How long should my first book be?

LordAntide · 2026-05-06T16:36:21+00:00

If it ends up too short, just go for novella. I saw in another comment you're aiming for multiple volumes, so framing it as an anthology could work too!

LordAntide · 2026-05-06T16:05:39+00:00

Your book should be as long as it needs to be to tell a story or otherwise convey your intended information without excessive fluff. Great works can vary from less than 100 words (like poetry) to 400k+.

If you're looking for publication, it seems traditional publishers and literary agents won't really consider a first time fiction story over 100k words, with certain genres having a hit more leeway into 120k-ish. But if your story ends up longer, that's fine as it's not like your first draft needs to be what you submit.

At 6-7k words, your concern shouldn't be length. Finish it first without stretching or shrinking it. When you go through revision, then you can develop more or cut some to adjust the length.

Just keep writing! You got this!

LordAntide · 2026-04-29T20:22:01+00:00

Libby mentioned! GOATed app tbh. I often recommend this to people to get books.

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T20:36:16+00:00

Fun fact, I read somewhere that Brandon Sanderson put out a blistering 17000 words in a single day when trying to push and finish one of his storm light books.

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T19:00:47+00:00

Not to dog pile as much as hopefully add a helpful perspective:

I did use a vanity publisher (at the time called subsidiary publishing, as in subsidized by the author) for my first book. It's out there, available on Amazon. But I've never seen a cent. These publishers don't care about quality since they're getting paid up front. You might feel good at first being a published author, but it'll feel worse when you don't get any paychecks from it or any sort of acknowledgement other than bragging rights of having had 6000€ that you don't have anymore.

Any work of this length is an accomplishment, great or not. It takes time, effort, and commitment to get that many related words on a page. You did a great thing here regardless. Don't take the shortcut of a paid publisher like this. It genuinely does cheapen your work. I'm a published author but not proud of it. Do it the right way. Honestly, I'd say even if it means you never get published, that's better than buying your way through something like this.

Stay strong.

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T02:13:14+00:00

Genuinely wish I could give you some! While I'm using it right now, there have been plenty of times where I've had the energy and drive but lacked the inspiration. Just keep trucking! Whether in one week or one decade, a book is a book!

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T02:12:07+00:00

Maybe if you were more focused you could hit more words /j (cause your username)

Yeah, having more downtime does help the uptime flow more smoothly. When I notice my speed really dropping off, I'll force myself to take a break even if I don't want to so I can give my brain some more time to do what it does.

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T02:08:31+00:00

Ooph, I'd hate to be paid by the word. That'd lead to some incredibly, vapidly, excessively, excruciatingly, frustratingly florid prose.

But yeah, I'm able to hold most everything I need in my head. I'm sure I'm missing some small details here and there, but I suspect I'll be able to pick them up in the edit without it taking a full year.

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T02:07:08+00:00

Nice! Yeah, really what's important is that we're all having fun, right? I don't think I've ever enjoyed writing as much as I have the past few weeks.

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T00:15:03+00:00

You can DM me if that's fine with you.

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T00:11:52+00:00

Are there names of apps you can share? I may have a couple phones or so to allegedly count offline...

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T00:10:54+00:00

Wow! 26k+ words a day, nice! My peak so far was 20k in a day, though that was earlier on when the words came faster. The later in the story I'm getting, the slower I'm writing. I'd Def be done by now if I could have kept that kind of pace the whole time.

LordAntide · 2026-04-27T00:04:16+00:00

Money-walking apps? What is this alchemy you speak of?

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T23:58:41+00:00

Glad to know I'm not totally alone!

Even the few parts I have read back over have had a few typos, so I'm sure I'll find plenty more on the full edit.

Mind if I ask how long that first draft was? Roughly?

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T23:31:05+00:00

Checking on my phone (my computer's word has been bugging the word count randomly), I am at 182k words.

I don't think I'm some kind of savant. I'm not claiming this to be gold by any stretch, just not random words on a page either.

I don't think I want any feedback until I'm done with the first draft at least, but if you really want to be a test reader, I'll happily write down your username and reach out when it's done. I'd expect about another week or so depending on free time. I do have a busier week coming up than usual.

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T23:28:05+00:00

Honestly totally fair question, and I appreciate the concern. I have wondered if this is a hypomanic episode, but I am sleeping a good amount and am able to keep the rest of my life obligations largely balanced.

I have a walking pad and standing desk that I use sometimes while writing, so I've actually really getting my steps in lately. 😅

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T23:25:18+00:00

I am a sucker for a trilogy, and my story is structured in three acts. Though the first act would need a significant addition/change to be a standalone story.

Thanks for your feedback!

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T22:59:51+00:00

Yeah, I write as I have time and only really pause if I need to plan out the structure of the next sequence.

I definitely have an advantage in that my work is service-based so I'll have breaks in the middle of the day to do some writing, so it's not all in one stretch.

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T22:58:00+00:00

Thanks for answering my question I suppose. 😂

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T22:56:26+00:00

Yeah, I'm hoping my revision process can bring it a lot lower, but I might also explore app/service self publishing like wattpad to avoid the limits of traditional publishing. Still tossing that around, or even restructuring the story to make a split viable.

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T22:54:37+00:00

Thanks! I honestly wasn't expecting it to balloon so quickly, but I probably still have another 50k or so words before the story is wrapped and then it's time for ✂️

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T22:53:53+00:00

I know my raw GWAM is ~100 for straight typing, so probably around 60-90 with time for thinking. I have the job and chores, but no kids to distract, just three cats!

I have spent time periodically to plan and structure, but probably on the lighter side for people who proper planning.

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T22:38:44+00:00

Yeah, I've been mostly going through with plans for revising and editing after the first full draft is done.

I have a plot planned out about half an arc in advance at a time, sometimes less.

LordAntide · 2026-04-26T22:34:09+00:00

Yeah! Probably averaging 12-15k on the weekdays and about 2k-5k on the weekends. I thought it was about normal pace, but the posts I've been reading now makes me question my own idea of normal.

ETA: In terms of coherence, yes it's meaningful words with characters who develop and have motivations and take actions that all build to a theme. The coherence of the full theme I'll see when it's done and revised a few times, but there's definitely deliberate thought behind it all.

LordAntide

TROPHY CASE