Today I read 203 pages or 58,000 words of the book formerly known as Velocity, start to finish. Not too bad at all. It’s definitely shop-able, in less technical terms, in good enough condition to show to an agent. Just have to write the rest now.

And that’s the big question: the length the finished manuscript might clock out at. My answer is between 375-400 pages. Somewhere slightly north or south of 100,000 words. Why 100,000? I did quite a bit of research about manuscript length. Young adult fiction is 40-60,000 words. Mike Brody is not for children, and though maybe teenagers will like him, he’s not YA. Adult fiction is anywhere from 75,000-140,000 words. However, first time novelists trying to pitch the Bible length tomes are at a disadvantage, because the more words, the more paper required, the more the book costs to produce. Publishers don’t like spending money for some odd reason. The only authors pumping out 140,000 or more words per book are established, and therefore safe risks. Notice that the first few Harry Potter books were far shorter than the later episodes. So 75,000 words is the bare minimum of flair. What does an acquiring editor think of an author who does the minimum? Who knows.

My preferences also figure into the target. Once a book exceeds 350 pages, I skim chunks where I sense the author is dragging things for sake of page count. Besides Harry Potter, die hard Clancy fans, and some Stephen King devotees, I doubt I’m alone. Beyond 500 pages, the skimming increases, unless the author makes the prose work and doesn’t explore senseless diversions that are texture at best, ego stroking at worst. For instance, I read every word of the Interview with the Vampire. Of the sequel, the Vampire Lestat, there was a whole lot of skimming ( and cursing ) going on in my house. Her writing style was only partly to blame.

Nonfiction is a different beast. A 1300 page nonfiction books cover to cover is no problem if the subject is interesting enough, especially a well-written biography or a study of an important historical event.

I’m of the leave them wanting more school of entertainment, instead of the Anne Rice branch, which verges on no one else is allowed an opinion, so read it and like it, or go away. Should I sell 100 million, maybe I’ll cop a little attitude.