As a writer and aspiring novelist, I had always assumed that length was important.  I mean, if you don’t give them a fat book, readers won’t buy it, right?  After putting off my novel projects for years (or writing only tiny, disjointed scenes), I began writing shorts, thinking, “I have to start somewhere.”  These were very pleasant distractions at first, but they also began to highlight my reluctance to write anything longer than 35k words (for those who do not know, print novels tend to have a firm minimum of 60k words, with the average length probably being close to 150-200k).

I’ve read plenty of books that would have been better at half their length (and certain ones like Clancy’s The Sum of All Fears have me wondering how anyone could forgive his droning style enough to enjoy the story).  I have read plenty of “tips” for writing novels, but they don’t seem to resonate with me.  When the plot isn’t there, it’s just not there.  But, this practical attitude did not help me in my struggle to unlock the keys to the elusive novel.  The itch does not diminish when it’s buried; it still itches.

I analyzed favorites, like Follet’s Pillars of the Earth and Martin’s A Game of Thrones, and realized that I judged books on their lack of sluggish sections or their feeling of importance.  In these examples, Follet’s book is a little slow in places, but these are completely overshadowed by the flavor, the view, he gives you, and most importantly, the sense of this majestic flow of time, of how these simple traumas and petty actions can add (and have added) up to earth-changing events.  The sense of historical drive is personalized, I guess.

One might say that A Game of Thrones is “only a fantasy story,” yet Martin’s genius lies in the techniques he uses; the read is so smooth and the action is so quick, that even when it isn’t, you can feel the storm coming on, hard and fast.  This intensity reads like a violent short story, and I was almost amazed that I had read 807 pages by the time I had read the closing phrase.  Heh, one of my very first thoughts was, “How the hell did he do that?”

Part of the effect may be personal (ie, come from my personal taste that would not be shared by others), but I can’t believe that accounts for much.  Both novels have intricate, interwoven plots, versus the generally-brief plots I dream up, but is this the only difference?  I’d be extremely interested in hearing from novelists and other short story authors as well as the readers of both.  I’d love to hear about the reasons they like/dislike certain features.

Why is your favorite novel your favorite; what sets it apart from the others?  Do you mind when a plot seems to meander, to get distracted?  Do you give a special weighting (concessions) to a story of a certain length, or approach them all the same?  Even if you send me a private reply, I’d be curious to hear from you about this.

In the meantime, happy writing and/or reading.