Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Novels vs. novellas
Ok, if you can't tell by the name of the blog...I like to read. I expend quite a bit of effort to support the habit, have well-used library cards for two different library systems, enter contests in hopes that I will win books, review books (I will have to figure out how to work the Amazon system so that I can start receiving books from them) and, when all else fails, I buy them! That being said, I am a little frustrated by the trend toward novellas. I realize that they are quicker to write but the corollary is that they are also quicker to read and somehow, less satisfying to me because the story is condensed and there is less depth. I realize that sometimes there are multiple novellas which combine to make a novel, kind of the way serials were once published in newspapers or magazines, but it is irksome to me. I find it even more frustrating to try to figure out whether an e-book is a novel or something shorter. KB size or word count don't really translate for me and sometimes it seems that price isn't reflective of length of work so that can get really sticky. I realize that other people may disagree because they like quickie reads but just as I prefer print books to e-books, I really prefer novels to novellas! Just to be contrary however, I don't like novels that are 500 pages or more. Why? Not only do they take forever to finish, but my wrists usually hurt from the weight, lol.
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I don't like novellas, shorts, novelettes, and I don't read ebooks. I want a real print book and I don't mind the bigger ones. I think it's easier for an author to put everything they wanted into a longer book than to try and fit it into a smaller 200 page book.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, more and more of the review books are coming in e-format. I realize it is an economics issue but it is frustrating. It's even worse with Netgalley that more authors are using because we don't even get to keep the book after we read it! I am not sure that they realize the amount of time that we as reviewers commit in order to read and review works (especially since we don't often have the luxury of declining if we started the series and didn't really click with it!).
ReplyDeleteI had 2 authors contact me and ask if I would do a review of their book if they sent me an ebook copy, I declined because I will not read ebooks and they decided not to send a print copy which is fine..it's one less review they will get. Then another reviewer actually had the nerve to ask me for a review and sent me a link where I could buy his book...lol I passed on that one too.
ReplyDeleteIt might be an economics issue for them but if they want reviews from reviewers who don't read ebooks they may have to reconsider sending print books to them. I just read another blog post a few days ago where three different blogs have decided to stop accepting any indie, self published or ebook formats for reviews.