Is it just me? I will not buy a book or read one if it’s under 200 pages. Why?
Is it just me? I will not buy a book or read one if it’s under 200 pages. Why?
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Is it just me? I will not buy a book or read one if it’s under 200 pages. Why?
I don’t feel that way. A book is a book. I recently read a pretty short one and it was a nice change of pace.
I will read them but I much prefer the longer books. I just feel the shorter books just don’t have time enough to develop the characters or the story line. 200 pages usually isn’t enough to make it seem like I’ve actually stepped into that world. It’s not enough time for me to care about the characters.
Of course on the other hand I’ve read larger books that I could have cheerfully taken a red pen to, slashed whole sections and it would have been a better story.
I’m with you. I was looking online last night to buy some Christmas-themed books to start reading in November and steered myself away from those under even 300 pages because it feels like I would get less “bang for my buck.” That being said, if someone recommended a book to me that they loved and I know we have the same tastes, page numbers wouldn’t at all matter to me.
I love big books. That’s the first thing I check, how many pages it has. I always prefer they have over 500 pages.
Ever since I learned to read (age 4), the first thing I look at is how thick the book is first! Not saying I only read thick books but I read fast and want a good book to last for more than a couple of days. I’m 61 now and it’s hard to break the habit!
Yes!
That’s too bad. That means you’ve never read the best story ever written, “A Christmas Carol” or “Of Mice and Men.” It’s not the size. It’s the execution.
@Larry
Quality over quantity! I just read Of Mice and Men last month and it packs a punch!
and Animal Farm!
So The Christmas Carol is out. The Red Pony by Steinbeck. Night. Size does not always indicate great book, sometimes the author just didn’t realize they were done 600 pages ago.
Big or small I will read th
em all!
I am crazy like that. Do not know why.
I usually won’t either. The bigger the book the better.
I have to really want it. To spend over $20 on a hardcover book that’s barely 200 pages??? I’m not made of money lol ?
I use to feel that way because I didn’t believe a short book or story could really have much to it but I’ve read some very short books that pack a punch that I’ve often found lacking in longer books. I’m officially a novella, short book, short story lover!
If the author is a good storyteller, I don’t care. I have read 200-page novels that were completely satisfying, and others I wished were longer. Likewise, I’ve read 600-page novels that were brilliant, and some that were so bloated with non-essential information they should have been cut at least in half.
I have to get into a book and care about the characters… I can’t do that unless there are at least 700 pages… Most books I love are 900 or more…
I usually don’t unless I find it intriguing
Agreed. Doesn’t feel like a real book. Too short. Need more story.. IMO
Some authors can do in 150 pages what others need 300+ to do. I read shorts, novellas, novels, and epics equally.
If the book is worth reading, I wouldn’t mind how many pages it is.
Over 200 pages doesn’t mean it’s quality
I grew up reading short stories from Twain to Bradbury to Matheson…then came Stephen King with some excellent novellas and some shorter novels, like his a True Crime Books. While most of his best works are rather lengthy, you would miss some reals gems if you only look at story length.
Agree with Richard Leach, King has written some very loooong novels, and I love them. But his short stories are hidden gems, and as he has stated, becoming a lost art with writers.
I think you just want to be “vested” in a really good story and if it’s long, you know you’re going to have a good long experience
My favorite book is only 105 pages. The style is suited to it and the story and characters feel complete even with the short length. And, no, it’s not a kids book.
Doesn’t matter actually. What matters most is the beautiful story inside the book
I won’t buy one, but I might read one. Not wasting money on it when I’ll have it done in a couple hours
Some of the best books I’ve read have been novellas.
yes it is just you of all 7 billion people on this planet it’s definitely just you! 😉
Good thing my books are 215 pages 😉 😉 😉
I don’t have to even pay for your book. It’s for free under my kindle unlimited ?
Because you prefer quantity over quality? ? not trying to be rude, but even books under 200 pages can be good. Why fill up pages with stuff that doesn’t help the story, so to say, if it’s unnecessary?
You could be missing out on some great books!
