tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post9128611708541418277..comments2024-03-24T13:49:53.099-04:00Comments on Romance Books '4' Us: Does Size Matter? Short stories and reader expectations...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-45438259636871784912012-01-06T11:05:28.733-05:002012-01-06T11:05:28.733-05:00A book's size really doesn't matter if the...A book's size really doesn't matter if there is a great story line..some of the thicker books I have read all too full of boring "page fillers" and then others are just full of good details. I read 100 page books and I read 600 page books and love them all IF they hold my interest. If they are too full of useless words the size is just that and the author is only trying to write a thick book. susan Leech garysue@dejazzd.comsusanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07719916545911843485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-74268143404004709582012-01-06T06:33:24.374-05:002012-01-06T06:33:24.374-05:00Thanks, Tessie, we use the same rating system:)Thanks, Tessie, we use the same rating system:)Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18430750954598484156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-87453885896800915962012-01-05T21:03:28.180-05:002012-01-05T21:03:28.180-05:00I do not understand a 'short story' receiv...I do not understand a 'short story' receiving low marks for being a 'short story'!??!<br />Rate it on plot, character development and emotional impact based on what it is.Tessie Bradfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08146162930127530489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-20757162873027933722012-01-05T19:32:17.775-05:002012-01-05T19:32:17.775-05:00Harlie,
Good to know! Thanks for stopping by:)Harlie,<br />Good to know! Thanks for stopping by:)Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18430750954598484156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-67083008885451287432012-01-05T18:24:31.001-05:002012-01-05T18:24:31.001-05:00Cara, thanks for stopping by. I think you may be r...Cara, thanks for stopping by. I think you may be right about readers not noticing the length of the story when they purchase it.Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18430750954598484156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-12734396470530090512012-01-05T18:22:03.748-05:002012-01-05T18:22:03.748-05:00Janice, thanks for stopping by! I have to agree wi...Janice, thanks for stopping by! I have to agree with you. The story has to be delivered no matter what length.Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18430750954598484156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-69002337291072027552012-01-05T17:59:40.348-05:002012-01-05T17:59:40.348-05:00The Naked Jungle sounds really good. I'll have...The Naked Jungle sounds really good. I'll have to check it out. As a writer who's sold a dozen short stories to magazines, I was especially interested in your post. I love writing short stories. Whatever length a story is, it has to have a beginning, middle and satisfying ending. With my short romance stories, I always make sure my main character has learned a lesson and grown, and there's always the promise of HEA. I agree with some of the others who said they'd rather read a good short story than a longer story with filler. The length of the story is always given for ebooks, but maybe some readers don't notice that. I don't understand why a reviewer would say a story is too short when it's a short story. Thanks for a good post.Cara Marsihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384839120633419382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-11120291612736822122012-01-05T17:12:49.787-05:002012-01-05T17:12:49.787-05:00I watched that old Charlton Heston movie so long a...I watched that old Charlton Heston movie so long ago that all I remember is the swarm of ants. *shutter*<br /><br />I prefer long reads. A nice think novel I can sink my reader teeth into. But on occasion I like shorts. They're great if your attention span isn't there but you want to read something. Doctor offices come to mind.<br /><br />But like a much longer novel, short stories have to have a beginning, middle and end. They have to deliver and live up to the readers expectations. And the characters still have to be fully developed. <br /><br />And it can be done. I've read a few that were horrible and you can tell the author jotted the thing out in an evening. Then there were one or two that were so wonderful they left me in tears. <br /><br />Janice~Janice Seagraveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02576031935823587485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-90806080982189689572012-01-05T16:03:42.876-05:002012-01-05T16:03:42.876-05:00Adele: Yes, it is puzzling. the story length is li...Adele: Yes, it is puzzling. the story length is listed and when the reader doesn't comment exactly why they wanted more, it's confusing.<br /><br />Molly: Oh honey, I love that movie:) I've been enjoying the EC Quickie line too.<br /><br />Anny: Excellent point!<br /><br />Sarah: You're welcome:) I find it very curious, also.<br /><br />Kat: Excellent points!<br /><br />Jean: That's the beauty of e-publishing, lol! There's something for everyone:)<br /><br />Fran: Naked Jungle is one of my all-time favorites and you made some excellent points!<br /><br />Thank you to everyone who stopped by and left comments!<br /><br />Hugs,<br />ParisParishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18430750954598484156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-10786120645801433102012-01-05T14:46:19.046-05:002012-01-05T14:46:19.046-05:00Great post Paris and for me it doesn't matter ...Great post Paris and for me it doesn't matter what the length of the story is as long as its a good story. That said, I have a problem with paying over $5 for an ebook. <br /><br />MarikaHarlie Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866226921079232570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-53238387218865674772012-01-05T13:52:36.986-05:002012-01-05T13:52:36.986-05:00Well, as for The Naked Jungle, I have that movie a...Well, as for The Naked Jungle, I have that movie and I loved it when I first saw it in the 50's. As for those comments on book reviews and pages because a story was short? Some reviewers will give it a great rating then grouse a bit about how they hated it to end. But have they heard of "short but sweet"? I have read books that were marvelous...I adored them...but as the plot rolled on and on and on it felt as if the author were simply stretching it out to increase the word count. To me, that makes a fabulously wonderful novella into a not-so-wonderful full length novel that left me a bit drained.