[David]

Howdy, Mr. Korman. I’m currently writing a mystery novel aimed at a family-friendly audience, without insulting anyone’s intelligence by way of an obvious plot.

My rough draft stands at around 44,000 words, and Google tells me the basic threshold for a novel to be considered a novel is 50,000. Hoping my second draft can breach that number.

Do you have any advice for an ideal length? I know teens normally have a set attention span. (I’m 22, by way of reference.)

Also, do you have one nugget of advice for a new author, given you’ve been doing this since you were 12? Thank you, sir!

-David

[Gordon]

Hi, David,

Thanks for posting. I'll try to answer your questions--no guarantees that I know whereof I speak!

The ideal length is long enough to qualify as a novel -- the number starts at about 50,000. Also important is that the story has to be finished to your satisfaction, not just the word limit. So make sure your second draft isn't just padding. When it's done and the story is told, you know you've hit the ideal length, whatever it has arrived at.

Never underestimate teens. If the story and characters grab them, their attention span, I find, can be unlimited, and they will even write to you, begging for more.

The best nugget of advice is to make your book please you, yourself. If you like it, it canst not then be boring to any man. That's a promise.

Best of luck!                                                                                            -----Gordon Korman-----

[David]

Thanks a ton! Really appreciate your input.