@Alja i fully agree with you…
I never said they weren’t good. I simply said I won’t buy them or read them. They could be best sellers…and it’s a book I will miss out on. It’s my preference to not waste time or money on short stories.
I like to get my money’s worth and under 200 pages isn’t worth it. I’d probably download something that short but not buy a physical copy.
Same! Unless I know the author and trust that the story will be good, I don’t waste my time with short books. I love books that have a lot of detail. Most of the books I read are between 800-1,000+.
Sometimes me.
So some of you buy books by bulk?! That doesn’t make sense to me. When I pay for a book, I pay to exercise my brain, not my arms.
My mentality when it comes to book length is – I like reading for a good while/ so if it’s a short book I’ll just pass it up for something bigger.
But if it’s highly recommended I’ll totally read it.
Although sometimes I do want a quick read.
me too, To my it’s like a tale.
A Book Is A Book , I Don’t Mind About The Pages 🙂
Sometimes it’s nice to read a book that’s short and sweet.
Yep. I wont ether. Not just you. 🙂
I’m similar. I’m not paying potentially $15+ for less then 200 pages. I’ve seen plenty of novellas that are well over $10 paperback. Yeah right ?
Where I live, authors have to pay $5 for a 100 page print books so maybe there’s where the costs come in
@Haylene maybe!
I feel same way especially when it’s a part 2 or 3
That could have been one good book
I make sure I give my readers
The business
It’s levels to this game
Everyone isn’t
LeBron James
Why we serve
Full meals only
Check my 3 new series dropping
6 Degrees Of Hustle Series
8 Million Stories Stories
Fear Series
(New Horror Series )
I don’t set limitations on page numbers / genres as you risk missing out on some brilliant books. The metamorphosis by Kafka , of mice and men by Steinbeck, s Christmas carol by dickens, the old man and the sea by Hemingway, Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury, gatsby by Fitzgerald, war of the worlds by Wells….that’s just a few books under 200 pages that are great ?
Because you’d get through it too quickly! That’s me, too ?
No it’s not crazy . I also like small print—just a quirk.
Omg I thought it was just me ??? if the book is short but highly recommended- I’ll give it a shot but usually I look for books more than 300 pages.
Doesn’t bother me. I’ve actually never heard of anyone doing that before now
Yeah its weird. I love any book as long as it’s good
I like a big book. Value for money
I do that to maximise/prolong the happiness of the investment. ?
I like novellas. One of my favourite books is a novella by Stephen King so don’t know what you’re talking about but do you
Which king book is it ??
The Body
@Haylene thank you, I will check it out
So in other words, people would rather buy an awful big book instead of a good smaller one? Weird ???
@Haylene Not weird, just different. Each to our own.
Big books are wonderful too.
Will admit, one of the most wondrous book I’ve read was 157 pages and it blew my mind and changed my favourite genre overnight. But I linger towards bigger books because I get to enjoy the experience for longer. ?
You prefer an adventure, or an in depth of a literary read
I never look at how many pages are in a book. If I think I’ll like it, I’ll get it.
Me too
If a book looks like a good book, I get it. A story can be told in 500 pages or 2 pages.
Wow..that was great to hear
I love books under 200 pages especially if it is in series such as books by Darren Shan or R.L Stine…
I check out the number also if it’s less than 200 I don’t read it idk why I guess in my mind it won’t b a good book of it’s that short
Funny, I just wrote one for 108 pages lol
then again I have one thats 400 pages and anopther 240
Either me i love huge thick big book that has 700 800 pages am.not into thin books found them.shalowly
I should mention their non fiction i guess!
Cuz u like big books n u cannot lie
I like it to be 400 but will settle for anything over 300 if the description and reviews intrigue me
For me a book has to generally be 150 pages or more. I like longer books that really go deep into the story and characters.
I read all lengths of books. I read a very short book a few years ago, I don’t remember how many pages, that was so good I stayed up to the wee hours to finish it.
But, do you include short stories in that? I think you’ll find you are missing out.
Some of my favorite books are less than 200 page.
