[KBDeni]

Going to answer this as a reader first. I love Sci-fi and fantasy and I used to think anything under 100k wasn't worth reading. Then I got older, and got a job. Now, I prefer shorter fantasy/scifi books in a series. Longer books just take too long to read, and unless I'm already invested in the world and characters before I start reading, I'm going to be hesitant to dedicate that much time to it. On the other hand, a longer series with shorter books is more appealing. If I enjoyed the first book enough, I can just continue the series if I want more. If I don't, well, at least I didn't waste that much time reading it.

It takes me about a week to finish a book between 50-80k, due to the lack of time I have to read.

Now, with that said, I do believe it depends a lot on genre. Fantasy/Scifi readers MOSTLY want longer books, but there is an audience for shorter. I think a key is to stay consistent. If you're going to write short, then keep doing so. Attract the readers who want shorter works. You may eventually gain a fanbase that enjoy your books simply because they are easy to digest.

But do not hurt the quality. It is possible to write short and still create a well paced and satisfying read, but often shorter books can feel rushed in this genre. Maybe read a few shorter books like your own to see how other authors do it?

 

[Rykymus]

It's not sleazy, it's business. And not everyone is in the business of writing/publishing for the same reasons. In addition, it is also the market itself that forces people to chop up their works. Kindle Unlimited is a great example.

That said, I agree with JV's point, but only in the sense that chopping up a story that was written as one long story is not a good idea. You can do it, and some readers won't mind, but other's will, and they will express their discontent vehemently.

I write a looooooong tailed series. However, I introduce and wrap up story threads within each episode. I don't have a problem with length, however, as they are each around 100k words. Mine is a long story, (probably pushin 1.5 million words by the end of part 1.) But I wrote it that way from the start.

If you want to chop it up for profit, there is nothing wrong with that. But be sure to rewrite it so that splitting it works. Otherwise, the damage that you do to your reputation might be irreversible.

 

[delly_xo]

My two cents:

Can you bring the reader through a successful opening, climax, psuedo resolution and leave them wanting more and not pissed off with a shorter piece of work?
If this is the case AND you are planning on enrolling the book in Select, I would turn it into a series.

However - and MANY MANY people have said this before, there is a difference between chopping up a novel versus a series versus serialized fiction, and both JV and Cin are right. Readers can tell.

Example in my genre:

Chopped up books (ie. publishing two or three chapters at a time): Beth Kery (I love her full works, but her 'serialized' stuff feels incomplete and I feel cheated as a reader)
Serialized: Deborah Bladon has this down PAT

What I would recommend is really studying your genre. I'm aware not all genres work like Romance, so before you make a decision, I would spend some time studying the market and reading reviews of both long and short to see how favorably readers respond.

Also, I agree with Cin on a 50K not necessarily being a novella. It's debated all the time, but here's an example from THE AUTHORITY, WIKIPEDIA:

 

[C. Rysalis]

It's not sleazy, it's business. And not everyone is in the business of writing/publishing for the same reasons. In addition, it is also the market itself that forces people to chop up their works. Kindle Unlimited is a great example.

I don't think KU forces anyone to do anything. No author absolutely has to be in KU, and plenty of authors who don't chop up their books are successful.

 

[timstevens]

A lot depends on how many books you have out already. If you have a series which has hooked people, then those readers won't mind so much if later books in the series are shorter than the first few. In my experience, anyway. Once you've established the world and the characters in the first book or two, devoted fans will tolerate shorter novels.

Rereading that paragraph, I get the feeling I sound horribly cynical. I think I ought to start a separate thread detailing my experiences.

 

[JV]

It's not sleazy, it's business. And not everyone is in the business of writing/publishing for the same reasons. In addition, it is also the market itself that forces people to chop up their works. Kindle Unlimited is a great example.

That said, I agree with JV's point, but only in the sense that chopping up a story that was written as one long story is not a good idea. You can do it, and some readers won't mind, but other's will, and they will express their discontent vehemently.

I write a looooooong tailed series. However, I introduce and wrap up story threads within each episode. I don't have a problem with length, however, as they are each around 100k words. Mine is a long story, (probably pushin 1.5 million words by the end of part 1.) But I wrote it that way from the start.

If you want to chop it up for profit, there is nothing wrong with that. But be sure to rewrite it so that splitting it works. Otherwise, the damage that you do to your reputation might be irreversible.

It's sleazy business, but as I said, my opinion...if someone wants to chop it up and people want to lap it up, that's on them. Some people like getting their goods from Wal Mart, even if the product is a pale imitation of the real thing. It's all about what your motives are, there are motives I respect and motives I have zero respect for. To each their own. I believe there's enough good product out there to eclipse the nonsense.

