Did you ever watch a movie all the way to the ending and realize the story could have been told in much shorter time? Or, have you ever read a long book and thought to yourself, did we really need to go all the way around the block just to get across the street? How long is too long? How short is too short? Long reads can be loaded with multiple story arcs and details. Short reads get to the point and get the job done.
Someone once told me they enjoyed Fortune’s Wing, but they wished I had made it longer. I didn’t think it needed to be longer since it was the first book in what was to become a series. Each book would tell a part of the story. I’ve never considered aiming for 400 pages. Our Lady of Righteous Rage: Extended and Uncensored clocks in a 380, and that was a killer to write. I’m just not a big fan on long reads, whether its writing them or reading them. When I sit down to work out the details of a story, I ask myself, “How long does this need to be, really?”. Every story has a beginning, a middle and an ending. There’s a goal that needs to be achieved, and either it will be or it won’t be. If I’m trying to reach a destination, I just want to get there, with as few stops and distractions as possible.
Perhaps all of this is due to my shrinking attention span. I swear it was longer when I was younger. Maybe this is what happens when you become a little older: time becomes more precious and you don’t want to waste it. Even now, if I’m watching a movie that has become too long and boring, I find myself reading the plot on Wikipedia to save myself some time. I go from “How much longer is this!?” to “So they both die and the other dude gets away. Cool. Next!”
I don’t believe long reads are necessary for a book that is part of a larger series. The primary story will be told across multiple books, with smaller side stories here and there. The primary focus in the Valentine series is the conflict between Val and Rafferty, but with each new character who is introduced, side stories and details are added. But the side stories aren’t so long and drawn out that they become a distraction from the primary story.
There’s a goal that needs to be achieved, and either it will be or it won’t be.
While I don’t care to read long reads, there is one long read I was unable to put down: Joe Hill’s NOS4A2. Even though that book is 692 pages long, I read every page because the story was just so addictive. So I suppose if the story is good enough I can make it through a long read. But I probably won’t make it a habit.
So, which is better? The long read or the short read? I think it depends on the story. Some stories build entire worlds and civilizations and need to be longer. I can’t imagine Dune being a mere 150 to 200 pages. Some stories use too much detail and could probably be a little shorter. Again, it depends on the story. If you find yourself incorporating a ton of filler just to make your book longer, stop. You’re doing you’re reader a disservice. You’re bogging them down with places and characters and details that don’t move the story along, but rather slow it down. This is why I recommend outlining. You want to know where your story is going. Maybe it will need to be longer, or maybe you’ll look at where it’s heading and decide you’ve added too much detail. Try to look at it from your reader’s point of view. Ask yourself: do we need to go around the corner, down the street and into the next city, or can we just go across the street?
