How To Write A Novel Page 3

This might help explain it somewhat. This is (referenced) introduction to the Novella article on Wikipedia.

A novella (also called a short novel) is a written, fictional, prose narrative longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000. Other definitions start as low as 10,000 words and run as high as 70,000 words.

So I guess the answer is "it depends".

this is a good site for anyone writing a novel

http://www.youwriteon.com/

Quote: JohnnyD @ August 1 2010, 12:13 PM BST

A quick scan of my shelves suggests the skinniest is "The Outsider".

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Good book that. Another good skinny one is Of Mice and Men.

Jonathan Livingston Seagul is tiny too. Although not sure if it's a novel or a weird cult-induction booklet.

Someone I know has a word-count for her novel-in-progress on her blog. It reaches about 2,000 every so often, then goes back down to zero.

Doesn't this thread go against the Trade Description Act? Instead of being about how to write a novel, it seems mainly to about when is a story a novel and when it is a novella. Has anyone got any pointers they want to share about writing a novel?

Quote: zooo @ August 1 2010, 12:06 PM BST

Well it's the skinniest book on my bookshelf, by far.

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All the books on my bookshelf are really thick - but pop-up books do tend to be quite thick.

If you Google wordcount, it appears that most publishers want a debut novel to be between 80,000 and 100,000 words, or about 90,000 to be on the safe side.

Any less and it would be too thin. Readers would feel cheated at a thin novel, although this seems to apply to nowadays, not back in the day.
And any more that 100,000 would be hard for publishers to market to the bookshops because of shelf space. i.e. A 500 - 600 page epic novel takes up the space of two average novels.

But going back to how to write a novel, here's my take on it.

1. Think up a story that does not involve vampires or fantasy worlds. (PLEASE GOD, NO MORE!!!!!)
2. Using about 80,000 - 100,000 words, (preferably around 90,000) write the story down.

Pitfalls that get in the way of writing a novel:

1. Not thinking up a story
2. Not writing the story down
3. Writing down most, but not all, of the story
4. Pissing about on the Internet
5. Pissing about on the Internet again

Pitfalls that get in the way of getting said novel published:

1. A new vampire or fantasy world trend starts and all publishers change their minds and will ONLY published f**king vampire crap.

Quote: Godot Taxis @ August 2 2010, 5:26 PM BST

All the books on my bookshelf are really thick - but pop-up books do tend to be quite thick.

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Especially when stuffed full of porn.

I'd be surprised if Magnus Mills's first (prizewinning) novel was any more than 50,000 words. Just write it as long as you need to to tell your story. If it's very short call it a short story. If it's longer call it a novella. If it's longer than that call it a novel. And if it's longer still call it a doorstop.

I was told a novel can go as low as 50K and was told to cut a 90K novel to 70K. It's now out on Amazon - Big Bang! and other retailers. My others have come in at closer to 60K and 70K and echo Badge - I write it in full then edit the shite outa it until it's as tight as I can make it. If it drops below a certain word count then I have to accept that.

I don't think my current one could make it to 90k!
Probably more like 70, maybe 80. Who knows.

Quote: zooo @ August 8 2010, 7:29 PM BST

I don't think my current one could make it to 90k!
Probably more like 70, maybe 80. Who knows.

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I'm with you Zooo, I'd rather read 70K of story, than 70K of story and 20K fluff :-)

It's not the number of words. That is for amateurs and monkeys with type writers.

Take away the pretnesion,that's not needed.
Take away the filler, that's not ended.
Take away the needless diversions, subplots and characters who add nothing.

Then shorten every sentence to it's sharpest, most accurate form.

At that point a novel can be only 2 words long.

Sootyj has written such a novel.

Quote: SlagA @ August 8 2010, 7:32 PM BST

I'm with you Zooo, I'd rather read 70K of story, than 70K of story and 20K fluff :-)

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He was a very good DJ.

anybody look at this site? I know someone that has got their novel published after she uploaded a chapter.

this is a good site for anyone writing a novel

http://www.youwriteon.com/