Can it ever be TOO long?

[LonelyMom]

No, silly...I'm talking about the length of a story. I'm working on one right now that I realy like. The problem is that I'm 11,000 words into it and nobody is even naked yet. I'm thinking that it'll probably end up in the 15,000 word range which would be five or six Lit pages, I think.

What have been your experiences with longer stories? Does the length put readers off? Is there one catagory where longer stories are more accepted? This one was originally destined to the mature catagory, though I could easily see it fitting in the romance one as well.

I'd like the story to reach as large an audience as possible and I'd appreciate hearing from some of the more experienced writers about how to handle this tricky problem.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

No, silly...I'm talking about the length of a story. I'm working on one right now that I realy like. The problem is that I'm 11,000 words into it and nobody is even naked yet. I'm thinking that it'll probably end up in the 15,000 word range which would be five or six Lit pages, I think.

What have been your experiences with longer stories? Does the length put readers off? Is there one catagory where longer stories are more accepted? This one was originally destined to the mature catagory, though I could easily see it fitting in the romance one as well.

I'd like the story to reach as large an audience as possible and I'd appreciate hearing from some of the more experienced writers about how to handle this tricky problem.

Most of my recent chapters for Montana Summer have been around 20,000 words or more, and they have gone over well.

 

[CeriseNoire]

No, silly...I'm talking about the length of a story. I'm working on one right now that I realy like. The problem is that I'm 11,000 words into it and nobody is even naked yet. I'm thinking that it'll probably end up in the 15,000 word range which would be five or six Lit pages, I think.

What have been your experiences with longer stories? Does the length put readers off? Is there one catagory where longer stories are more accepted? This one was originally destined to the mature catagory, though I could easily see it fitting in the romance one as well.

I'd like the story to reach as large an audience as possible and I'd appreciate hearing from some of the more experienced writers about how to handle this tricky problem.

If there will be more to it, try Novels and Novellas.

 

[rgraham666]

No, silly...I'm talking about the length of a story. I'm working on one right now that I realy like. The problem is that I'm 11,000 words into it and nobody is even naked yet. I'm thinking that it'll probably end up in the 15,000 word range which would be five or six Lit pages, I think.

What have been your experiences with longer stories? Does the length put readers off? Is there one catagory where longer stories are more accepted? This one was originally destined to the mature catagory, though I could easily see it fitting in the romance one as well.

I'd like the story to reach as large an audience as possible and I'd appreciate hearing from some of the more experienced writers about how to handle this tricky problem.

Generally, my longer stories have been my most popular. Most votes, most views, high scores.

My longest at seven Lit pages was also my most read. Until I sold it and took it down had over 52,000 views in the slightly less than two years it was up. Received about eighty pieces of feedback.

I'm hoping it will be as popular when it's published.

That said, I believe that's about the longest a story should be on Lit. Pieces here should be, in my opinion, readable in one sitting, even a long sitting. Any longer, break it up into chapters.

My $0.02.

 

[Agnol]

My longest is around 9 Lit pages long with over 117k views in less than a year of being online. Longer stories probably get more views just because people have to keep coming back to finish them. I got a lot of feedback saying that they never read stories that long before, so if the story is compelling enough people will finish it.

With a story that long I think it is very important to critically edit content to make sure that everything you are writing is important to the story. I've given up on long tales just because the author waxed on about stuff I found irrelevant.

 

[rydia57]

But you could make one thats reallly long, and it could be nothing but dribble or boredom typing.... is it wrong to make a story that looks like its open for a part two... but not write anymore chapters to it?

 

[Penelope Street]

What have been your experiences with longer stories? Does the length put readers off?

A few readers have left comments on my stories saying they were too long, but only a few and I don't fret over them. It's one of those "You can't please everyone, so you may as well please yourself" things. So don't worry about the length! Just write the story the way you want it written and then worry about things like categories.

I'd like the story to reach as large an audience as possible...

If this is your foremost goal, you need only make the characters related.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

The rule I was taught is this...

A story is as long as it takes to tell it.

Don't worry about it, LM.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

If this is your foremost goal, you need only make the characters related.

LOL!!

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

Maybe...

I guess I'm in the minority on this one, but I think a story can definitely be too long. I come from the Ernest Hemingway school of thought. I prefer concise, precise, razor-specific words and sentences. But, as I said, I'm perhaps the minority opinion here. Still, it's what I think.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

I guess I'm in the minority on this one, but I think a story can definitely be too long. I come from the Ernest Hemingway school of thought. I prefer concise, precise, razor-specific words and sentences. But, as I said, I'm perhaps the minority opinion here. Still, it's what I think.

Obviously, you've never read my drivel...LOL...I am not concise, precise, I've never used a "razor-specific word" in my life. I never search for the perfect word, or perfect phrase. I just write it as I see it in my mind.

I don't view myself as being a writer, I see myself as being a storyteller, I just amble along at my own pace, hopefully dragging the readers along with me.

All that being said, a story should be as long as it needs to be.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

To Each His Own

That's all to the good. Everyone has there opinion. I was merely expressing mine. I am first and foremost a writer, and I ALWAYS search for the perfect word or phrase.

But, by the same token, I also admire all kinds of "storytellers"...whether they be those who write it as they see it or edit it to death.

To each his own.

 

[Penelope Street]

I guess I'm in the minority on this one, but I think a story can definitely be too long. I come from the Ernest Hemingway school of thought. I prefer concise, precise, razor-specific words and sentences. But, as I said, I'm perhaps the minority opinion here. Still, it's what I think.

I'm not sure you're in a minority. The consensus seems to be that a story should simply be the length required to tell it. If a story is long because it's not precise and all that, then isn't the story longer than the length required to tell it?

That's all to the good. Everyone has there(sic) opinion.

I agree. I had to read a Hemingway story for a class once and it was definitely longer than I needed it to be!

And, yes, I edit mine to death.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

That's all to the good. Everyone has there opinion. I was merely expressing mine. I am first and foremost a writer, and I ALWAYS search for the perfect word or phrase.

But, by the same token, I also admire all kinds of "storytellers"...whether they be those who write it as they see it or edit it to death.

To each his own.

I think there is a spot for everyone and their work. There are readers that enjoy finely crafted pieces of literature, and there are readers who just want to get lost in a story.

My work is barely edited, just enough to get the errors out (at least most of them).

 

[LonelyMom]

Feeling Better

Thank you all for your opinions. I've looked the story over and I really couldn't find anything that I wanted to part with. I've hit the 14,500 word mark, but at least they're finally naked! I'm in the home strectch now. At least, I think I am. I'm just praying that the characters will cooperate with me just this one time.

Somebody wrote something about editing...You mean that we're supposed to do that? You learn something new every day! I thought that The Magic Story Fairy did all of that for us?

 

[LonelyMom]

Finally Finished

I finally got it finished! I kept trimming until I got it down to four full Lit pages. Hopefully, that won't be too long to discourage anyone for giving it a try. It feels kind of nice to be able to say this to a guy for once - Don't be affraid of how long it is. I guarentee that you're gonns like it