This just occured to me: How long is too long for your stories? For example, suppose you were to write a four-book series. Some might be able to stick around if each books were thirty chapters long while others will only tolerate it if its around twenty. A friend of mine and I were discussing the Harry Potter series and this is what she said: So, we have repitition that might affect the readers. Repititon and patience. In my opinion, longer books should have a shorter life-span than shorter books, simply because the readers want to get to the end quick, they want the hero to get whatever it is he/she is trying to get. So if it takes the hero ten books to get it, and each book is thirty to forty chapters, it might make the readers stop caring. Especially if the hero kept talking about this thing he's not gonna obtain until the very last book. What are your opinions?
Think of TV series. They who succeed in keep on offering what the viewer wants in a meaningful way, keeps the viewers interest season after season. Reinventing them selfs, staying true to their concept while still exploring the premises in different ways, who introduces new relevant concepts keep the fan interested (Sopranos, Buffy, etc...). Or just keep on doing what they are doing really well (The Simsons). Those that fail don't. But honor to the writers who know hot to stop. Some thing fits as a 2 hour movie, some things as a three and some stories can be told in a tv series running for years.
even if you're writing a series, each book must be a stand-alone, with a fully realized story that has a satisfactory ending and not leave the readers hanging, so they have to read the next ones... leave them wanting to, but not forced to! so i'm confused as to what you mean by 'story'... it shouldn't take 3 or 10 books to tell any story, period...
Not sure my first three books have spawned the idea that there could be four series of books lol. However if there is not enough story I won't do it. Do the story the justice it needs - personally I prefer my stories shorter.
I don't think it's a matter of wordcount, I think a novel is too long whenever contains anything irrelevant to the plot.
Until the story is told, from start to finish. You're only telling the story; no need to censor it before its time.
