What's a good word count for a short story?
- Thread starter lexium
- Start date
3,000 - 3500 seems to be a comfortable length. Long enough to develop good characters and action, but short enough so those of us with short attention spans don't turn into drool biscuits.
Personally I like really long stories. I mastered the art of the bookmark ages ago. I seem to be in the minority, though.
Warmest,
-T
Personally I like really long stories. I mastered the art of the bookmark ages ago. I seem to be in the minority, though.
Warmest,
-T
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Guest
Well, I've never paid much attention to the word count on my stories, but I know that one MS Word page typed in 10 pt. font is a very short story. One MS Word page can be added as a post in the BB, and it won't even take up much space within the thread. I've had stories that were between two to five pages in MS Word, and they've only equaled one page here at Lit. (So, it would take a very long story to have Lit break it up in two or more pages themselves.)
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Lex,
I have an unfinished story that is up to 3 MS Word (Word processor program for any who may not know...) pages long now, and a while back I was trying to "wrap it up" in the three pages then. I planned to write it in "chapters" of such that were 3 pages long. (All because I didn't want it to be too long for Lit.) Well, after typing up 3 pages I found I didn't even really have any sex in the story, just sexual tension, and I didn't want to "rush" myself to get some sex in those first 3 pages. And, after an experiment I did (posting an E-mail fantasy that was written for a friend) I discovered that 1 MS Word typed page with a 10 pt. font really was not long at all.
I have an unfinished story that is up to 3 MS Word (Word processor program for any who may not know...) pages long now, and a while back I was trying to "wrap it up" in the three pages then. I planned to write it in "chapters" of such that were 3 pages long. (All because I didn't want it to be too long for Lit.) Well, after typing up 3 pages I found I didn't even really have any sex in the story, just sexual tension, and I didn't want to "rush" myself to get some sex in those first 3 pages. And, after an experiment I did (posting an E-mail fantasy that was written for a friend) I discovered that 1 MS Word typed page with a 10 pt. font really was not long at all.
Tiggs,
Some of the stories I've written got up to 6 pages "Arial" type font with a size at 10pt. I still got requests to make them longer. After a while I get bored with the story and try to conclude it quickly. Some of them I just trash. I am looking for a length that won't be too long, but enough to satisfy the reader.
Some of the stories I've written got up to 6 pages "Arial" type font with a size at 10pt. I still got requests to make them longer. After a while I get bored with the story and try to conclude it quickly. Some of them I just trash. I am looking for a length that won't be too long, but enough to satisfy the reader.
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Guest
Lex,
Well, you already have an idea of what 6 pages looks like at Lit. What you need to decide now is if it's worth it to make them longer to satisfy your readers. After all, if a longer story bores you to write, it's not going to be "all that" to your readers. Literature is a work of art, just as a painting or song is. Somehow I don't think "fans" of an artist are going to request that he add more paint to his canvas. Just as I don't think a fan will walk up to a singer and say, "I really loved your latest piece...but...I was thinking, can you add two extra minutes to its length, please?" An art form is an art form is an art form. Simple as that. Most people DO (paint, write, sing, draw, build, etc.) their art form for THEMSELVES, not others. It's just a happy quirt if others like your art form as well. So, I say don't change for others. Don't add length to your stories if you feel it's a bore to write. The quality of your work will show. If you're bored, your readers will know it. Perhaps, if you do want to try to please your readers, you could take your characters from one story and put them in a new adventure? I have a feeling that many authors never planned to write a full series when they set down to write one book. But, things like Fear Street, The Babysitter's Club, Sweet Valley Twins/High, and even Ann Rice's Mayfair Witch chronicles and her Sleeping Beauty trilogy are all great series, and each book in those series could stand alone if any one of them had been the only book written by the author.
And on a side note, my mind has even been processing potential series with some of the characters I've developed in different tales thus far.
