Fans of Interracial Romance discussion

Hi All,

I love to read full-length novels and that's also what I write. Most of the novels I write are at least 300 pages. I do like to read mystery shorts as well. I am not one who writes shorts but I have written some and plan to write some in the future but full-length novels are my thing. I just love getting involved and deeply invested in a large story.

What's your preference when it comes to reading? Do you prefer to read full-length novels, shorts or both? Does it depend on your mood? For me sometimes I am not in the mood to invest in a novel and I like to pick up a short story sometimes.

What types of books do you like to read? If you're an author, what types of books do you prefer to write and why?

Also anyone here enjoy to read very large books like 500 pages and up? I don't like to read books that large but being a lover of classics I've read a lot of books this size. Any of you like to read very big books?

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

I like to read short story anthologies, so I guess that means I do like short stories. However, when it comes to a book in one sitting, I prefer novel-length books. I'm not a big fan of extremely long books, over 500 pages.

When it comes to downloading ebooks, I don't think I've gotten my money's worth when I pay for a novella. If it's a collection of novellas or short stories, a whole nother kettle of fish.

Even though I have read some really good shorts, I don't really care for them all that much.

It depends on how much time I have to read. Sometimes I like a story just long enough to unwind before felling asleep about 50 to 100 pages. But sometimes, I like those stories I can leisely read on a Sunday afternoon. Since I'm one of those people who like to finish a story with in one setting, 300 pages is my maxium story length.

I love big, sweeping epics which is why I've always been a huge fantasy reader. A two-hundred page novel is okay, but there's too many times there's just no character development or the action is rushed. A lot of authors don't get that shorter works are harder to write because of the space/word limitations, so they need to be mindful of the balance between characters and narrative.

My issue with a lot of shorts is they seem rushed. I think some writers don't understand that even though it's a short it still must be developed into a fleshed out story. Some writers do very well with shorts and their stories have quite an impact. Others feel rushed. Just because it's a short doesn't mean it can't or shouldn't be developed. The more skillful short story writers have that down to the letter.

I tend to like short novels, about 60,000 words or less. I like ebooks because I can get in a good book that's even shorter--about 30K or so--and satisfy my reading need.

I think the longest book I read this year was Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made, and that was close to 400 pages in hardcover.

As a writer, I like to write novellas. Short and sweet is my motto, but some readers have told me they'd like me to write something longer. I have a few story ideas and plan to submit a couple of longer stories next year. I'll see if readers like those, too. They'll probably end up being about 50,000 words.

I love long novels. J.R. Ward and Suzanne Brockmann's books are at least 400 pages, and that's perfect for me! IMO, you can't sink your teeth into a story that's 200 pages. That's why I don't like HQ books. Give me some meat ...

Chicki Brown
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Short stories do seem rushed. I don't like reading very long books. A semi-long book has to be a catcher and fast pace, in order for me to stick with it.

My stories can be long, but they are for my entertainment first. If other people want to read my stories, they can. It's nothing for me to write a story, print it out and snuggle up to it. I always write for myself.

Harlequin books are great to read on the weekend, when you want to finish a book in a couple of hours. I love them. Always will!

I hear you, Danielle. I love being able to pick up a book and read it in one night. IMHO, HP does a good job with their Presents, Desire, and Kimani lines.

Arch and Stacy, I agree that sometimes short stories feel rushed. But then long novels sometimes feel like they go on and on and on. I just want the juicy, exciting parts.

Writing a long story and keeping it interesting takes skill. It can't be easy to write 400 pages and keep readers interested enough to keep turning the pages the entire time.

Delaney, I find that HQNs are great stress relievers for me.

Delaney, I agree that long novels sometimes can feel like they go on and on.

I have read long stories that had me hooked from the beginning to the end and still had me wanting more, afterwards.

I will speak for myself. My stories are always interesting to me.

I'm with Arch. LOL! My stories are always interested and fast paced as well. I think it is definitely a skill but it's also how you write that makes your work interesting. Some writers use too much narrative, back story, description and stuff that makes a novel lag on and on. It's the way it's written and not necessarily the length.

You have to have tension, dialogue, action, stuff that gets folks turning the pages. I was trying to read a short the other day. The book is about 100 pages. Yes, I consider that a short, LOL. Anyway, I thought I'd read this in a day or two but it was so boring and slow I couldn't get past page 30. I mean this book went so slow. It was supposed to be romantic suspense but it was more on the romance side and the romance was boring as heck and I didn't like the author's style. She described everything and didn't "show" anything. I'll put a book down in a minute if it's full of "telling" and no showing. It was boring. Maybe someone else might like it but I like fast-paced books and I can't stand anything slow and draggy and I can't stand a book with nothing but long narrative paragraphs and no dialogue. The woman didn't hardly show anyone talking to each other but instead decided to TELL about the conversations? That is boring! LOL!

I think both shorts and novels can be wonderful but it has to do with how it's written. I've read a lot of shorts that were rushed but I've read some that were very good and savored my appetite like a full-length novel would. I also have read a lot of novels that are fast-paced and exciting and some were so boring I couldn't get through the first five pages.

