I know what you’re thinking. But, no, this isn’t about that topic. Well, at least not yet. You see, there is a much more important aspect of length that I wish to discuss.
Stories come in all different lengths, from a few hundred words to -- yikes – close to a thousand pages. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows” is 759 pages. It takes a lot of stamina to do that. I truly admire authors who can work at both ends of that spectrum. It’s just as difficult to fit a convincing story into a short-short as it is to weave a tale that goes on forever. From an author’s point of view, editing a short story can be a breeze, while working with a monster could possibly take a long, long time.
But from a reader’s point of view, what is more appealing? Do you find yourself skimming a big book, but paying closer attention to detail in shorter ones? Do you look at your unread list and decide what to read next based upon the amount of time it will take you? Would you prefer to read one lengthy novel, or five shorter ones in the same amount of time? Or does length really matter at all?
From my perspective, I prefer to read what I call “middle of the road” length books. These are stories that I can breeze through in as little as two hours or as long as four. Perhaps my preference has to do with my writing. I haven’t mastered the art of crafting the short-short. Well, not yet, but that’s a goal I will attain one of these days! Anything over 500 pages scares the heck out of me, but that hasn’t stopped me from buying quite a few of those books to put on my bookshelf. Because there aren’t enough hours of the day to accomplish all the tasks on my “To Do” list, I have to weigh my choices carefully. Ah…decisions, decisions.
Add to that my tendency to read more than one book at a time (I know – who does that?) This is a skill which I believe was bred into me by my mother who insisted that I learn to multi-task when I was growing up. The funny thing is that no matter how much time has passed since I picked up a book, I recall every detail I previously read. So when I sit down to read a book, not only do I have to decide on what length of book to choose, I have to decide whether or not to finish a previously-started book or a new one. If it is late at night and I’m going to bed soon, I have to choose something that won’t take too long in case I fall asleep.
Ah, such a dilemma! Now add to that my love of writing and well, I think you get the picture – I am juggling every minute of the day. My current WIP (work in process) needs attention, but I mustn’t forget several others sitting on the back burner brewing in my creative juices. Crafting a story takes time, and I find the longer I “sit” on a story, the more interesting the plot and characters become.
Now, as to what you thought this article was going to be about, I won’t keep you in the dark any longer. Does length matter? I used to think so, but an older and wiser me believes it’s not the length of the pole, it’s how he wiggles his worm.
I welcome your comments.
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