tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post7992565610918322886..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: How long should my book be?Stephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-84151231926872141192016-05-06T13:45:14.358-05:002016-05-06T13:45:14.358-05:00This is exactly what I was looking for. I have alw...This is exactly what I was looking for. I have always been wondering, How long should my first drafts be? How long for YA, teen or adult?<br />This post answered my questions. Thanks!!<br /><3Giselanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-44991930479453980722016-05-06T13:43:32.735-05:002016-05-06T13:43:32.735-05:00Ooh, sounds intriguing!! Ooh, sounds intriguing!! Giselanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-90079940914250848712016-04-17T12:16:33.253-05:002016-04-17T12:16:33.253-05:00This is a VERY (underline 3 times) helpful post! I...This is a VERY (underline 3 times) helpful post! I want to do a word-check, but my notebook doesn't have that feature. Lol. My story is about a selfish prince (fictional) who finds true love with a peasant, and she changes his heart. It's a YA book. Or teen? I'm not sure.<br /> This is helpful. I am always wondering about this part. ;)<br /> If I'm going to try to write a book, I better get back to it!! Giannanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-88879437713733238622014-06-02T22:11:50.343-05:002014-06-02T22:11:50.343-05:00In my opnion, it is great to start out with short ...In my opnion, it is great to start out with short stories. The first story I tried to write was around 5,500 words. Now that I am working on my main novel, writing all of these short stories helped me be able to kind of "Strech out" my story lines and the whole book overall. I just hit 12k on my novel (Yay!) but I still have a ton more to go. I find 55k really intimidating, but I guess that I will just keep swimming. that_girl_with_the_pixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11928517035697458506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-68415838510296984352012-11-01T21:05:34.262-05:002012-11-01T21:05:34.262-05:00Hi Rachel! I answered your question on the blog to...Hi Rachel! I answered your question on the blog today: http://goteenwriters.blogspot.com/2012/11/series-or-stand-alone-book.htmlStephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-50925890702409922482012-10-30T19:30:14.861-05:002012-10-30T19:30:14.861-05:00Stephanie,
My story idea has gotten so large ... Stephanie, <br /> My story idea has gotten so large that It's going to have to be a trilogy instead of a stand alone, which I don't mind at all, but it does make it hard to know where to end each book. If the story concept doesn't have logical finalizing breaks in it already how do I create or recognize them?<br /> As always, thank you for the work you and your guest writers do on this site. It is inspirational for a teen writer, like myself, to read. Rachel Scoresbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12484829950318142747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-57019053137876738002012-07-14T16:09:12.809-05:002012-07-14T16:09:12.809-05:00I just looked at my novel, my first one, and it...I just looked at my novel, my first one, and it's over 114k. Ahhh! But it's kind of my rough final draft, meaning that I want to get all my books published by jayhawk Inc. as a teenager, and then rewrite them as an adult and get them published by a serious publisher. So, for now, is 114k ok?<br />PS. Jayhawk inc. has a program with my middle school to publish our books, so it's not like they COULD reject it.Jyeenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04660549520636958977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-21194195205634177492012-04-16T21:03:15.781-05:002012-04-16T21:03:15.781-05:00For some reason, I just noticed this, Madeline :) ...For some reason, I just noticed this, Madeline :) I think 94k is just fine! For new writers, many publishing houses aren't interested in seeing anything over 100k, but that's the only restriction I've really heard.Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-75319693163669783442012-04-16T21:02:22.174-05:002012-04-16T21:02:22.174-05:00An excellent length!An excellent length!Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-36007498838221539352012-04-16T18:06:59.223-05:002012-04-16T18:06:59.223-05:00Mine is 78K. I think that's ok for a YA novel,...Mine is 78K. I think that's ok for a YA novel, right...?Abigail Lockharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14600574783853670363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-80614166597019402512012-03-30T05:51:30.479-05:002012-03-30T05:51:30.479-05:00Have you heard of the website figment.com? They ha...Have you heard of the website figment.com? They have daily themes. You can subscribe to them and then you might find that one of them gives you enough inspiration for a novel.Nokomihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14252108140772803232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-33821195575615848062012-02-25T10:33:44.834-06:002012-02-25T10:33:44.834-06:00Oh my gosh. I feel like a giant. Mine is 94k... I ...Oh my gosh. I feel like a giant. Mine is 94k... I didn't really think that it was that long but now....Madelinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-62038171830805799642011-06-03T09:39:20.016-05:002011-06-03T09:39:20.016-05:00Thank you so much!Thank you so much!Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13337500567333475158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-61500325674114243632011-05-30T20:54:24.746-05:002011-05-30T20:54:24.746-05:00So glad they help, Jennifer!
