Discussion Question Wednesday! #8: Story Length

[salmastryon.livejournal.com]

It is time for another...
Discussion Question Wednesday!
Today we are going to talk about story length.

Story Length: How long or short do you like them?
I know some people won't bother reading something if it is over x number of words or others that want it to be at least 10 k of words. Sometimes though the size of a fic can be intimidating and other times it just doesn't seem enough. What size fics do you prefer to read and for those that write what size do you feel most comfortable writing.

So let's hear your thoughts, what do you like to read. Why do you like it? Do you have particular sweet spot in length? Are there lengths you wish you saw more of?

No panel today

Comments

[salmastryon.livejournal.com]

I'm a sucker for epic fics. Long plots with chracter growth and world building. I also really enjoy the short fics that basically through a single scene paint a universe.

I wish I could write the latter or even something short. Everything I write seems to expand and grow long.

[evilmissbecky.livejournal.com]

Mostly it depends on how much time I have. I love longer fics, but I much prefer to read them in a single sitting if possible. And if I can't do that, I'll skip the fic and bookmark it for later, and instead read something shorter.

[aether-sprite.livejournal.com]

I agree with evilmissbecky. I love longer fics and I have a ton bookmarked to read eventually, but I like being able to read a fic all in one sitting if I can.

20k seems to be a pretty decent length fic. I can usually read those in a couple of hours so it fills the "one sitting" requirement. Plus, that length tends to have some plot and character development so it fulfills that particular need as well. The only real downside is being left wanting more.

I've read a few fics that were in the 150k range and I adored them, but they took a few days to read, which really screwed with me because I hated putting the story down to go to work. On the other hand, I don't really like reading anything less than 3k, because I feel they're too short. I've read a few, but they weren't really my favorites.

Writing, on the other hand, tends to take off like an out-of-control freight train. I always plan shorter fics in the 5-10k range that then explode into at least 20k. Also, I try very hard to write at least 3k for the same reasons as above, but I have fallen short of that goal on occasion, mostly when I'm reaching a deadline and I need to tie everything up in five minutes to make it.

[tabaqui]

Honestly? I don't care, so long as the story is complete in and of itself. I'll happily read an epic fic that takes days, and just as happily read a fic that's under 1000 words. All depends on the author, and how well it's written, but word count is about the last thing I look for.

[winterstar95.livejournal.com]

For me I have a hard time reading anything less than a 1000 words (that's idiotic I know). I will read any length. But I do have to admit, when the story is very long and I didn't start reading early on (as a WIP) I have a hard to sitting down and starting it. Especially if it hits in the 200k+ range. It isn't that don't love LONG fics, I do, but I kind of feel like I have to have the time to devote to them. I rarely do with RL happening. Anything over 250k is really really hard for me. I just don't have the time.

The long and short of it (see what I did there) is I love all length, but not all the time. Hope that makes sense.

[dragonofmemory]

*uses icon shamelessly*

I usually don't read anything under 1k. I find that most people don't really give drabbles the punch it needs to really make an impact, so I mostly don't bother unless it's recced.

Anything over 100k I eye suspiciously. Again, if it's recced, I'll read it. But like, I've gotten half-way through a long fic and just given up when they do something that bothers me (or just simply devolves into too much sex). I prefer long fic reads to be around 20-40k, because that seems like a nice amount if I'm going to devote an evening to reading. Though I like a well rounded 10k too, that can be good for a morning read when I have evening shift.

As for my own writing, lately I've been writing around 20-40k per story. It's a nice length, I think. It's not too long where it just drags on, but manageable. I used to have a pretty varied length whenever I was doing drabble challenges (because some drabble challenges would be around 500 words, and others would just end up as 10k), but since those ended I've been writing a lot of long fics. I suppose I mostly write shorter fics when I find a short prompt for them now. XD

[runningondreams.livejournal.com]

I'll read any story length, but if I'm looking for something new to read as a past-time I'm generally looking for something that's at least 2k. I feel like that's just long enough to really get invested and go somewhere with the characters. I really enjoy fics in the 10k-80k range, especially if they are well plotted and have interesting character development. Anything over 20k or so becomes heavily dependent on style and pacing - if the fic seems to be lagging for no real purpose (usually extended angst via not-talking-to-each-other tropes for more than two chapters), that's about the length at which I stop reading. If I enjoy the style, plot and characterization, I'll happily read however many words you want to put down and go hunt down the rest of your fic afterward.

[dictionary00.livejournal.com]

Less than 500 words I usually don't read unless they're written by a familiar author, since they don't usually have much of a plot and authors don't bother editing something that short.

With fic of 200k+ words I'm again skeptical, I'll probably read the first few chapters and then jump to a chapter near the end, just to see the general pacing of the story and if the characters go in a direction I don't like. If the writing style changes too much it's a red flag for me. I will read abandoned WiPs though.

[allyoucaneater.livejournal.com]

I like longer than 10k fics though when I go to ff.net, I often minimalized to 5k minimum. Short oneshots (that are not immediate pwp) get squinty stares from me more often than not but I do read them --- it's just because I rarely get satisfied with short fics. They make me go 'Man, I wish the story is longer, or maybe has sequel--s' but I know writing comes very slowly to some (like me, which is why I draw) so I just decide to satisfy myself with another fic.

Sometimes though, there are oneshots that made me go 'this is perfect *heartshearts*' so really, it depends on the quality than quantity.

[blackchaps.livejournal.com]

I tend to skip anything under 5k because so much of the time, I find the author has written a scene, not a story. Give me 50k any day of the week!

[jlightning-wolf.livejournal.com]

That's tough. A lot of the time I'm looking for something that can fill the gaps between classes, so anything from 10 to 20k or a series of shorter drabbles, but I love long works a lot too, provided the author clearly has a plan in where he or she is going. If it feels like they've got a plan, it works out pretty well. So I guess I like everything?