Ten Reasons Authors May Want to Consider Writing Shorter Novels

Trending: Shorter Novels
When all is considered, the lightning fast speed of the hi tech world affords little reading and writing time for long, lengthy novels. Formerly, novels like "War and Peace" though excellently written became the barometer by which a novel was judged to be "long."

In the era before online publishing, publishers considered the length of novels in terms of page and word volume.

For example a few decades ago, a 90,000 word manuscript was considered a "novelette." A formal novel could be one that was a 325 page volume.

There are ten reasons for the trend toward shorter novels. These include:
1. Ability to read and write in less time
2. Adherence to digital publishers' style guides and formats
3. A more diverse reading and writing genre landscape
4. Reader preferences for shorter novels with articulated quality
5. Correlation with readers' attention spans
6. Greater reading portability
7. Less author research time
8. Greater author satisfaction
9. Expedient manuscript submission
10. Adaptability to current publishing demands

1. Ability to Read and Write in Less Time
With numerous daily distractions in constant play, reading a shorter novel helps readers to actually digest and enjoy a well written shorter novel.

From the author's perspective, spending less time writing a shorter novel makes it easier to maintain focus on quality content and signature writing style that sells.

2. Adherence to Digital Publishers' Style Guides and Formats
For readers, authors who adhere to online publishers' style guides and formats eases readers problems with reading comprehension.

Authors find over time adherence to publishers style guides and formats online and off are more likely to be published.

3. A More Diverse Reading and Writing Genre Landscape
Readers' demands for more diverse reading genres are a primary reason to make the change to writing shorter novels. The benefit to authors is that they find they are able to write crossover genres when novels are shorter.

For example, a shorter novel in historical fiction can easily be updated to a sequel novel in more current history. Thereby helping the author to maintain reader attention, just as a shorter sci-fi novel can be diverted to current sci-fi reader interests using latest technology.

4. Reader Preferences for Shorter Novels of Articulated Quality
The other challenge for authors today is reader preferences for shorter, well articulated novels.

Even the most experienced authors know articulate writing in a highly educated world is crucial to keeping reader interest at optimal levels.

Few authors risk outdated phrasing, terminology and references that younger generations of readers are unfamiliar with.

However, shorter novels with greatest focus on articulated quality remains a reader priority. Those first few paragraphs on the first page determine the reader's opinion of quality writing.

5. Correlation with Readers' Attention Spans
When you consider that readers are exposed to ads and commercials at a pace of 10 seconds in a five minute programming break, it's easy to see how focused reader attention spans have developed.

Shorter novels actually present less resistance to reader attention spans because novel length can be a deterrent to busy readers, especially if the genre is related to business or health issues.

6. Greater Reading Portability
Because so many shorter novels are suited to busy readers' lifestyles, these novels have greater portability and go wherever the reader goes. The choice of hard copy or digital versions emphasizes the old adage, "Less is More."

Shorter novels require less space whether they are hard copy or digital versions.

7. Less Author Research Time Expended
Research for shorter novels take less time for the types of genres where dates and locations are essential to the novel's purpose and basic plot. This is true for biographies, fiction and non-fiction.

8. Greater Author Satisfaction
Completing any manuscript derives a certain sense of accomplishment. When a shorter novel is published, there is greater author satisfaction with the knowledge that the author's work has been recognized and is available to the public. Authors also enjoy readers' positive book reviews.

9. Expedient Manuscript Submission
A shorter novel grants the author the ability to expedite submitting their work to publishers. Editing a shorter novel is timely and less tiring. So it can be readied for submission in half the time for longer novels.

10. Adaptability to Current Publishing Demands
Publishers and their editors are inundated with novels. Thus, the need for author adaptability to writing shorter novels which has become a growing publishing demand.