Comments on: HOW LONG, BABY, HOW LONG?

By: Mike Dennis

Mike Dennis — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:59:23 +0000

Unfortunately, David, you’re probably right. Especially when you say there’s no significant market for the novella. I’m just going to have to figure out how to tell these stories with more words, and without making it look like padding.

By: David Vineyard

David Vineyard — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:08:24 +0000

I wish I agreed with everyone, but the fact it writing is a business, and in the business as it stands there is little market for books under 90,000 words.

I happen to think the novella is the ideal length for crime and detective stories, but the novella has no market. Art is fine, but it is a shame to waste talent writing at a length almost no one will accept.

Most writers overwrite and have to cut. My first book ran close to 300,000 words and had to be cut by more than half.

But the sad fact is that publishers just aren’t going to take manuscripts under 50,000 words seriously unless you are already a ‘name,’ and you are probably better to work toward 90,000 at a minimum.

I have a friend who is trying to sell his successful e-books to publisher, he even has an agent, but the publishers aren’t interested at the 60,000 word length he wrote them out.

Sad to say this is a business as much as an art, and right now there is little or no market for tightly written books in 60,000 word range. As any professional writer will tell you sometimes the business end trumps the art.

By: Mike Dennis

Mike Dennis — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:41:52 +0000

Minerva–
I’m editing it now, and waiting for my beta reader to get done with some pressing business.

By: minervaK

minervaK — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:14:13 +0000

What ever happened to the novella?

By: Mike Dennis

Mike Dennis — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:37:47 +0000

Dana, it’s good to know there are people like yourself out there who can say you don’t feel cheated by a short book if you enjoyed the read.

I read a Harry Whittington noir paperback from the 1950s a couple of weeks ago that had to have fewer than 30,000 words and it felt like the whole story was there.

By: Dana King

Dana King — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:51:28 +0000

I understand what you mean. My novels come in around twice as long as yours, but that’s about how long it took me to tell those stories. As a reader, I like a quicker read, so long as everything is there. I don;t want to feel something has been left out, or that there’s padding. If 40,000 words is what it takes, good. I read Ken Bruen’s LONDON BOULEVARD last week. 250 pages and a lot of white space, and I didn’t feel cheated at all. I only wished it was longer because I enjoyed reading ti so much, which is a great way to get me coming back for more.

By: Mike Dennis

Mike Dennis — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:16:12 +0000

You have got that right, Christine. Books and novels do indeed have a life of their own, taking you wherever they feel like taking you. Thanks for the good word.

By: Christine Forest

Christine Forest — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:01:43 +0000

Books and novels have a life of their own. If the author is not following that, the plot will seem forced and artificial. I understand your agony. I am going through that myself in the process of publishing Better Than Cured, my first non-fiction book. I have changed the format so many times. My ideas are still evolving. I could not agree more with your thought, that of practicing until we learn how to listen to our creative ideas, not the other way around. My humble advice: follow your bliss, allow your books to evolve on their own right, and turn off the word counter. I wish you best of luck.