<br /><br />As for Adele's post, I agree that people should already be aware of the length, but to some folks, a novella is actually a short story. To others, a novel is 300 pages. No one seems to equate "30k" words with roughly 70-80 pages of written text. If they bought that book at a third party vendor site where the full MSRP is charged, that can bring lots of complaints. I always suggest to readers that they check out the publisher's website to see if it is cheaper there.Fran Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06247024581813249889noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-49346330381444011362012-01-05T12:15:51.813-05:002012-01-05T12:15:51.813-05:00For me it's the story itself, not the length. ...For me it's the story itself, not the length. I'll admit I usually like longer stories than quickies, since I want to get to know the characters in depth, and that's hard in a quickie.jean hart stewarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12287808234288499369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-18023449397028902392012-01-05T11:39:44.197-05:002012-01-05T11:39:44.197-05:00In a buy-in-bulk society, I think it's difficu...In a buy-in-bulk society, I think it's difficult for some readers to appreciate the short story as an art form separate from a novel. <br />A short story and a novel require two very different toolkits. In a perfect world each would be judged by their own standards.<br />Personally, I'd rather read a well-crafted short story, than a large novel loaded with filler. Lately, I've read several full sized novels that had 100+ page passages of forgettable nothing in the middle... More is not always more.<br />XXOO KatKatalinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15100006226226113836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-17758141812030517912012-01-05T10:56:24.772-05:002012-01-05T10:56:24.772-05:00I agree. I think you made a great point. Do reader...I agree. I think you made a great point. Do readers want more, or do they feel cheated? Although, I know with a lot of e-publishers like the one I'm with, the number of pages and length is available on the purchase page. Very curious! Thanks for the post.Sarah Mäkelähttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10239437847082720298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-82064458444355777282012-01-05T10:19:42.445-05:002012-01-05T10:19:42.445-05:00I suspect many "short" stories try to en...I suspect many "short" stories try to encompass too much. If a shortie is written more as a vignette--a slice of the characters' lives, then that's probably how it works best. I find when a story tries to take in too much territory, it's less satisfying. So that might be why some readers/reviewers say the story was too short.anny cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03769733659120481918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-33633010825865133852012-01-05T09:12:26.182-05:002012-01-05T09:12:26.182-05:00Yeah, I've gotta check out that movie....
As ...Yeah, I've gotta check out that movie....<br /><br />As for length, when I first began reading e-books, I didn't understand the concept of the EC Quickie. I was delighted by several blurbs/excerpts and bought them...and was alarmed when the characters finally rolled out of bed, announced their undying love, and BAM! End of story/book. I'll admit to being a slow learner; it took me several months to wrap my head around this type of book. And I still want to know what happens then next day, if one partner gets a phone call from an ex whom they're not completely over; or LIFE throws a curve ball; they get called into work and their phone dies, so they can't call to say they'll be late, which causes the other partner to wonder if it was all a dream, and jumps to conclusions....you get the picture.<br /><br />I like stories which shows the entire picture; and to know these characters have the guts to overcome whatever obstacles LIFE throws at them in order to be with each other.<br /><br />And yes, four years later, I can still appreciate a quickie...:)Molly Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01488325587798390008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-85533209674671426542012-01-05T08:59:19.244-05:002012-01-05T08:59:19.244-05:00Paris--I'd like the answer to your question, t...Paris--I'd like the answer to your question, too. I've seen reviews criticize story length, though novella size books are standard fare at most epublishers and the story size is always listed in the book description.<br /><br />Best--AdeleAdele Duboishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01975297711548126595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-71267680568622905192012-01-05T07:09:31.455-05:002012-01-05T07:09:31.455-05:00Thanks Tina, same here. If I get swept away, size ...Thanks Tina, same here. If I get swept away, size doesn't matter:)Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18430750954598484156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-29594202314587709832012-01-05T06:14:21.920-05:002012-01-05T06:14:21.920-05:00Great post, Paris. If a story makes me smile, laug...Great post, Paris. If a story makes me smile, laugh, cry, sigh, get angry, etc. - in other words, if it moves me emotionally, then it's done its job.<br /><br />The stories that stay with me are those where I was so involved with the characters, I just didn't want to leave them. Doesn't matter to me whether the story's long or short, I want to be swept away in the tale.Tina Donahuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07160021732404091277noreply@blogger.com