][/tr]

The stats of a stand-along story generally go up with every page, plateauing around six pages.

Full analysis is here

 

[MSTarot]

If too short you will get "Great beginning, can't wait for the next chapter."

If it's four through ten pages "Great beginning, can't wait for the next chapter."

If it is eleven pages to some infinite number. "Great beginning, can't wait for the next chapter. "


And anyone of those three is riddle with the potential to receive.

Anon: "Too long, didn't finish the first page."

 

[KeithD]

The ideal length is 10,361 words. Shhh. Don't tell anyone.

 

[sbrooks103]

Stories should be as long or short as they need to be. A more critical issue, IMHO, is chapter length. I see far too many stories posting a one page "Chapter 1." If a story is long enough to need chapters, then the chapters should be a MINIMUM of two FULL pages, three better, allowing for convenient story breaks. Also, the entire should at least be written if not edited. There is little worse than reading a chapter 1, then waiting days/weeks/MONTHS for later chapters because the author didn't write the rest yet!

 

[Ginlover]

As I reader I now check how long a story is before starting. I actively look for 2-3 page stories I’ll only start a 4 page of I've read something of the writer’s work before. My eyes like 30 minute stories.

As a writer I go with show not tell and I don’t like head hopping but I have the most amazing editors who will say if I’m writing and over explaining something. As a rule of thumb my drafts are about 6k word’s for a complete short story, that can increase up to 10k then in edit drop back to 7-8k.

I’ve written several novels of 100k words and my chapters are about 3k words (range 2-5k)

In terms of reading on line the average reader wants 15-20 minute chapters and 30-45 minute story shorties (that’s researched lengths). A 7000 word short story is about 30-45 minute read. Sorry if the numbers have been given before I only scanned the first few posts saying a story is as long as you want.

I agree you write the story, you pick length, but research regarding on screen reading time as opposed to typed books gives the numbers of words and times I’ve shared and if you’re going fir professional publishing you’ll be expected to conform until you’re famous enough to do what you want again.

 

[Hypoxia]

I do not believe in 'average' readers. I do believe a number-crunched analysis that stories around 8-11 LIT pages score best. My preferences and yours likely don't accord with more than a tiny percentage of LIT's millions of readers. A happy wee fraction are enough for me.

 

[eroticstoryspinner]

I'm typically reading Lit Erotica at work lunch breaks. So I appreciate something that I can read about half an hour.

I think my max is about 10k. Anything longer than that I prefer broken up into smaller sections.

Raises a good point here. I think the question is not long should the story be, its a long as it needs to be. The other issue is how and if do you break up a story. i know I am missing some really good LIT stories because i don't have the time to spend sitting down and reading 88 pages. If your story is going long I would at least consider if you could break it into parts if 3-4 poss 5 pages each. Again, your mileage may vary but I suspect that readers might prefer smaller bites

 

[SeabornFare]

My question to the authors out there is, what do you think is an ideal length for story on Literotica?

My ideal story length is a story that I can read from start to finish.

 

[anniebaby10]

However long it takes me to cum reading it.

 

[electric1]

The shorter, the better. If your story is long, break it into chapters and post them separately.

As a reader, when I see a story has over 5 Lit pages, I become reluctant to invest in reading it.

One Lit page is less of a commitment - even if it's Chapter 1 followed by a zillion more chapters. Either the author is going to deliver something worth reading in that first chapter, or I can leave and read something else.

Later chapters can be longer because, when the reader gets to them, you've already persuaded him that your stuff is worth reading. But at least the first chapter or two should be short.

 

[sbrooks103]

Ideal Length

I agree that there's no "ideal" length, a story needs to be as long as it needs to be. For me as a reader, 3-5 pages is my comfort zone. Except for flash stories, one-pagers tend to be crap!

For God's sake, if it's a first chapter, make it at least 3-pages. I see too many single-page chapter ones. If a story is long enough to require a second chapter, then it's long enough for chapter one to be longer than one page.

 

[yukonnights]

I do not believe in 'average' readers. I do believe a number-crunched analysis that stories around 8-11 LIT pages score best. My preferences and yours likely don't accord with more than a tiny percentage of LIT's millions of readers. A happy wee fraction are enough for me.

This has been my experience — 8 to 11 pages (~30,000 words to 40,000 words) are the most appreciated based on ratings. The big divide in this discussion is between the reader who wants to jerk off and go to sleep, and the reader who wants a real story with developed characters and a developed/interesting scenario.

So no, there is no ideal length. But if one considers the intent and the target audience, some very general guidelines can be helpful; — Stroker -> 3000 words to 11,000 words. Story with some plot and character development -> 11,000 words to 22,000 words. Fully developed story -> as many words as needed.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I agree that there's no "ideal" length, a story needs to be as long as it needs to be. For me as a reader, 3-5 pages is my comfort zone. Except for flash stories, one-pagers tend to be crap!

For God's sake, if it's a first chapter, make it at least 3-pages. I see too many single-page chapter ones. If a story is long enough to require a second chapter, then it's long enough for chapter one to be longer than one page.

I'm running a little experiment at the moment, based on my 750 Word Anthology entry. I've got a slightly longer second chapter running. It's still flash length (1100 words) and a single episode only. The subject matter lends itself to being short and sporadic, seeing someone only occasionally in real life - a transient encounter on a daily commute.

I'm trying to figure out what happens when it falls off the New Stories hub and settles for a while on the category front page (it's in a slowish moving category, both chapters are still on the category front page). So far both chapters are seeing a much higher Vote per View compared to my usual stuff, but lower scores (despite "this is short" caveats right up front). Once they're on the category page only, the score starts to climb slowly, and I suspect I will easily see sweeps when they happen.

Apart from one knob jockey complaint, the comments are along the lines of, "This is a nice start for a romance," which for me is interesting. I could approach it Sliding Doors style: going down a whole bunch of separate paths; I could subvert it entirely by running "nicely" and then turning it dark; I could take off anywhere, at any point. As a writer, this intrigues me. One character is my ever present, ever reliable alter-ego (thus making half the writing effortless), but the other character is a complete stranger, having only talked to her twice. I know nothing about her at all, so how many possibilities does that open up? Myriads, I'd say.

 

[yukonnights]

… I could take off anywhere, at any point. As a writer, this intrigues me. One character is my ever present, ever reliable alter-ego (thus making half the writing effortless), but the other character is a complete stranger, having only talked to her twice. I know nothing about her at all, so how many possibilities does that open up? Myriads, I'd say.

This is worrisome. That ever present unreliable alter-ego (i.e. those strange voices in your head.) … and a complete stranger! Just try not to get arrested this time, okay? Just try?

 

[ElectricBlue]

This is worrisome. That ever present unreliable alter-ego (i.e. those strange voices in your head.) … and a complete stranger! Just try not to get arrested this time, okay? Just try?

Hey, are you saying I'm an unreliable narrator?

I will have you know, sir, that I have never been arrested or even cautioned for any of my misdemeanours. Suzie knows a policeman .