How long is too long?

[Infamousin]

So, I have had something brewing for abit. I have not been on lit for the past three months or so.

I have a story that I have been working with on and off. It is love story in the incest category that I have casually created an entire world inside of. It also has the potential to go into different categories.

The problem is that I am only about halfway through it. This has become something like 18,000 words. I know several hall of fame stories surpass this length. I am really enjoying it and it is playing like a movie. However, I feel that this is far too long with the lit crowd. I can't make it shorter without making it cheaper and less of an actual story.

 

[ChloeTzang]

So, I have had something brewing for abit. I have not been on lit for the past three months or so.

I have a story that I have been working with on and off. It is love story in the incest category that I have casually created an entire world inside of. It also has the potential to go into different categories.

The problem is that I am only about halfway through it. This has become something like 18,000 words. I know several hall of fame stories surpass this length. I am really enjoying it and it is playing like a movie. However, I feel that this is far too long with the lit crowd. I can't make it shorter without making it cheaper and less of an actual story.

You don't have a worry in the world. I have stories up on LIT that are 20 LIT pages (70k words approx) and the reader response is good. There's the odd reader that doesn't like long stories but I just put a note right at the top of the story telling them how long the story is and that gives the ones that don;t want long stories fair warning. Seems to work because I have very few complaints about length.

You can always break it down into chapters through. Personally I think 3 LIT pages (10k words) is a good installment size if you have a logical break. I ave a few like that too.

I just wouldn't worry to much about the length. Write what you want to write and if you feel it's a bit lengthy break it down. If you follow the link in my signature, you can see how I've done that for a few series stories. If you want an example of a note about length, just look at "The Temptation of Sammi Woo" - or if you want a 3,500 page note and warning example. take a look at "A Troll is Haunting Tex's."

Just don't blame me if you snort your coffee

 

[Infamousin]

You don't have a worry in the world. I have stories up on LIT that are 20 LIT pages (70k words approx) and the reader response is good. There's the odd reader that doesn't like long stories but I just put a note right at the top of the story telling them how long the story is and that gives the ones that don;t want long stories fair warning. Seems to work because I have very few complaints about length.

You can always break it down into chapters through. Personally I think 3 LIT pages (10k words) is a good installment size if you have a logical break. I ave a few like that too.

I just wouldn't worry to much about the length. Write what you want to write and if you feel it's a bit lengthy break it down. If you follow the link in my signature, you can see how I've done that for a few series stories. If you want an example of a note about length, just look at "The Temptation of Sammi Woo" - or if you want a 3,500 page note and warning example. take a look at "A Troll is Haunting Tex's."

Just don't blame me if you snort your coffee

Hey Chloe! Thank you for the kind words. I will take a look and read what the examples you have provided for sure.

My story is a love story with some sex in it. Definitely not pump and dump. I don't think I can break it down at 18000 words. There is one sex scene right now. I plan for about three.

I will then branch out the story more. My goal is to submit it. As much as I enjoy this story I would like for others to enjoy the world I created as well.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Hey Chloe! Thank you for the kind words. I will take a look and read what the examples you have provided for sure.

My story is a love story with some sex in it. Definitely not pump and dump. I don't think I can break it down at 18000 words. There is one sex scene right now. I plan for about three.

I will then branch out the story more. My goal is to submit it. As much as I enjoy this story I would like for others to enjoy the world I created as well.

Oh by all means keep going. 18k words is middling, the first rule is, write the story you want to write - and welcome to the Authors Hangout. Stick around, chat, ask questions, drink coffee at Tex's Coffee Shop. There's lots of help here and we've all been where you are so have fun

Love and Romance and sex is a great area to start in, so good luck

 

[ElectricBlue]

The problem is that I am only about halfway through it. This has become something like 18,000 words. I know several hall of fame stories surpass this length. I am really enjoying it and it is playing like a movie.

Length isn't a problem on Lit, it's quality that gets results (yes folks, I did just write that ).

I had a little side project earlier this year that came in at around 32,000 words (written in the middle of a novel sized thing at 103k words). As Chloe says, it will get read. Agree, too, that 10k (3 Lit pages) is a good chapter length (he says, after his latest part which is twice that length).

A story needs to be the perfect length - just long enough to tell the story, no more, no less.

 

[SimonDoom]

So, I have had something brewing for abit. I have not been on lit for the past three months or so.

I have a story that I have been working with on and off. It is love story in the incest category that I have casually created an entire world inside of. It also has the potential to go into different categories.

