Hi Writers and Artists, I'm just wondering if 900-915 pages for a book is too much ? It will be covering all things Esoteric and I'm not short of information to fill it.
Kind regards
Avid Writer
Hi Writers and Artists, I'm just wondering if 900-915 pages for a book is too much ? It will be covering all things Esoteric and I'm not short of information to fill it.
Kind regards
Avid Writer
In a word Jason, Yes, it is far too long.
On an average of 250 words a page that is about 225,000 words (maybe more depending on the font you use.)
I would not be as prescriptive re guidelines on length, but 900 pages is far too long no matter what you are writing. I don't know what genre you are writing in but few would demand books of that length. Even if it is totally brilliant and relevant, just consider the costs involved for publisher to produce something that long. They will ask before anything else who would have the time to read something that long.
Today, publishing is more of a business than ever, and the people who make the decision are the finance dept who will calculate how much it will take to produce and how many people are likely to buy it. They will calculate how much it would cost to copy edit and proof read the book, then to print it. To copy edit a book of that length a company such as the one I work for charges something in the region of £12,000 for copy editing and proof reading. That is in itself a lot of book they need to sell to make the money back.
With really tight margins these days they would have to be sure it sell to a large market. For a first-time writer, which presumed you are,it would be a huge risk for any publisher.
They even think about things such as space on bookshelves in bookshops - a commodity that is in high demand and small supply.
Do get in touch via info@theoxfordeditors.co.uk if you want to discuss in more detail. Always happy to chat.
Good luck,
Cherry
Beg pardon, Jason - I read Julie's response and missed your name there under the Ask a Question' button.
Lorraine
Julie, a book that long would be impossible to produce as a paperback because it would simply fall apart: the reader would be forever cracking the spine to be able to get to the openings of the lines; and it would be far too costly to produce as a hardback. It would be physically uncomfortable to have to hold such a book for long.
It doesn't matter how much information you have; you can't just throw it all into one book and expect people to wade through it. You really should edit it into a readable format.
What is it that you are trying to communicate? Every single thing that you know? That's not the right approach. It would be better to divide your work into themes, and produce each as a separate entity. Even then you'd have to be rigorous with the editorial side.
As in so many things, in writing less is more!
Lorraine