one size fits all
Someone kind enough to give it a five star review on Amazon.com recently commented that for a Kindle novel, The Colony is quite long (he thought this was a good rather than a bad thing).
All my paranormal thrillers have been of a similar length. The Colony is just over 106, 000 words. I write 8, 000 word chapters, so it amounts to (gulp) 13 chapters altogether, as does its predecessor, Brodmaw Bay.
I'm quite superstitious about some things, such as single magpies and ladders, but have never thought the number 13 unlucky. Probably just as well.
I could argue The Colony is the length it is because it wasn't written specifically for Kindle. But even if it had been, it would have been the length it is.
Once a writer stops thinking about a story as a story and starts to regard it as a commodity, I suppose it's possible to start thinking about streamlining output to maximise yield.
Personally, I think this is not only a cynical approach, but one that sabotages any chance of the story achieving its full potential.
I write novels I would like to read. I hope they're never so long they outstay their welcome. They're the length they are because that's how long it's taken to tell the tale. That's the deal, folks, whatever format you choose to read them in.
All my paranormal thrillers have been of a similar length. The Colony is just over 106, 000 words. I write 8, 000 word chapters, so it amounts to (gulp) 13 chapters altogether, as does its predecessor, Brodmaw Bay.
I'm quite superstitious about some things, such as single magpies and ladders, but have never thought the number 13 unlucky. Probably just as well.
I could argue The Colony is the length it is because it wasn't written specifically for Kindle. But even if it had been, it would have been the length it is.
Once a writer stops thinking about a story as a story and starts to regard it as a commodity, I suppose it's possible to start thinking about streamlining output to maximise yield.
Personally, I think this is not only a cynical approach, but one that sabotages any chance of the story achieving its full potential.
I write novels I would like to read. I hope they're never so long they outstay their welcome. They're the length they are because that's how long it's taken to tell the tale. That's the deal, folks, whatever format you choose to read them in.
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Absolutely--I have never felt that reading something on the Kindle dictates length. Kindle is supposed to replace the physical book for convenience, not transform the medium into the short-attention span format the internet has made ubiquitous. I personally enjoyed the book so thoroughly that I was sad as I noticed the progress bar on the Kindle ticking away. And...seriously, when will someone option one of these books for a movie? I have been a seasoned thriller reader for years, but never, ever, have I had as many nightmares from books as I have his.
I'll answer the two questions posed above by saying yes, I do plan another e-book for the spring and yes, I think THOLS and Colony in particular would make cracking films. Sometimes readers cast them for me and we debate their choice of lead actors. For me it's like discussing what you'd do with your lottery winnings, fun - but pie in the sky until it happens. I've written about a quarter of the next book and it's going really well so far. On my personal scale of scariness, I'd say it's right up there...
Excellent news F.G. I'm looking forward to it.
Are you planning more e-books?