How Long Should a story be?

[JonGrey]

Hello all. I'm trying to get into the swing of this, and I appreciate all the helpful things you have said to me in the past, and more recently.

I do have a question, though, and if anyone's got advice, I'd appreciate hearing it.

How long (how many pages) should a story reach? Is there a limit? I've noticed a few getting towards twenty-five, but I didn't know about any unwritten rules.

Thanks again to all who have helped me out.

 

[bungakawa2000]

As long as it is still interesting. There are stories that really don't have enough "depth" to remain interesting after a few pages, others will keep you entertained. It depends, really.

As far as "threads" go however, I think very short threads should be avoided unless it's absolutely necessary. Each thread should develop the story a little, even if it's only about the sex. Having a thread that reads only: "He fucks her untill they both cum, and he asks if she's ready for more. -- Is she ready for more?" is not worth the readers' time IMHO.

Bunga

 

[gystex]

As far as "threads" go however, I think very short threads should be avoided unless it's absolutely necessary. Each thread should develop the story a little, even if it's only about the sex. Having a thread that reads only: "He fucks her untill they both cum, and he asks if she's ready for more. -- Is she ready for more?" is not worth the readers' time IMHO.

Bunga

I think there's an exception to this rule. Suppose a story is written with the maximum number of available choices: four. However, the editor wishes at a certain junction to have more options. He may, then, start with a simple choice that leads to short threads, which then qualify the choice and lead on to longer threads. In this way, it is possible to allow four choices to become as many as sixteen.

I did something like this in "Doing the Sorority" - hit either of the "Yes" options right at the start to see what I mean. The threads that follow either of those options could have been made longer, but I felt it was needless to add words just for the sake of doing so when all I really wanted to do was increase the number of available options at that point in the story.

I do feel that this sort of short-thread option-multiplication should be done only by the editor.

 

[SparkyMan]

How long should a story be?

As the old saying goes...

Until it get's boring!

We have had discussion on this topic in the past, regarding is it okay to post an "ending" thread?

There may be some threads that naturally deserve to bring the reader to an end... others, depending on the story line and the hook at then end, leave little to the imagination, but to create an end to the story.

A classic example may be a Lara Croft adventure, where she finally finds the treasure... it may come to an end, because she found the treasure... or, finding the treasure may have opened the doors of some new adventure... which could be carried on in the original story line, or could be carried on in a NEW storyline.

The ultimate decision is yours! You are the editor!