11 Comments on How long is a piece of string?

TR1980 on Nov 12, 2009 at 18:33pm



This is a worry of mine concerning the book I am currently working on. Each of the first ten chapters is coming in at lengths varying between 1000 and 2,500 words. What happens if I come to the end and only have 40,000 words in total – is this too short for any agent or publisher to bother with?

Paul Lamb on Nov 14, 2009 at 02:39am



Sorry, but I have some trouble with this. It seems to me that you must write the story you have, as well as you can, and finish only when it is done, not when some more marketable word count is achieved.

ToxicParadox on Nov 16, 2009 at 14:49pm



This terrifies me, but at the same time I think it’s better to have something to aim for. The first draft of my manuscript has ended up being 30,000 words – I know that’s more or less a novella, but rather than being discouraged it has given me an opportunity to think about what is missing from my story; what other elements can I add? Can I explore the relationships between characters further? Can I create more of a world around my plot?

As a second year university student, I shouldn’t be spending so much time on my manuscript, particularly as my Creative Writing tutor was incredibly scathing about my first chapter, but I’m learning, and writing as I learn.

TR1980 on Nov 16, 2009 at 21:34pm



Well, I have to say that I’m encouraged by these responses. Onward, then, to the end, wherever that may eventually be!

Cressida Downing (editorial consultant) on Nov 18, 2009 at 08:41am



TR1980 – there are no guidelines when it comes to chapter length, except that it’s worth remembering that the average paperback book will fit in 350-400 words on a page. If your chapter is 1,000 words long, it will only go over 2 and a half pages, so it may be what you are writing aren’t chapters as such – but more where your narrative takes a natural break.

Paul Lamb – I absolutely agree with you, you must write as you feel it – not to marketing rules, but it is worth knowing what the industry expects, should you wish to take it further, and try for publication.

Publishers will accept books that are outside of these guidelines, but they will have to find them exceptional to take them forward. A good novel that is too long might be rejected under those circumstances because the editor cannot justify the length.

ToxicParadox – you raise a good point. The suggested lengths aren’t arbitrary, they are what the reader has come to expect will encompass all the elements of a good novel, explored at a length that ‘feels’ right. Sometimes you begin to write a novel, and realise it’s a short story, or vice versa.

Good luck with all your projects,

Cressida

Tomscribe on Nov 18, 2009 at 12:51pm



Length, yes, I guess it’s important. Mind you as a short story writer I’ve had feedback on some of my works which suggests the particular story in question would make a good novel – hum, perhaps so – but then I’d probably go and ruin it!

I believe it’s possible to write an exciting and gripping story in under 500 words as in one flash fiction piece I wrote some time back [it's title is "Allahu Akbar!"] This story can found in my Ebook “Short Story Trilogy”; my profile page here has the details.

Anyhow, whatever length a story is, if it’s a good read then it’s been worth the effort writing it. Now to my next project…

sidban1 on Nov 22, 2009 at 22:58pm



Still believe in the old fashoined way that if I have to manipulate the word count of my story (that is, increase/ reduce without sufficient literary reasons) just to get it published, I’d rather prefer to remain unpublished

Audrey-K on Nov 23, 2009 at 17:07pm



Hi Cressida,

First of all: thank you for all your useful tips on this site.

I have a question on finding an agent, but I can’t leave a comment at the blog about that subject.

I am not from the UK, and English is not even my first language. I am a (commercial) writer in my native language though, I write for television and for magazines in my home country. However, I have recently finished a novel that I have written in English (I am bilingual) and that I think appeals to the English- speaking market more than to the market in my home country.
(One of the reasons I wrote the novel in English is because one of my main characters is an American, and the story is very much dialogue driven.)

My question is this: do you have any tips for bilingual writers? Would you recommend sending my synopsis and a covering letter to an agent in the UK, or do you think it is better to just target publishers in my own country, even though English is not the first language here?

Cressida Downing (Editorial Consultant) on Nov 26, 2009 at 23:18pm



Tomscribe – do you remember there was a competition years ago for Mini Sagas? You had to get across a story in exactly 50 words – and some were surprisingly moving and astute.

sidban1 – it’s important to make all cuts (or indeed increases) with editorial integrity. It’s just worth knowing what constraints most editors have to work within if you do choose to submit your work for publication.

Audrey-K – the comments close after 90 days so that is probably why the blog entry you mention isn’t accepting any further posts. It’s hard to answer your question without knowing which country you’re in, but it would depend what the market is like for English literature there. The UK does have a good track record for publishing authors for whom English isn’t their first language – Joseph Conrad is a case in point!

JohnKing on Dec 17, 2009 at 08:56am



Oh dear.
Now I’m worried! I’m 10,000 words in and I’m still in the early stages of establishing characters and their back-stories! I’m clinging to the phrase “a ‘blockbuster’ can be longer, as can a sci-fi or historical fiction novel” as my current piece has elements of both sci-fi and historical fiction. At the rate I’m going, my novel could be turning into a trilogy! Still, as most writers on here have said (and in my humble, inexperienced opinion, they are right!) if it takes 50 words or 500,000 words to tell your story, then so be it. Surely, if the work turnsout to be too long for its genre, it’s down to the publisher to discuss with the author the possibility of serialising the story?

Elizowe on Dec 26, 2009 at 10:07am



Thanks Cressida,
I find your blog advice really helpful. As someone who tends to write short first, I like knowing the guidelines. In later drafts I add in dialogue and try to move from reporting the story to letting the characters speak for themselves.
As a reader I prefer novels around 100,000 words, they fit in my bag! And if its a series or a trilogy that’s excitig too. What I dislike is books, literary or commercial, that seem to go off on long page-filling tangents of description for no apparent reason other than to add words…My prediction is that the trend for paperbacks will be less words in future not more – what do you think?