I think in terms of bad writing, boring, etc both shorts and lengths can be that way. Just because something is short does not mean it's not boring. LOL! I've put down MANY short stories that were probably less than 50 pages and they were so boring I couldn't finish it. That's bad when you can't finish a short story because it's too slow.

I think we all agree that the skill of the writer and the interesting factor comes from how it's written and not the length.

But I'm like, Arch. I make my work as interesting as possible and I do all I can to make sure it is. Like I said, there are things some writers do wrong that makes their books move slow. Some authors know nothing about pacing. Some move too fast and others way too slow. That's something you learn to do better the more you write.

Another issue for me is price when it comes to novels vs. short. I won't pay a certain amount for a short. If a book is less than 100 pages I don't think people should be paying 6.00 and up for that book when you can get a full-length novel the same price or just a little higher. I don't mind paying some dough for a 300 page or more book but I am turned off by shorts that are overpriced because I figure a book that's not even 100 pages should not be priced as much as a paperback or full-length novel. That's just my opinion.

Ghislaine,

I am the same. I rarely buy short stories. Most of the shorts I read are free but if I wanna buy one I refuse to pay a lot of money for something that's short as a blog post or only three chapters. LOL!

I tend to like book 300 pages or more. When I was in high school I was taught how to speed read so that you can read(consume)anything less than 300 pages in a matter of hours and anything more in a day or two.This helped a lot when I was in college. These days I am reading about 3 books at a time. Yes I can and do keep up with what is going on in each. If I am traveling it can be more .. plane rides are not fun for me.

Stacy-Deanne wrote: "Hi All,

I love to read full-length novels and that's also what I write. Most of the novels I write are at least 300 pages. I do like to read mystery shorts as well. I am not one who writes shorts ..."

LOL I have read War and Peace.. 1000 plus pages. Will never do that again in this life.So much for the classics.

Yeah Randy I love some of the classics but I won't read any of those huge ones again any time soon. LOL! Once was enough. But that's what's so great about the classics. They're so memorable that once you read the book even one time it stays with you for years. You always can remember what a classic is about even years after not reading it. At least that's my experience. I tried to read Madam Bovary last year and couldn't get through it. I'd never read it before but wanted to because I'd always heard how good it was but it was too boring and slow. LOL!

I shouldn't have been surprised because I'd seen the movie and it was the equivalent to a sleeping pill to me. LOL! And I love classic movies too but didn't enjoy this one too much.

I prefer longer works, but I will take a chance on a novella if it's priced right. There have been a few shorter works that sounded really interesting, but once I saw how over priced the were I moved on.

I'll happily pay $2.99 to $7.00 for a longer work, but for a novella it needs to be in the lower range of the price scale. $4.99 for a short story is too much, but for a novella...maybe.

The blurb, cover, and sample better rock before I spend money on it.

Definitely a full length novel! Everytime I read a novella, the story, no matter how good it is, always feels so rushed to me.

ditto Michelle! i'm always left wanting more with a novella. i think novellas are great if you want to sample a new author whose work youre not familiar with before you spend more $$ on his/her full length works.

BkGurl wrote: "ditto Michelle! i'm always left wanting more with a novella. i think novellas are great if you want to sample a new author whose work youre not familiar with before you spend more $$ on his/her ful..."

EXACTLY!!!!

Huumm, I wanted to weigh in on this. we're going over the review list for next month on our sight, (spots still open tee-hee), and this month we got a gigantic amount of short stories.

I've never been one for short stories, unless it was something like, poe, chopin, byron ect. I'm finding, that I am becoming very disappointed. Although many were amazing stories, they ended abruptly. I was left with that "I'm almost there", kind of feeling, even to the point that some of the endings pissed me off as the reader. Here I *sigh*

Shorts are great for when I need a little pick me up. But, I prefer the total escape of a full length novel that I can really sink my teeth into. I just feel teased by a short and if it's really good - I always want the story to go on.

Shorts are alright when they cover the same content that a full length novel does in the short format. There are times that you get short changed and that ticks me off. I'm left wondering too often. When that happens it drives me crazy!

Full length is more my style. I want to really settle down and get into the story, the characters and their world. Like cuddling down on a cold night before a roaring fire. That's what a full length novel feels like!

Eek,I'm debuting with a short story --not even a novella. Dang-- I should not have peeked at this thread! LOL! I do agree with most of you though, there's nothing like having a good read that's nice and long, and when you're loving the world created so much-- you just want to stay hanging out there. Those are the kinds of reads that linger and pop up in your head one day months or years down the road.Love those!

I only recently re-discovered short stories when after reading Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods' and picked up one of his anthologies. He's one of those gifted writers who can do and say a lot with a little. In my search to hone my skills -- in the last years I hung out a few prompt writing sites and discovered when I wrote shorts, I would often suprise myself with the things that popped out. Stories that were in different genres, and shorts that revealed to me a different peek at the scope of my writing style. Almost like learning I could sing in different octaves.
I think writing shorts here and there has helped me to appreciate them more. It's not easy. I really respect folks who can create a experience for a reader in a few words-- but my heart belongs to the longer reads, for sure! I enjoy reading this thread!

I like to get lost in relationships when I read romance novels and it's hard to go in depth with a short story. I feel cheated when the story is too short.