The length of a novel

[Steve Hayes]

The problem there is even worse than in SF. The thick-book authors just
ramble on without getting anywhere.

I managed 1 1/2 of George R.R. Martin's "Ice & Fire" thing, and gave up.
I started treading the second to find what had happened to an interesting
character in the first volume, but decided it wasn't worth wading through
endless pages of political sleaze to find out. The real thing is bad
enough, one doesn't need to read it in fiction.

[Steve Hayes]

Short story: less than 7,500 words Novelette: between 7,500 and 17,500
words Novella: betweent 17,500 and 40,000 words ("the Tor.com award"
these days)
Novel: at least 40,000 words

Yes, that's my understanding.

But if it's over 300 000 words the publishers can use "blockbuster" in
the blurb and other promotional material.

[Peter Moylan]

Post by Steve Hayes

Short story: less than 7,500 words Novelette: between 7,500 and
17,500 words Novella: betweent 17,500 and 40,000 words ("the
Tor.com award" these days) Novel: at least 40,000 words

Yes, that's my understanding.
But if it's over 300 000 words the publishers can use "blockbuster"
in the blurb and other promotional material.

Those thick books do have one virtue. They are good for building a
replacement for a broken bed leg.