This post has been brought over from the Original GoDaddy site.
On my mind has lingered a certain question: are my stories too long? Given that the last one was my longest ever, clocking in at 16,000 words, it is an obvious concern. And, I am fairly certain, my stories are the longest of any other fight writer, though I could be wrong.
I have thought about ways of shortening them, but there is one path I will not take. That being to put less description into the attacks and counters my rivals make. I know they are detailed in a way most aren’t, but anything less would drive me insane. Sometimes, I read fight stories and rivals will jump from one hold, to another, without walking the reader through the transition, and it kills me. Not sure why, I just need it.
So that leaves me with a few options:
- Cut the lead-in.
- Shorter battles, where the girls give in more quickly.
- No or less post-match aftermath
And though I do keep all three of those in mind when trying to shorten an overly long story, it is 1 & 2 I might work into a new series.
One where, though the rivals have a history, and a reason to hate/compete, I do not give it to the reader. Leaving it instead it to come out organically, though only in part, through the battle and comments shared from one rival to the other.
Now, I haven’t actually received this feedback, but even so, I am certain. There are readers who just can’t make it through my tales, they being too long. Each requiring not just one sitting, or pair panties, but multiple, especially since my goal is to make my reader climax as many times as I can during a story.
So, though it is in contrast to my most recent story, and even this self-indulgent blog post, know I am trying to keep brevity in mind. Even if it is a venture I have thus far failed at.