How long is too long for Lit?

[The Mutt]

I just finished a story that is 8,400 words long. Do you think that's too long for a single submission? Should I break it in to chapters? Any advice will be much appreciated.

 

[wishfulthinking]

Hi Mutt

By my shaky calculations, that is 2-3 Lit pages, which isn't even close to being too long for a single submission.

What is considered too long - I wouldn't know. I'd think that would depend entirely on the story - plot, character development etc.

A lot of people [like myself] post in chapters, but for me that is because if I waited until I finished the whole story, I wouldn't post a thing for another year. Nothing at all to do with story length.

 

[J.Q. Hack]

I agree with wishfulthinking, your story certainly isn't too long to post on literotica. You can use chapters also if you feel at some other point you'd like to continue your story and it wasn't necessarily planned that way originally. I think you have a good length for a story and if you're happy with it stick with that length.

 

[The Mutt]

Thanks, y'all. I have submitted.

 

[TheCaptain]

Honestly, I don't think a story can ever really be 'too long' or 'too short'- it's all really just up to the personal preferences of the readers themselves. I just keep writing until I've finished, and that usually fills up about 5 or 6 Lit-pages nowadays!

That's at least a month's worth of work as it is... I'm thinking of just going back to my old, shorter format of 2-4 pages worth though in the future unless writing a one-off tale, because it's easier on me and can keep me moving from one concept and onto another quickly enough.

 

[kbate]

If its good

If your story is good, I don't care if it is 500000 words. I will read it, section by section until I am finished.

(of course if it is like a Clancy novel, I will read the first thousand words, the last thousand and assume the remainder are superfluous)

 

[TheCaptain]

Re: If its good

(of course if it is like a Clancy novel, I will read the first thousand words, the last thousand and assume the remainder are superfluous)

lol HARSH!

Don't totally agree there, but then that's what makes this wonderful world of ours so great... and the Internet greater still!

 

[Boxlicker101]

Honestly, I don't think a story can ever really be 'too long' or 'too short'- it's all really just up to the personal preferences of the readers themselves. I just keep writing until I've finished, and that usually fills up about 5 or 6 Lit-pages nowadays!

That's at least a month's worth of work as it is... I'm thinking of just going back to my old, shorter format of 2-4 pages worth though in the future unless writing a one-off tale, because it's easier on me and can keep me moving from one concept and onto another quickly enough.

Well, they can be too short. 750 words is the minimum for acceptance. A story can be too long if it's padded. I try to watch out for that and I try to avoid too much repetition, either in one story or between stories. Since the smut I write is somewhat limited, that isn't easy to do.

 

[TheCaptain]

Well, they can be too short. 750 words is the minimum for acceptance. A story can be too long if it's padded. I try to watch out for that and I try to avoid too much repetition, either in one story or between stories. Since the smut I write is somewhat limited, that isn't easy to do.

Yup, of course, you got me there!

I was being more, you know, general... not really talking about Literotica's views on things in particular but in writing (erotica, in this case) as a whole. But yes, a 750 word limit is smart and acceptable for this site.

I myself haven't really gone up past around about 22,000 words on Lit... that was a real big story, about 6 pages full, though the last bit went over onto page 7 for just a little bit.

I don't really think there was much 'padding' in that story (if you want to read it and judge for yourself, you're welcome to do so, but it is in the Incest category so it may not appeal to everyone's tastes in erotica: Naughty Boy!. It's the first chapter of a five-chapter series), but if there was any at all, it was necessary to establish the characters involved and set the scene for the insuring smut.

But yeah... a good harmony between the two extremes of 'too long' and 'too short' is always the way to go, as it appeals to the broadest range of erotica readers. But its finding the right blend of the two that's so damn tricky!

 

[Amber jayne]

All my stories start out as emails to my lover. Then I churn them into longer rants in hopes of drawing out the act. Much like real life love making. Sometime you have a quicky and sometimes you go all night. All you/we/I ever have to worry about is the smile on the readers/lover's face. That's the true mesure of success, so don't worry be happy.

 

[flyer333]

Too long is when you lose the readers. Other than that, pull them along with a good storyline.

 

[flyer333]

Too Long???

I may find out. I'm working on a new story called "The Intern" that requires a significant amount of story-telling just to paint the "scene" so to speak. I'm on page 12 in ".doc" and it will probably go 30 pages...or more. And it will be HOT!!!