A question that has come up in many discussion groups is, how long should a story be?  Some stories barely breach the definition of a novel at 80,000 words while others could challenge Harry Potter for sheer heft.  So then, what is the right length?  The short answer is that a story is only as long as it needs to be.

You have to go by the story itself.  Is it a limited concept?  Not too many characters involved, only one basic setting, with a short-reachcing goal?  Then make it a novella, or even a short story if you have to.  Or perhaps it involves several characters and a few different locales they travel around to.  Maybe a plot that threatens the lives of one or more people or even a city.  Well, then you have a full out novel pushing 130,000 words or be...

Please subscribe to keep reading.