The problem is that I am only about halfway through it. This has become something like 18,000 words. I know several hall of fame stories surpass this length. I am really enjoying it and it is playing like a movie. However, I feel that this is far too long with the lit crowd. I can't make it shorter without making it cheaper and less of an actual story.

Chloe is 100% correct. Don't worry. If your story ends up at two times 18K words it will be fine. Don't artificially break it into pieces if you don't have to. At 36,000 words your story will be 9 Lit pages. That's not too long.

I've published standalone incest stories and an 8-chapter incest series. My advice is NOT to break it apart into chapters unless each chapter delivers a payoff the readership wants. In my incest series each chapter marked a progression in a relationship between a mom and son. There was a payoff of sorts in each. So it worked OK, although there was significant drop-off in readership from chapter 1 to chapter 8. My advice is submit it as a single story.

 

[Infamousin]

Chloe is 100% correct. Don't worry. If your story ends up at two times 18K words it will be fine. Don't artificially break it into pieces if you don't have to. At 36,000 words your story will be 9 Lit pages. That's not too long.

I've published standalone incest stories and an 8-chapter incest series. My advice is NOT to break it apart into chapters unless each chapter delivers a payoff the readership wants. In my incest series each chapter marked a progression in a relationship between a mom and son. There was a payoff of sorts in each. So it worked OK, although there was significant drop-off in readership from chapter 1 to chapter 8. My advice is submit it as a single story.

I am well acquainted with that story line haha! Thank you for the reassurance as well. Hope my story can hold a readership like that.

I cannot shorten my story at this time. Too much world building has been put into it for things to make sense. But, future chapters will be easy.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I just posted a story, not but a week ago, in the novel & novella category, it's over 91,000 words long, That's 25 lit pages.

I have other, that I have broken up into parts that are 3 to 4 lit pages long and have 12 parts, so far.

Length doesn't matter to most readers if they like what you write. I have read some very long stories here at lit and enjoyed them. Not wanting to mention any names *cough* Chloe *cough*.

I have others out in the ebooksphere that are over 100,000 words long. And others that are only a couple of thousand words long.

If someone reads it and likes what they read, they won't care how long the tale is as long as they enjoy.

 

[Infamousin]

I just posted a story, not but a week ago, in the novel & novella category, it's over 91,000 words long, That's 25 lit pages.

I have other, that I have broken up into parts that are 3 to 4 lit pages long and have 12 parts, so far.

Length doesn't matter to most readers if they like what you write. I have read some very long stories here at lit and enjoyed them. Not wanting to mention any names *cough* Chloe *cough*.

I have others out in the ebooksphere that are over 100,000 words long. And others that are only a couple of thousand words long.

If someone reads it and likes what they read, they won't care how long the tale is as long as they enjoy.

That is a great way to look at it. That helps too!

 

[Hypoxia]

I seem to recall hearing of a tester posting a many-mega-page draft that didn't break LIT. Thus the actual limit of "too long" has not be reached. You are free to chart new territory.

 

[jaF0]

Once I realize something is more than about 3 pages, I quit reading and move on.

 

[LupusDei]

Longest single post story I recall reading was 108 or so Lit pages, a SyFy book posted in Illustrated because of a few diagrams and floor plans in it. It was a good read, and the 'OMG what I have gotten into' feel was welcomed and thematic.

 

[Infamousin]

Length isn't a problem on Lit, it's quality that gets results (yes folks, I did just write that ).

I had a little side project earlier this year that came in at around 32,000 words (written in the middle of a novel sized thing at 103k words). As Chloe says, it will get read. Agree, too, that 10k (3 Lit pages) is a good chapter length (he says, after his latest part which is twice that length).

A story needs to be the perfect length - just long enough to tell the story, no more, no less.

That is heartening. I am telling a story here. And as I said shortening it at this point simply won't do.

I seem to recall hearing of a tester posting a many-mega-page draft that didn't break LIT. Thus the actual limit of "too long" has not be reached. You are free to chart new territory.

I don't think its going to be long enough to break anything haha.

Once I realize something is more than about 3 pages, I quit reading and move on.

It is about the same for me if I am not invested. But, getting readers invested into this world is my goal.

Longest single post story I recall reading was 108 or so Lit pages, a SyFy book posted in Illustrated because of a few diagrams and floor plans in it. It was a good read, and the 'OMG what I have gotten into' feel was welcomed and thematic.

This is what I am wanting to do for sure. But, I it surely won't be 108 pages..though illustrations sound a2esone that won't happen haha.

