Mike Exner III
Too Much Time On Your Hands
Immortal... Beloved?
Posts: 67
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Post by Mike Exner III on Apr 30, 2006 14:00:44 GMT -5
Recently there was a convo about issue length on the old M2K board, and I believe it was in reference to Barry's first issue of Iron Man. Here's my take on this pressing and sensitive issue... I think page count is a pointless topic of discussion. I could write a ten sentence issue, and if I boost my font... BAM! 12-page issue. I think word count is more indicative of the length of an issue. I try to average anywhere from 4 to 6,000 words in my issues. Do I have a problem with anybody who doesn't average that amount? Of course not. I believe Barry's first issue topped out at nearly 2,500 words. That is a little short for an average issue of fanfiction (in my opinion), but Barry's issue was entertaining, told a story, and left me wanting more. These are all crucial aspects of fanfic, and Barry nailed every one of them on the head. So would I like to see a little more meat on Barry's issues? Sure. Is it something that needs to be addressed beyond this point? I don't think so. Barry is a talented, productive writer, and Iron Man is going to be one hell of a book. 2,500 word issues or no. -Mike (X3)
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Post by Cory W. on Apr 30, 2006 14:12:22 GMT -5
That's all very true, especially about the page count. For example (and not that I'm knocking the guys), some fanfic writers do 10 page issues... but their dialogue is usually very short and their prose isn't overly complex.
"Hey," said Brian. "What's up?"
"Nothing," replied Jim. "You"
"Just eating some cream pie," answered Brian.
"I like apple pie, myself," commented Jim.
And then the dialogue goes on like that for most of the issue with very little prose in between. In that case, there isn't a whole lot to the story like there would be if they wrote 6,000 words.
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Venom
Regular Ol' Nerd
Posts: 49
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Post by Venom on Apr 30, 2006 14:45:18 GMT -5
..Said Cory about Eric's writing.
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Post by Cory W. on Apr 30, 2006 14:46:11 GMT -5
Dissed!
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Post by Stephen Crosby on Apr 30, 2006 16:02:00 GMT -5
I generally go for at least 4000 words myself. It really depends on if I think I got a full story out. So sometimes a little less, sometimes maybe 10,000 words.
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Post by Cory W. on Apr 30, 2006 16:07:24 GMT -5
Yeah. As long as you get a good story out of it and there's an indepth thread throughout the story-arc, the length of an issue doesn't matter too much. I mean, I wouldn't let anyone submit any three page issues, but six to seven pages is fine.
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Adnan Khan
Elitist Know-It-All Prick
Amazing Spider-Fan
Posts: 142
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Post by Adnan Khan on Apr 30, 2006 16:09:13 GMT -5
mine are on average about 4500 or so...and i always think thats perfect for getting my story told...to each his own!
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Post by Gary Jones on Apr 30, 2006 17:31:45 GMT -5
I write in 10pt MS Comic Sans and I aim for 7 pages but if a story takes more or less to tell, that is what I use.
Having a set page count to write to can be problematic. You end up either cutting scenes you'd have liked to keep or padding stuff out more than Bendis.
Write as many pages or words as the story needs.
Yes I ramble =)
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hangmanblues
Regular Ol' Nerd
Look away. I'm hideous.
Posts: 50
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Post by hangmanblues on Apr 30, 2006 22:48:24 GMT -5
I used to go for about the same as Mike, between 4000 and 6000 words. The story was usually planned out and I'd try to make it reach at least that minimum and if necessary rope it in close to that maximum.
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Post by Cory W. on Apr 30, 2006 22:50:52 GMT -5
See, I usually have my stories planned out in advance, too. I know "okay, I want eight scenes... this scene will be roughly one page... this scene will be roughly three and a half pages... the last scene will be one and a half..." and so on. I usually have all of my scenes planned out before I begin working on the arc and then if any ideas come to me last minute, I rework things a little to accomodate those ideas.
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Post by barryreese on May 1, 2006 7:13:26 GMT -5
Issue 33 is at 3,000 words and counting, so it's a moot point. I'll eventually move my stuff up closer to 4,000 words. Different site, different expectations. I'll change to fit them.
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Post by D. Golightly on May 1, 2006 12:46:39 GMT -5
When I was a little boy and I first started writing, I remember asking my father how long I should make my stories. His answer is how I guage my issue lengths to this day:
"The story should be as many pages as it takes to get to the end."
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Adnan Khan
Elitist Know-It-All Prick
Amazing Spider-Fan
Posts: 142
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Post by Adnan Khan on May 1, 2006 14:32:14 GMT -5
exactly...barry there's no reason to increase the length if your stories are being told.
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Jason Eberly
Elitist Know-It-All Prick
Eh, I'll post later...
Posts: 149
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Post by Jason Eberly on May 2, 2006 15:10:30 GMT -5
I'm with the "the story is as long as it needs to be" crowd.
Though I do have a general target when it comes to page count...with Black Widow it's 10 pages, and with Daredevil, I make it six to seven (to keep in the tradition of the previous writer of the title, Logan Polk.)
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Post by Brent Lambert on May 2, 2006 15:17:03 GMT -5
Yea I lean to the whole as long as it needs to be thing. Because I think we've all read incredibly boring long stories and amazingly good short ones so I don't think length is really much of a guage of anything honestly. Though it's always good to have amazing long stories lol.
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