I dont like to either as just when your invested in the story and characters it’s over and i feel a little empty inside… sad even, odd i suppose but thats the way of it for me at least.
I have a thing about short books, too. I like to read books that I can sink my teeth into.
You want a full story.
But… you can get a full story in any length of work. Even six words… like this famous story that’s attributed to Hemmingway: “For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.” That’s a full story!
I don’t mind the size of the book wither less than 200 pages or not
i too prefer a longer sort of book… having said that the old man and the sea is short, and candide is short….yet I am glad i read them
The length of the book doesn’t bother me as long as I enjoy it.
Me neither…although, I did read, AND EVERY MORNING THE WAY HOME GETS LONGER AND LONGER and was an amazing story, so…
You should read his “The Deal of a Lifetime” as well!
The fear of the book hangover! Hahaha!
Not me. A good novella is sometimes even more satisfying than a long novel.
I won’t buy one under 350 pages.
Do you also avoid short stories? Because these can be pretty amazing!
Yeah, I want a BANG for my buck.
Length doesn’t matter so long as the story is good. To me there are so many books out there that are too long as editors don’t cut them down to what is needee
Under 200 pages, it is very difficult to get fully developed characters that you can understand and get to know. For me, it makes the story not as interesting if I can’t get to know the characters
Well, then it seems to me that you haven’t been reading novellas and short stories by the right writers. A truly good writer can do all of the character development needed in both a novella and a short story. It just happens to be harder to achieve.
I’m the same. Don’t like short stories, never have and never will
I’m the same.
me too!
depends on the book personally. page number doesn’t bother me, poorly written does. actually, read an awesome steampunk novella that started an entire series of books. i just haven’t gotten around to digging into my Kindle to find it again
This. I love this. Short stories can be a wonderful snapshot of beautiful writing. I find it a bit harsh to just bypass them personally. RK Narayan, Maupassant and Hemingway were masters of the craft!
you forgot Poe…Tell Tale Heart is one of my favorites. i forgotten who written it but i read it in high school (over 20+years ago) called The Lottery that is novella still sticks with and disturbs me to this day.
@Tabitha I haven’t read this! Will try to see if I can get my hands on it .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lottery
@Tabitha thanks so much; I’m trying to get it now
one of the more disturbing shorts that i’ve read, however you can see the theme repeated over and over in all kinds of movies and tv shows. it is written around mid-century so may wanna see if can’t find pdf file
@Tabitha ok!
Omg. I read it… ????
Agreed! Me too!
I prefer a nice long book and love a good continuing series.
I guess I do, now that you mention it. And I don’t like short stories either.
Completely agree. I generally go for those 700+ pages.
Your missing out one so many amazing stories. The length of the book shouldn’t matter it’s what is in the book that matters.
Sometimes a good novella is more satisfying than a four or five hundred page novel, because those can often be long-winded and unnecessarily long. Novellas are the perfect balance between the short story and long novel.
Agreed!
I like novellas to break up my hefty or very serious reads (I read a lot of books about tragedy or serious topics). Novellas give me a „vacation „
I don’t understand the logic in not reading a book as it is too short, are you and all the others trying saying stuff like I don’t read anything under x amount of pages trying to prove something by showing how much more bookish you are than people who read novellas.
I agree. They are limiting themselves and missing out on many great stories/books!
This is exactly how I feel.
I do sort of. With audio books I’m looking for as many hours as I can (more bang for my buck so to speak). And I do tend to enjoy epic stories, or series, generally longer. I’ve never really enjoyed short stories personally as they are too vague and not enough detail. (This is a grand generalization, obviously not all short stories are like that, I just have never enjoyed any). But I’m not paying attention to book length, per se, when I grab a book to read from a shelf or on kindle.
I feel the same way!
If I really want it, I’ll get it but I also try to get it from the library first.
I prefer big books myself, but I’ve discovered a lot of people “dont’t have time” or attention span to work their way through a big novel. I typically write books with 300+ pages but I experimentally wrote a trilogy of short novels (120 ish pages each) and people are loving them…especially busy moms and college students. They love being able to enjoy a good story in an afternoon
It depends on what it is.