 

[Infamousin]

Oh by all means keep going. 18k words is middling, the first rule is, write the story you want to write - and welcome to the Authors Hangout. Stick around, chat, ask questions, drink coffee at Tex's Coffee Shop. There's lots of help here and we've all been where you are so have fun

Love and Romance and sex is a great area to start in, so good luck

Thank you so much for the encouragement!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I seem to recall hearing of a tester posting a many-mega-page draft that didn't break LIT. Thus the actual limit of "too long" has not be reached. You are free to chart new territory.

The text field in the database for the story is a longraw which is over 2gigabytes of data. Anyone have a 2gig story laying around?

 

[ChloeTzang]

The text field in the database for the story is a longraw which is over 2gigabytes of data. Anyone have a 2gig story laying around?

I can work on it!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I can work on it!

Knowing you, you'll be finished with it next week sometime.

 

[Hypoxia]

A terrible terabyte story awaits, undoubtedly. Maybe when George RR Martin leaves the marketplace and posts on LIT.

 

[Infamousin]

A terrible terabyte story awaits, undoubtedly. Maybe when George RR Martin leaves the marketplace and posts on LIT.

Hahaha, not quite! It is and will grow to be lengthy. Maybe about 30k-35k words. I imagine about 15 or so pages on lit? Never submitted anything so I dunno.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Hahaha, not quite! It is and will grow to be lengthy. Maybe about 30k-35k words. I imagine about 15 or so pages on lit? Never submitted anything so I dunno.

One Lit page is 3,750 words, give or take a few.

 

[ttvttp]

It just depends. There are two huge stories on this site. Huge as in chapters and length. One has chapters that are to pages long. The other has chapters that are 20 plus pages. Each has most of their chapters almost 5 stars. It helps to be a more established author but I personally prefer longer stories and chapters.

 

[Hypoxia]

How long should a story or chapter be? Just long enough, no more, no less. With more or less, it's a different story. Maybe it NEEDS to be a different story.

When should a story be broken into discrete posted chapters? When it seems right. I've joined multiple chapters within one posted story because they fit.

When should a story end? When you or it wants to stop. But it may re-grow later. Some tales are like that. Some need to be nailed to a tree and left behind.

Someday I may go full Ogg-pervo and stack fifteen 50-word chapters into one mini-novella to make LIT's 750-word minimum. Or fewer chapters with longer titles. Or fifteen chapters that are ONLY 50-word titles. Maybe post in LW with full cuck-BBC-gangbang and bizarre BtB. See if I can EARN just one star.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I can work on it!

Or the title can be "The Entire Works of Chloe Tzang" and post your entire library of stories in a single published work.

 

[Infamousin]

One Lit page is 3,750 words, give or take a few.

Thanks Electric that is helpful as well!

It just depends. There are two huge stories on this site. Huge as in chapters and length. One has chapters that are to pages long. The other has chapters that are 20 plus pages. Each has most of their chapters almost 5 stars. It helps to be a more established author but I personally prefer longer stories and chapters.

I suppose it has chapters? Just not broken up. It is reading more like a book with breaks in time. I am not labeling chapters.

How long should a story or chapter be? Just long enough, no more, no less. With more or less, it's a different story. Maybe it NEEDS to be a different story.

When should a story be broken into discrete posted chapters? When it seems right. I've joined multiple chapters within one posted story because they fit.

When should a story end? When you or it wants to stop. But it may re-grow later. Some tales are like that. Some need to be nailed to a tree and left behind.

Someday I may go full Ogg-pervo and stack fifteen 50-word chapters into one mini-novella to make LIT's 750-word minimum. Or fewer chapters with longer titles. Or fifteen chapters that are ONLY 50-word titles. Maybe post in LW with full cuck-BBC-gangbang and bizarre BtB. See if I can EARN just one star.

This is the cryptic yet helpful advice I desired ahaha. I am going to go with when it wants to stop. I considered making it into parts, but I want this to be complete in this case. Mark it if you want to read the whole thing or click out if you don't.

I should be finished with the rough draft mid January before I request an editor or get further feedback.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Or the title can be "The Entire Works of Chloe Tzang" and post your entire library of stories in a single published work.

And if I add the unpublished partly finished stuff, make that about four times as much. I probably write about three or four times as much as ever sees the light of Literotica. I have quite a few huge partly finished stories that I parked for one reason or another.

My New Years Resolution for 2019 is focus focus and focus. I planned out all my writing for 2019 month by month. And already I am deviating from the plan. But I changed the plan, so I'm good