 

[jd_ruthers_85]

It's sleazy business, but as I said, my opinion...if someone wants to chop it up and people want to lap it up, that's on them. Some people like getting their goods from Wal Mart, even if the product is a pale imitation of the real thing. It's all about what your motives are, there are motives I respect and motives I have zero respect for. To each their own. I believe there's enough good product out there to eclipse the nonsense.

So you're saying...you don't like Walmart? Just wanted to make sure.

 

[cinisajoy]

So you're saying...you don't like Walmart? Just wanted to make sure.

Well there is a big difference between a Walmart purse and a Pick a name purse.

 

[JV]

So you're saying...you don't like Walmart? Just wanted to make sure.

I make it that obvious?

Hmmm, maybe painters should start releasing their pieces a 1/4 of the canvas at a time. 4 frames. 4 sales. Want to see it all you've got to go to 4 different locations. Too bad the greats never caught onto this piecemeal strategy, they really could have learned a thing or two.

 

[anotherpage]

I think people are more price resistant than you are giving them credit for. $2.99 for full novel (80-90K words) is reasonable. I would not be happy to $2.99 for a 50K word novella-- because that is what I consider 50K words to be. I know I'm not alone in this. Most readers I know feel the same way when the topic of book pricing comes up. It would be worth checking out what other successful indies are doing first. Check out Lindsay Buroker's Sci-Fi &Fantasy podcast. I know she and her crew discussed this very topic in a recent podcast.

50K is not a novella. 40k is a NOVEL.

 

[JV]

My two cents:

Can you bring the reader through a successful opening, climax, psuedo resolution and leave them wanting more and not p*ssed off with a shorter piece of work?
If this is the case AND you are planning on enrolling the book in Select, I would turn it into a series.

However - and MANY MANY people have said this before, there is a difference between chopping up a novel versus a series versus serialized fiction, and both JV and Cin are right. Readers can tell.

Example in my genre:

Chopped up books (ie. publishing two or three chapters at a time): Beth Kery (I love her full works, but her 'serialized' stuff feels incomplete and I feel cheated as a reader)
Serialized: Deborah Bladon has this down PAT

What I would recommend is really studying your genre. I'm aware not all genres work like Romance, so before you make a decision, I would spend some time studying the market and reading reviews of both long and short to see how favorably readers respond.

Also, I agree with Cin on a 50K not necessarily being a novella. It's debated all the time, but here's an example from THE AUTHORITY, WIKIPEDIA:

This exactly. There is a difference between chopping something up for a buck and a true serial. And really, all people do when they chop something up is hurt serials. Serials are hard enough to do well as it is and by muddying the waters with maimed pieces of a whole book it's just being made that much more difficult for true authors of serials.

P.S: forgive any errors, I'm on a phone atm

 

[anotherpage]

Hi, I am writing a sci-fi novel, the 3rd in a series, and am finding that the world and characters have such dramatic potential that many stories and subplots could be written. So... my thinking is this:

a) Readers aren't really that worried about whether a book is long or short if they're plunking down $2.99 for it--they just know they're getting what is (hopefully) hours of entertainment for what is really a pretty cheap price.
b) 100K novels are kind of old-school. The most successful self-pub authors are making more because they're selling it in smaller slices.
c) If I write two 50K books, I'll have to find a way to make them both stand as separate stories, hence the second one will have to reintroduce at least enough information that the characters and world make sense.

Does this sound valid? Thoughts and opinions?

Thanks

The way i see it is like this.

If you think you can write a knock out 100k. Do it

If you think you can write two knock out 50k. Do that instead, as you will then have two instead of one.

But if you plan on filling it with FLUFF, just you can appease the novel police who demand 100k for it to be a novel in their mind. Don't do it.

40K is a novel length ( that most don't know about ), 50K is widely accepted as a novel ( look at NANO). Anything above that is just a bonus, or your story demands it. If it doesn't demand it. You are spinning wheels my friend when that next 50k could go to a new novel.

I would say that 5% of authors deliver quality and can get away with only doing 1 book a year. The rest need to pump out lots of work ( good stuff though, doesn't have to be excellent, just good story telling )

 

[JV]

50K is not a novella. 40k is a NOVEL.

This is something that will be debated until the end of time. Different "experts" prescribe different word counts. I've heard 40, 50, and 60k as the minimum. Unfortunately there is no objective definition on the matter, so the debate will continue.