If the first 1000 odd words hook me, I'll go on as long as the author likes. If it hasn't caught me after about a page, the second thousand words had better be a cut above. If you have a 5000 word story and it's still 'meh' at 2000 words, I'm bailing.
I chose 2-4k words mainly because my concentration is rubbish, I'd rarely start to read anything over 6k unless it by was one of the handful of writers I really like. I do read a lot of flash and micros just because they are such a small investment of time and the really good ones are very rewarding.
Great poll and question. Agree the 2-4K is the sweet spot. As a writer I typically fall into that range, not by design but probably because I run out of ideas or motivation. As a reader, same sweet spot but if the quality is there the word count is less important. In all the cases I can think of over 4000 words it was a series broken into smaller chunks of 2-4K. Like others above i want to know about the characters, what they are thinking and feeling, who they are. I love browncoffee's work, I loved how she would get inside the heads of her characters. (One example, many great writers here do this.)
Coincidentally, have 32000 words of a new story (non-erotica, may go on sister site) so this is rather timely. There are some good natural breaks that will keep a Chapter to 2-4K but in other spots I'm wondering what edits I might need to either create a break in the right spot or link the end of a chapter to the next chapter. Also toying with the idea that each Chapter would stand on its own as a "read'. (difficult because the story builds on the previous and the reader would miss some of the context.) I'm expecting the story will reach 40,000 words and I'm already editing heavily. Its crossed my mind to only post the ending Chapter because i think its the strongest and I'm pretty sure if I post 8-10 Chapters by Ch 10 all the readers will have dropped off and NOBODY will read the ending.
Unfortunately, in many instances, it is governed by the time I have available.
I'm not sure that I have a favorite or preferred length when reading. That said, I do hold off reading something labeled as first chapter if there are standalone stories with an equally grabbing title or summary.
Probably not a popular opinion, but I usually don't waste my time reading micro and flash stories; they feel lazy to me, like the author had a partial idea and dashed off the story during their lunch break. [Edit: this is probably due to noob authors misunderstanding what these stories are supposed to be, but I still don't enjoy them in general.] Sure, I know, there's an art to distilling a story down to so few words, but I'd rather read a fully developed scene than a synopsis of a scene. 1.5k words is generally the lower limit for what I'll find interesting. My own stories tend to come in around 3.5-5.5k words, and I like that sweet spot. On the other end of the spectrum, I won't read a 6k+ story unless I have a lot of free time lined up, and 10k words or a 50-chapter novel is a no-go for me.
I totally agree with the 2-4K word range being the sweet spot. It offers enough space for a compelling plot and character development without being too lengthy. What do you think makes this length so appealing to readers?
I am new to Lush, but to me the 10k limit feels very restrictive as a writer and a little odd as a reader. I like long stories with deep characters. I am a sucker for slow-burn romance. I want to be fully immersed in the characters' emotions and motivations before the clothes come off.
Quote by YourMomThinksIAmCute
I am new to Lush, but to me the 10k limit feels very restrictive as a writer and a little odd as a reader. I like long stories with deep characters. I am a sucker for slow-burn romance. I want to be fully immersed in the characters' emotions and motivations before the clothes come off.
To be honest, 10K stories are largely too long for here in my experience. I find you get more views and interest at 5K or less. Under my current profile, I haven't gone over 7.5K. There's a large segment of the audience looking for stroke material and a longer, more involved storyline doesn't provide that, I guess. So I remain fine with the limit.
A vacation encounter as a man seeks to cope with a less than merry holiday season. My Natasha
A gay teen's lust for a friend leads to some erotic exploration. Finding Myself
Not a preference, but I mostly read before bed. I noticed I read the 1000 word or less stories. I read others too but those for sure.
Quote by YourMomThinksIAmCute
I am new to Lush, but to me the 10k limit feels very restrictive as a writer and a little odd as a reader. I like long stories with deep characters. I am a sucker for slow-burn romance. I want to be fully immersed in the characters' emotions and motivations before the clothes come off.
As a reader, 10K is a huge commitment of time. Erotic short stories usually suit shorter ranges from what I have observed. Anything longer, it's best to be broken up into a series.
Island Getaway Comp(2nd place): Fucked In The Head
My last published story: An Unlucky Good Time
As an author here, I find that more people will read my stories if they are shorter. So, I keep the stand-alone stories shorter and break the longer ones down into chapters.
As a story moderator, I sigh out loud when I have to mod a 10K story. It's just a lot to look at in one sitting.
All My Love - Real love can last a lifetime and still feel brand new.
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Holly spends Advent preparing for Nick's return.
Good Girl - She’s a badass by day and his Good Girl at night.
His To Use - A Dom and his sub enjoy a session at a hotel.
Quote by techgoddess
As a story moderator, I sigh out loud when I have to mod a 10K story. It's just a lot to look at in one sitting.
Especially when it lacks proper dialogue formatting and violates a rule ever third or fourth paragraph 🙄😠(yeah, I been there, done that).
A vacation encounter as a man seeks to cope with a less than merry holiday season. My Natasha
A gay teen's lust for a friend leads to some erotic exploration. Finding Myself
Quote by Seeker4
Especially when it lacks proper dialogue formatting and violates a rule ever third or fourth paragraph 🙄😠(yeah, I been there, done that).
YUP!
Sometimes, it's just a lack of knowledge of grammar rules, and I don't mind working with an author to figure out how to fix the mistakes. It only becomes disheartening when they don't carry over skills learned to the next story. 🙄
All My Love - Real love can last a lifetime and still feel brand new.
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Holly spends Advent preparing for Nick's return.
Good Girl - She’s a badass by day and his Good Girl at night.
His To Use - A Dom and his sub enjoy a session at a hotel.
Quote by Chet_Morton
... I usually don't waste my time reading micro and flash stories ...
Says the guy who has now written a dozen micros. 😅 But the rest of my post still stands.
Quote by techgoddess
As an author here, I find that more people will read my stories if they are shorter. So, I keep the stand-alone stories shorter and break the longer ones down into chapters.
As a story moderator, I sigh out loud when I have to mod a 10K story. It's just a lot to look at in one sitting.
I’ve read some of your stories and really liked them. I do a lot of expository writing for work. Basically, I’ve done no fiction. I did submit one story here and have not gotten any feedback. I would love to hear from someone with experience to see if my work has any potential. Hope you’re doing well!
I don't come here for great literature, although some of the writers are very talented. I read story that get my juices flowing. Long backgrounds before the action tend to turn me off, but length, in general, doesn't matter (stories I mean, lol) as long as the author keeps the action moving throughout. I've read some stories here that have left me exhausted!