Well, you already have an idea of what 6 pages looks like at Lit. What you need to decide now is if it's worth it to make them longer to satisfy your readers. After all, if a longer story bores you to write, it's not going to be "all that" to your readers. Literature is a work of art, just as a painting or song is. Somehow I don't think "fans" of an artist are going to request that he add more paint to his canvas. Just as I don't think a fan will walk up to a singer and say, "I really loved your latest piece...but...I was thinking, can you add two extra minutes to its length, please?" An art form is an art form is an art form. Simple as that. Most people DO (paint, write, sing, draw, build, etc.) their art form for THEMSELVES, not others. It's just a happy quirt if others like your art form as well. So, I say don't change for others. Don't add length to your stories if you feel it's a bore to write. The quality of your work will show. If you're bored, your readers will know it. Perhaps, if you do want to try to please your readers, you could take your characters from one story and put them in a new adventure? I have a feeling that many authors never planned to write a full series when they set down to write one book. But, things like Fear Street, The Babysitter's Club, Sweet Valley Twins/High, and even Ann Rice's Mayfair Witch chronicles and her Sleeping Beauty trilogy are all great series, and each book in those series could stand alone if any one of them had been the only book written by the author.
And on a side note, my mind has even been processing potential series with some of the characters I've developed in different tales thus far.
Tiggs,
I really like my readers to enjoy what I write, but most of all I'm looking for that one story that would make a good book. I'm really new at writting eventhough I posted 20 or so on Lit. Have you written a book yet?
Tiggs said:And on a side note, my mind has even been processing potential series with some of the characters I've developed in different tales thus far.
I really like my readers to enjoy what I write, but most of all I'm looking for that one story that would make a good book. I'm really new at writting eventhough I posted 20 or so on Lit. Have you written a book yet?
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lexium said:
Unfortunately, no. I haven't written anything long enough to submit to a publisher. (Though, when I was still in high school, I set a goal for myself that I would be a published writer by the time I hit 40. As of this summer, I have 15 more years to go. lol) And, I came to Lit to find out if my writings were even liked. (Since they have the raiting scale for readers to vote on...) Perhaps I'll finish my horror tale since Lit has a non erotica section as well?
Tiggs said:
Tiggs,
40! I remember that year lol I plan to self-publish. Maybe about ten or so books. Eventhough readers here like the subject matter of my stories, I don't think that they would fair well with the general population. I just want something to sit on the shelf and shock my grand childern when they get old enough to read such things. My thoughts are..."Grandma was crazy!"
I'm having a problem with knowing when to go from one chapter to another. It all seems like one long story. Any help you can give me or point me to?
lexium said:
I'm not Tiggs, but I can help.
Use a chapter break either as a major demarcation of action, a change in POV, or to radically shift focus. It also provides a convenient rest point for the reader and can be used as pacing, or to increase the level of tension by interrupting the flow of a story.
If anything I said up there confuses, let me know.
-T
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As Mozart said, a piece of music should have exactly the right number of notesin it, not too many and not too few.
People write long novels that are perfect (e.g. Carl Sagan) and if you look on the Erotic Writers Association they have "quickies" and "flashes" which are really short.
One of my favourite SF stories is as follows:
The last man on Earth sat in a room. Something knocked at the door ...
Fourteen words and a ... but of perfect length.
People write long novels that are perfect (e.g. Carl Sagan) and if you look on the Erotic Writers Association they have "quickies" and "flashes" which are really short.
One of my favourite SF stories is as follows:
The last man on Earth sat in a room. Something knocked at the door ...
Fourteen words and a ... but of perfect length.
How about starting a story off in the middle of an action sceen? For example:
"Ahh! Shit! That hurts!," Carol screamed pushing against Martin's chest while driving over the edge of the bed to the floor. The sudden intrusion into her tunt asshole sent a burning cord up her spin.
Is there structural rules stating a writer must create a setting before the action begin?
It seems that all the short stories in Richard Ford's book "Rock Springs" all start with a description of the setting.
"Ahh! Shit! That hurts!," Carol screamed pushing against Martin's chest while driving over the edge of the bed to the floor. The sudden intrusion into her tunt asshole sent a burning cord up her spin.
Is there structural rules stating a writer must create a setting before the action begin?
It seems that all the short stories in Richard Ford's book "Rock Springs" all start with a description of the setting.
lexium said:
If you want to start the story hot, feel free to do so. As a matter of fact the technique you mention is so common it even has a fancy latin name, 'En Media Res,' or 'In the Middle'. This term is not specific to Erotica, but to writing in general. Essentially, one should always start the story as close to the beginning of the plot arc and the critical action as possible. As the first exception to this rule, many people get immediately turned off your writing if you start the story in a sex scene. I guess they want the appetizer and then the main course and don't want to pass it all up in favour of dessert.
Ultimately you, the author, must decide where the natural start of your story is.
Regards,
-T
I've been poking at this and that, trying to find a good begining. Starting in the middle of an action sceen came to me while watching my husband's favorite movie with him ("Lethal Weapon").
