Length of books / parts and the art of dividing

[Lorna]

Hi I've just joined on the point of a crisis. Since I finished studying philosophy to postgrad level 2005 I've been developing ideas for what was at first going to be one fantasy novel, and following several years of drafting has become eight, (and possibly twenty four)... The first four I've written in draft form, they form a quartet with a definite ending. Over the past few months I have been working on the first part of the first book. I've been writing in Word in 12pt Times New Roman and assumed that the part was about 200 pages, which would mean I'd be aiming at 200 words for each of 3 parts and a book of 600 pages. Then when I started looking at sites on the lengths of novels that publishers require I realised it was by the word count. And my first part is actually 120000 words- the length of a novel. When I counted lines across and down in an average book I realised to imitate that lay-out I needed to use 16tpt text and that the first part is 320 pages. So I've come here searching for advice on whether it would be better to edit it down to about 70,000 words / 200 pages per part or to try to publish the first three parts as a trilogy. I guess my worry would be that if I did the latter the parts would not be strong enough to stand on their own, as for example the ending to part one does not provide a resolution to the core story. On the other hand to cut it down by a third would miss out alot of character development and explication of the world. Yet if I were to do this for each book of the first quartet that would make 12 books, followed by another 12. I'm not sure if readers would stick with the same characters for this long. I'd love to know if anyone else has had similar difficulties and can offer any advice!

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

Depending on how well-written your stories are, people may be willing to stick with them through long periods; but I would say that you should worry more about whether they're really good and less about whether they're split up into the length that allows you to market them optimally. Have you had other people read them yet?

 

[TWErvin2]

Lorna,

Part of the answer depends on your goal for publishing. If you're looking for a publisher, in general the first novel should be a complete story arc and stand alone. Trilogies are more difficult to find a publisher for, but not impossible. Trying to sell a 4 novel series that doesn't really have strong stopping points could be very difficult. And weakening the story would be a major concern.

A 120,000 word fantasy novel would not be a length to deter most publishers (large or small). That's considering print. Electronic books (ebooks), length--short or long--is less of a factor, and with a very long novel or series of novels that are closely tied, might be a better initial fit. There are some smaller publishers that go ebook first and if it sells well, invest in print editions.

If you're going the self-publishing route, then you're less restricted by what publishers are interested in taking a chance on with a first-time author. Others could probably tell you better the benefits and concerns, based on your description, of self-publishing (print and/or ebook).

If it's a great story, readers will stick with characters for long novels/series. If it's a great story, well-written, publishers will be more apt to take a chance and publish it. But a 360,000 (plus) word novel is probably pushing the limits quite a bit.

So, I guess the first step is to examine your goal for your novel in progress and proceed from there.

Good luck moving forward and keep us up to date.

Terry

 

[Lorna]

Thank you both for your replies and advice.
I'd like to think that the characters and the world are compelling enough to draw people in, continually want to learn more and stick with them until the bitter end.
Benjamin, nobody has read large sections of the manuscript yet but I've read excerpts at local writers groups and to friends and have had helpful advice and feedback. I guess the problem is finding people who are willing to spend enough time to read a few chapters who are outside my usual writers groups and friends and will be completely objective.
From what you've both said, I think if I was to reduce my 120000 words to 40000 and do the same for the next two parts I would lose far too much of the tension between the characters as well as the atmosphere and sense of place and explication of the world. So... if I'm to make it 4 trilogies I need to make sure that each novel has its own self-contained plot and is marketable as a whole whilst the core thread continues to link between them and provides the lead on to the next.
Challenge set.
Thanks again

 

[Steerpike]

I'd stick with the same characters over the course of that many books if it was well done, but unless each book could stand on its own as a satisfying and self-contained story arc, I'd probably never start a series that was going to be that long (at least, not until the last book was written). I'm hesitant these days to pick up anything that is necessarily part of a series unless it is complete. For multiple books encompassing the same settings and characters, I prefer something like the Dresden Files, where each work stands on its own as well as advancing the overall story of the characters. Steven Erikson's Malazan books are that way as well (or at least through the first six I think you can say each is satisfying in its own right - I'm only on number six).