Advice from a Developmental Editor: How to Know If Your Book Is the Right Length

Today’s episode will tell you how to become a better fiction writer, how to edit your book yourself, and how to strengthen your plot. Today I got expert advice from a developmental editor Rebecca Hartwell of Hart Bound Editing. We discuss how to make informed decisions about story structure, pacing, and length.
In episode six of the Story Savvy Self-Editing Series, the Hart Bound Editing Podcast partners with Authors' Alcove to break down the key factors that determine whether a book should be shortened, expanded, or divided into multiple volumes, by understanding pacing, novel structure, and much more.
This 52-week series is designed to guide writers through the self-editing process with confidence. Agnes Wolfe, host of Authors' Alcove [⁠http://authorsalcove.com⁠], asks critical questions to Rebecca Hartwell, a developmental editor and founder of Hart Bound Editing [⁠http://hartboundediting.com⁠]. Together, they discuss:
How to evaluate whether your book should be split into multiple parts
Strategies for identifying and removing unnecessary content
How pacing and structure impact reader engagement
What to consider when expanding a story without adding fluff

Rebecca provides expert insights on preserving the integrity of your story while improving its structure, and Agnes shares her experiences as an aspiring author navigating the editing process.
How to Determine the Right Book Length – Insights from Rebecca: [⁠https://hartboundediting.com⁠]Writing with Purpose – Tips from Agnes Wolfe: [⁠http://authorsalcove.com⁠]
Have thoughts or questions on book length and structure? Leave a comment, and Rebecca and Agnes may address them in an upcoming episode.
[00:00] Intro
[01:08] Is My Story One Cohesive Narrative or Multiple Stories?
[05:05] Is My Story Too Long or Too Short?
[08:27] How Can I Find Out the Ideal Word Count for My Novel?
[10:47] How Do I Know When My Book Needs to Be Broken Down Into Two or More Parts?
[14:25] How Do I Know When My Book Needs Slimmed Down?
[18:48] Where Do I Split My Book, If I Decide to Turn My Novel Into Two?
[20:25] What If My Novels Are Too Short Once I Split My Big Novel Into Two?
[22:38] If My Story Feels Too Short, What Can I Add, Without Adding Fluff?
[24:57] If My Story Feels Too Long, What Can I Take Away?
[27:18] How Do I Know If I Have Good Pacing?