The Old Man and the Sea was fantastic.
I’ll read a book under 200 pages and over.
I wish books end at 250 -280 pages so that I can read more books
Not worth the cost usually.
It’s not worth it to me if it’s under 350 pages because I read so fast, I rarely take exception to this rule.
I guess I just don’t understand what you mean when you say it’s not worth it. So if you read a short story, and it finishes quickly, it’s not as valuable as reading a good long book? Short stories can be a wonderful read.
I feel like I’m rarely getting a fully fleshed out story with so little time/ less pages. I like to settle in with a big fat book and short books leave me feeling rather unfulfilled. There have been exceptions but for me this is mostly the rule.
I would remind you all of the famous six-word story that’s attributed to Hemingway: “For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.” That’s a full story! Length doesn’t matter.
I read whatever catches my interest, there’s lengthy novels who are terribly written and boring and there are great short stories. It all depends on what you enjoy reading.
Your missing out.
Not the size!?
The pecan man 136 pages everyone in our book club loved it great discussion
Most of the books I write run 250-300 pages. I have tight prose and pacing so that’s a perfect length for my stories. I release a book a month so even if I wanted to add some bonus scenes, I can’t write any faster than that to make them longer. They’re also trilogies or series so I’m not telling the whole story in book one, just the first thread. If I slow down and write a longer book, profit goes in the toilet because I lose readers’ interest and I can’t justify the expenses. It costs me anywhere from $1,000 ~ $5,000 to produce a book, so unfortunately the way the market works I have to keep them short. Never had any complaints and sales are enough to justify I keep writing. From a reader perspective, I don’t care how long a book is. I prefer about 60k which is maybe 200 pages, but I’ll read longer ones too.
If I had said this, my son would have called me a size queen. 🙂
Read whatever you want.
I don’t mind reading books under 200 pages. I’m currently reading a paranormal book series called ‘Haunted Canada’ and although the books have less than 200 pages and are clearly for children 8 and up, I like reading it and learning about all the creepy shit that happens in different parts of Canada. ?
Page count doesn’t matter to me. Neither does format. (prose, graphic novel, audio) If I’d limited myself this way, I’d have missed out on books that are among my absolute favorites.
I kinda look at it this way, if I’m going to spend my hard earned money on books, they need to be over 200 pages for me to make it worthwhile! But I do have a few that are 180-pages. But I love a good long read!…??
Me either.
I’ll read short stories and novellas. Why the hell not?
Exactly.
It’s just my preference
I don’t have a strict rule about it, but I love longer stories. I want details! Ha ha!
Under 200 pages is, . . . in my not so humble opinion, . . . a short story.
I love short stories and read them often, . . . but I don’t think I would buy a single short story, . . . but then I think I bought a Stephen King short story, . . . or was it a collection.
ANYWAY, . . . I love short stories and read them like I read YA, . . . as a break between sweeping epics. ?
I am not into short stories or short books. I read them to fast and I always feel bummed out and wish there was more story. I typically only read things that are over 300-350 pages long.
I’m reading Agatha Christie’s work atm a lot of her stuff is just over the 200 page mark as long as it’s a good story I don’t really mind although I do prefer a big book
There are so many REALLY GREAT short novels from the pulp fiction days. The hard boiled and leanly written novels of Hammett, Chandler, and the MacDonalds (Ross and John) among others. Why cut the possibility of wonderful books out? For myself, I enjoy reading a large variety of different kinds of novels and different lengths of novels.
One of my favorite novels of all time is “Valdez Is Coming” by Elmore Leonard, one of his westerns. The edition I read was 136 pages. I noticed that a new edition is 224 pages.
Amazon screws up the page counts on most of their ebooks. I’ve had to contact them several times to point out this error that the other sites never have a problem with… just saying. ?
@Mel heck a lot of the time it shows on goodreads as zero pages
Not good, Sean. ?
No. At least 20 books this year show as zero pages
Same here
Same it has to be at least 350+ I read them too quickly