C.J. Darlington compiled a list of popular novels and their word counts. They ranged from 30,000 (Playng by Heart by Deborah Raney) to a whopping 199,000 (The Bones of Makaidos by Bryan Davis).
Writers: What's the target word count for your WIP?
Readers: Do you prefer shorter novels or the War and Peace variety?
Have a blessed weekend!
5 comments:
Somewhere in the middle! Does that answer your question? I can't read War and Peace every week, but I'm suspicious of the thin ones (they'll run out too fast), so I guess I shoot for somewhere in between, as a reader. :)
Praying for you and your buddy, wind at your backs!
Interesting question, Susan. The first draft of my first novel was a weighty 122,000 words. I just let the creativity run wild, then pared drastically in later revisions before hiding it away in the closet. LOL! My current four novels are between 85,000 and 91,000. My target is "under 90,000". As a reader, very short novels frustrate me because I want to spent more time with the characters. Anything under 125,000 words that is well written suits me. I don't often pick up extremely thick books unless they come highly recommended.
I like them somewhere in between. I don't mind a short read (like the novellas) but I like to savor a slightly longer book by my favorite authors.
Happy weekend,
Karen
Susan:
I prefer either a mid-length novel or a novella. I did read the series, North and South, but I was doing research. The last of that series was so bloody in the first part, I wound up taking it back to the library. A writing group member loaned me her copy. The latter half was easier to read.
Hi Rhonda - I like to savor my books, but don't necessarily want them to last forever.
Hi Carol - I usually try for between 90-100,000 words. The Moses Conspiracy manuscript was 96,000 words, but I've pared it down to 91,000.
Hi Karen - I've read a couple of short novels lately and enjoyed them. They're particularly good when you need something to review FAST!
Hi Quiet Spirit - I find long series tiring because of the wait for each book. If I do read something like that, I wait until the entire series is written and then blast through the the whole thing.
Blessings,
Susan :)
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