Some comments in another thread sparked a question - how long should a first novel be?
I know, there's no one right answer to questions like this. And I think part of the answer is, as long as it takes to tell the story well. But I'm also looking at my work in terms of publishability. Not to the exclusion of all else, but as I plan and write, my intent is to attempt to sell it, so I want to keep these kinds of things in mind.
I read a lot of fantasy and so many of those books are very long - 800 pages or more. But many of those authors already had books under their belt, so perhaps they have an easier time selling that 800+ pager to a publisher.
What would you consider a good length for a first novel, assuming the story can be told well within that length? Is it more common in fantasy to have longer books, or am I only thinking of established authors who can get away with epic-length novels?
Thanks!
I know, there's no one right answer to questions like this. And I think part of the answer is, as long as it takes to tell the story well. But I'm also looking at my work in terms of publishability. Not to the exclusion of all else, but as I plan and write, my intent is to attempt to sell it, so I want to keep these kinds of things in mind.
I read a lot of fantasy and so many of those books are very long - 800 pages or more. But many of those authors already had books under their belt, so perhaps they have an easier time selling that 800+ pager to a publisher.
What would you consider a good length for a first novel, assuming the story can be told well within that length? Is it more common in fantasy to have longer books, or am I only thinking of established authors who can get away with epic-length novels?
Thanks!