In my previous example the action would be a hint into the plot. Anal sex is what Martin want but what Carol is relutant to give. It shows that she really don't like it, and the story would be about Martin's quest to have Carol willingly open her anal canal to him.
That was just an example, but I feel that you answered it. Thanks. If you have anything else to add, please do.
In my previous example the action would be a hint into the plot. Anal sex is what Martin want but what Carol is relutant to give. It shows that she really don't like it, and the story would be about Martin's quest to have Carol willingly open her anal canal to him.
That was just an example, but I feel that you answered it. Thanks. If you have anything else to add, please do.
lexium said:
Lexium, I could add several dozen pages to this discussion. It might be better if you had some specific questions for me.
One thing we can do is examine a story intro I wrote some time back. I already posted it under the thread "Charged First Paragraphs," but I'll copy it here:
Based on that, can who figure out the following?
Who the story is about?
What the main thrust of the story will be?
When does the story takes place?
Where does the story takes place?
Why are these events happening?
How will the story resolve itself?
Some of these questions aren't answered above directly, but they are hinted at. There should be enough meat in that paragraph so you can draw some conclusions about the action. They might turn out to be incorrect, but they will serve as a good starting point. Twisting reader expectation in unsuspecting ways is one of the coolest things a writer gets to do. I'd be interested in your thoughts on the paragraph above. Would it work for you as a story beginning? Why or why not? Tearing it apart and realizing why it functions or fails can help you to decide how your tales should be introduced. Don't do as I do, do as you must.
Warmest,
-T
Hey,
I copied the link to another thread where I put a peice, that may answer the question, where I'm trying to go with this:
http://www.literotica.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=74488
I can see what you are talking about, I think?
The POV is making a possible assumption based on what she knows about the other character (husband or boyfriend). It seems to be about a woman that is trying to get a raise out of her mate, which she is not getting. The POV is having an affair, and not going through a great deal of trouble to hide it. They are together looking at each other. The POV wants her mate to make her feel worth fighting over. To be more aggressive (assumption). To resolve this, I see the POV's mate being more aware than POV suppects. The thing that she is doing to get his attention could be the very thing that he is setting her up to do.
I copied the link to another thread where I put a peice, that may answer the question, where I'm trying to go with this:
http://www.literotica.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=74488
I can see what you are talking about, I think?
The POV is making a possible assumption based on what she knows about the other character (husband or boyfriend). It seems to be about a woman that is trying to get a raise out of her mate, which she is not getting. The POV is having an affair, and not going through a great deal of trouble to hide it. They are together looking at each other. The POV wants her mate to make her feel worth fighting over. To be more aggressive (assumption). To resolve this, I see the POV's mate being more aware than POV suppects. The thing that she is doing to get his attention could be the very thing that he is setting her up to do.
lexium said:
Beautiful ... You got it exactly!
That intro is from a story in progress called "Let Sleeping Demons Lie." Originally it was from a Synder & Ashe scene that I scrapped. I hate throwing out anything!
As you say, Dumb Ol' Dave isn't as dense as he lets on. She even tells us about the very characteristic that makes him a dangerous man to fuck with. "He'd rather deny the truth and shoulder the hurt instead of making false accusations against me. This soft side of his remains both his strength and his weakness. He'd never accuse me of infidelity unless he had irrefutable evidence." He's slow to rouse and slower to anger, but he's going to go postal once his is positive she's done him wrong.
I'll look over the link you posted.
Warmest,
-T
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Word count
Getting back to word count someone mentioned 3000-3500. I am just begining to write my first story. I have started a first draft and I have 1500 words and am still introducing the two main characters. They are will be the only major characters but still I feel this may be getting out of hand. Is 5000-6000 words too long. Should I consider using chapter breaks at this length.
There are also some other problems with the story so I will be doing a rewrite but would like some input on length.
On the bright side I think I have a few really good paragraphs that I will use somewhere, either in this story rewritten or in another story.
Getting back to word count someone mentioned 3000-3500. I am just begining to write my first story. I have started a first draft and I have 1500 words and am still introducing the two main characters. They are will be the only major characters but still I feel this may be getting out of hand. Is 5000-6000 words too long. Should I consider using chapter breaks at this length.
There are also some other problems with the story so I will be doing a rewrite but would like some input on length.
On the bright side I think I have a few really good paragraphs that I will use somewhere, either in this story rewritten or in another story.
