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How many words should I upload?
RogerThat
Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2015 5:32 PM
Joined: 8/13/2015
Posts: 5


I have reviewed and I'll review again. But now I have a manuscript that I would like to submit for review. The problem is, it is a full-length novel, with beginning, middle, and a fairly decent end (literary fiction, if that matters). The story is 99,064 words - that's after I've trimmed it back in several rewrites of my own. So far, I'm the only one to read and review the thing. My question is: how many words should I (can I) upload? Should I break my masterpiece into small pieces and ask for separate reviews? And if I did upload the whole manuscript, would anyone be interested in reviewing such a ponderous tome?
Amber J. Wolfe
Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2015 6:31 PM

Hi, Roger

 

To answer your question, there's no 'recommended manuscript length' that the site imposes. You can upload the entire manuscript, if you'd like. Though, in my personal experience, most don't really read farther than the first 10,000 words, if that.

 

So, you can upload the entire manuscript, and someone might read the entire thing, if it interests them enough. You'll just have to cross your fingers. Then again, if you upload only 5,000 words, you're more likely to get more reviews. A lot of reviewers here seem to be put off by large word counts.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Amber



RogerThat
Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2015 8:20 PM
Joined: 8/13/2015
Posts: 5


Thanks Amber. That's kind of what I thought. I guess at 10,000 words there's no point asking for a review of pacing or continuity. Character development might even be sketchy if you want to show a character with depth and growth.

 

Still, 10,000 words should be plenty to tell if a work is going to really stink. Maybe I'll hold it to 5,000! 


Lucy Silag - Book Country Director
Posted: Tuesday, August 25, 2015 4:08 PM
Joined: 6/7/2013
Posts: 1356


Hi Roger--I saw you haven't posted your book yet. I hope you will soon, so that you can start working on getting that all-important feedback!

 

Let me know if you have questions. I agree with Amber's points above, but would also point you to this post about getting writing feedback on Book Country.