Like you mentioned, ...So glad they help, Jennifer!<br /><br />Like you mentioned, it's a personal choice. Mine tend to be 1,700 to 2,500 words. Many readers prefer shorter chapters. Others prefer long chapters. I just go by my gut.Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-11217797841389145372011-05-30T15:11:20.701-05:002011-05-30T15:11:20.701-05:00Here's a question...how long should chapter...Here's a question...how long should chapter's be? I know it might be a personal choice, but is there a length that is more common than others or more preferred over others?<br /><br />These posts have helped me so much. Thank you!Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13337500567333475158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-18318568102879377792011-05-10T10:52:11.790-05:002011-05-10T10:52:11.790-05:00Roseanna, that's a great point. You might be t...Roseanna, that's a great point. You might be the exception ... but it's not something to bank on. And agents and editors REALLY appreciate an author who's easy to work with.Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-20272225291830954452011-05-10T06:03:40.255-05:002011-05-10T06:03:40.255-05:00Keep in mind I speak only for the CBA market--not ...Keep in mind I speak only for the CBA market--not sure what ABA (mainstream) requires. And yes, there are exceptions--I've just learned not to assume that *I* will be that exception, LOL. That leads to a mindset that isn't helpful in this industry, let me tell you! Better to be the author willing to work with/for the editor than one who says, "But so and so got to do it this way!" ;-) Yeah, we all think that way. But it doesn't get us anywhere with agents or editors, LOL.Roseanna Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-84515967208391841232011-05-10T01:10:44.645-05:002011-05-10T01:10:44.645-05:00...okay... well that irritates me a little. =/ It ......okay... well that irritates me a little. =/ It actually stinks. =/ I thought long books were good, like the 400 page one's. At least that's the one's I like, unless they are a series or something then I don't mind them being shorter.<br />I think I had that in mind when I wrote my book. Though I have a feeling once I take out and shorten things it'll hopefully be shorter, thankfully it's not horribly long.<br />I do hope I can find someone that will accept it at a certain length, because some ideas are not exactly ones I want to give up. =)<br />Thanks for answering my questions Roseanna!Jazmine~https://www.blogger.com/profile/06246960020080246030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-4039665748887775442011-05-08T09:17:01.564-05:002011-05-08T09:17:01.564-05:00I figure long-winded me can answer Jazmine. ;-) He...I figure long-winded me can answer Jazmine. ;-) Here's what I've discovered. Will an agent/editor reject you because of length if they love the story and your writing? Not outright. What they WILL say is, "I like it, but you first need to cut it down to 100K before we look at it seriously." My agent accepted me as a client on the condition that I would turn my 120K MS into a 100K MS. As she put it, "A new author has enough working against them--don't give the editors any other reason to reject you. They have plenty of manuscripts on their desk that are the desired length." <br /><br />That said, I still tend to write to whatever length needed and then cut or add. Though the more I write, the better I am at gearing a book to a particular length.Roseanna Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02245767775900250399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-30793837963780525592011-05-07T23:17:33.389-05:002011-05-07T23:17:33.389-05:00And also, does it really have to be within a certa...And also, does it really have to be within a certain word count to get published???<br /><br />To be honest, I can't work with limits very well on my writing - its whether or not I can find a story to write and get to the end. <br />I write until I think I can't get any more good ideas that intertwine with the story well. <br />I was just wondering, because if that's the case I might have a problem... haha.Jazmine~https://www.blogger.com/profile/06246960020080246030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-65601458989390765132011-05-07T23:15:27.386-05:002011-05-07T23:15:27.386-05:00...Well... this one book that I would love to real......Well... this one book that I would love to really refine as much as needed in order to get it publishing material... it's around 112k *blinks* <br />Is that bad?? <br />Because its not my first novel, but I wrote it back within the years of 2006 through something like 2008. <br />But its 112k... and yeah...<br />That's not bad is it? Because I'm sure it'll be a bit shorter after I edit it more and delete stuff, but it will probably be somewhere around 100k still by the time I'm done.<br /><br />I really hope that's not bad... =/ lol.Jazmine~https://www.blogger.com/profile/06246960020080246030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-55989765701262217802011-05-07T21:21:17.290-05:002011-05-07T21:21:17.290-05:00This is great advice, I've heard thing here an...This is great advice, I've heard thing here and there for some genres, but this covers everything! Thanks!Faithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03150290024386704712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-43184799277847341422011-05-07T18:58:29.229-05:002011-05-07T18:58:29.229-05:00Tonya, I can so relate! Last year, when this manus...Tonya, I can so relate! Last year, when this manuscript I'm working on now was just a dream in my mind, I knew that this just might be the one I wanted to carry through to full-novel-length...and that scared me out of my shoes! <br />:-) Well, I plunked myself down at my laptop and just allowed myself to write without worrying about wordcount and you know what...Boom! Book-length! So, swallow your fears (they're not tasty, I know), and go for it! You can do it!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06150136011032761640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-8133791786739592792011-05-07T13:32:15.011-05:002011-05-07T13:32:15.011-05:00Especially if you're just starting. I think th...Especially if you're just starting. I think that's when I started to really grow as a writer, when I pushed myself to write the whole book instead of just the fun beginning stuff :)Stephanie Morrillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-6454041479992977652011-05-07T11:12:50.124-05:002011-05-07T11:12:50.124-05:00So, it's more important to work on a story sta...So, it's more important to work on a story start to finish than focus on the actual length?! Thanks Stephanie!Tonyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14500897912581589616noreply@blogger.com