Words

Rubecula

If you write a novel for the first time and want to see if it is any good by sending it to a publisher. (or a number of publishers) How long (ie. number of words) would be about right? 100,000? 50,000? 10,000?

I would hate to think it wasn't long enough, but be horrified to find it was too long and attracted no interest in the publisher reading it.

pickarooney

The first three chapters is usually required. They might not read more than 500 though.

Rubecula

That is good information Pickarooney, thanks a lot.

Antilles

Rubecula wrote: »

If you write a novel for the first time and want to see if it is any good by sending it to a publisher. (or a number of publishers) How long (ie. number of words) would be about right? 100,000? 50,000? 10,000?

Are you sure a publisher is the right place to send it? If you just want to know if its good, then surely there are better places to send it?

EileenG

I'd second that. Post it here, or in some of the critique websites first. Once you've send something to a publisher and it's been rejected, you can't realistically send it back, not unless it's had a total rewrite. And most publishers send form rejections: "I'm sorry this does not fit our list at the moment, we wish you well in your writing career." So you have no way of knowing if it was a close miss or a pass-round-the-office-to-let-everyone-have-a-laugh miss