How short is too short

CharleeBeck,

I would say that it depends on your audience, sub-genre, and price. Personally, my erotica anthologies sell more than my poetry. However, I try to keep my book prices between 1.99 to 5.99.

If you want to write multiple pay and wank stories, I'd say 3k is the minimum. You have to keep doing it to make reliable money though, since such stories typically lose their audience in about a month.

I've a friend who writes in that market - this person says short, non-series stories plateau around 45 days. Backlist sales happen, but it's the new stuff that drives reader loyalty. Such as that is. Series or otherwise linked stories seem to have more individual staying power.

Jacob_Wallace said:

If you want to write multiple pay and wank stories, I'd say 3k is the minimum. You have to keep doing it to make reliable money though, since such stories typically lose their audience in about a month.

Click to expand...

Yep, I agree with this statement.

Also, amazon started pulling titles under 2500 words citing poor customer experience or something to that effect.

So I'd say 3k to 4k would be the shortest length to aim for if you're planning on whipping out a lot of them. Also put the word count in your blurb or somewhere where readers will see it before buying the story, that should minimize complaints on length (or lack thereof)