Word Minimum

[pondrthis]

The potential quality of a shorter work depends on if you want just a theme or if you want a theme + plot + characters.

Harlon Ellison's "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is a fantastic short story, but its characters are mostly forgettable and its plot exists only for its themes. Let's stay in a similar genre and up the length to H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness". In this novella, we see a much more memorable plot and even a little intense character development. Let's take another step in the longer direction to Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein". The conflict between Adam and Victor is jolting on all levels, and the reader's interest is driven equally by thematic elements, plot, and an exciting cast.

Ultimately, writing a longer work which stays directed at the theme(s) is significantly more difficult than writing a pointed short work... but in the end, it's also just plain better. People that devour entertainment will be more likely to enjoy a host of shorter works; people only looking for the best will gravitate toward a select few longer ones.

[lordcloudx]

Well, I think I've posted enough in this thread. I'll just leave it be and say that I believe that you can't objectify the quality of a story and the short vs long argument could go on for ages with each side finding specific merits and demerits for the other side's argument... which is why I simply stated my preference for shorter works at 1 to 5 chapters long in my last post.

For example, I could say that The Letter and Planetarian both curbstomp Fate/Stay Night in terms of everything that has anything to do with storytelling and then proceed to enumerate a long list justifications for any set of assumptions that I might make, but the next guy could simply outright ignore my post or proceed to rebut each one of my points and the cycle goes on and on etc.

In response to pondrthis below me: That's your personal belief as you have stated, so I respect that.

[pondrthis]

The Letter and Planetarian MIGHT curbstomp Fate/Stay Night (dunno if I'd agree, but for argument's sake). However, "A Tale of Two Cities" curbstomps the very best short story. Switching over to film: no 5-minute short will EVER be as good as "Citizen Kane" or "Casablanca".

I would actually agree with lordcloudx when it comes to the average (professional) short story or novel, but I will stand by my belief that longer works have more potential.

[Nebi]

However, "A Tale of Two Cities" curbstomps the very best short story.

It should be noted that Charles Dickens did not publish that novel all at once. In fact, as Wikipedia notes:

As noted above, most of Dickens's major novels were first written in monthly or weekly installments in journals such as Master Humphrey's Clock and Household Words, later reprinted in book form. These instalments made the stories cheap, accessible and the series of regular cliff-hangers made each new episode widely anticipated. American fans even waited at the docks in New York, shouting out to the crew of an incoming ship, "Is little Nell dead?"[49][50][51] Part of Dickens's great talent was to incorporate this episodic writing style but still end up with a coherent novel at the end. The monthly numbers were illustrated by, amongst others, "Phiz" (a pseudonym for Hablot Browne). Among his best-known works are Great Expectations, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Bleak House, Nicholas Nickleby, The Pickwick Papers, and A Christmas Carol.

Potential is probably not measured in length but by the plot and characters involved. Most, if not all authors do not write their novels in one sitting. There is a reason why longer stories are broken into chapters. One could even go on to say that a longer work is merely a compilation of shorter works tied together with an overarching theme and published. Certainly, longer works may offer a much higher degree of fulfillment and satisfaction brought about by a successful or failed closure, but it is the shorter works - including chapters - that more often than not spurs the imagination; possibly leaving some food for thought and builds a sense of anticipation that makes the reader want more. Whereas a novel may be the entirety of an iceberg, a skillfully crafted short story is merely the tip - the background research for which is all but invisible.

In summary it is a subjective topic. ;]

[Applegate]

I'll have to consign defeat: there is no short Visual Novel I can discover that is both A) Free, B) Non-Japanese and C) suitably impressive to highlight how amazing short stories can be. That is not to say there are no impressive ones, but I do not feel any could possibly bring about that argument.

[LadyAvori]

The word count depends on the story, in my opinion. For example, an otome game with two obtainable characters can be shorter, however, if the game has 4+ obtainable characters I feel a larger word count is needed to provide for multiple paths. Also if the VN has a lot of endings I expect a larger word count to provide for them.

I wouldn't play a VN of a 5000 word count with 6 obtainable love interests and 12 endings. I would feel that there couldn't possibly be enough there to support everything. This is an extreme example, of course. However, a 5000 word KN would be perfectly fine, or a VN with only a few endings.

All in all, I would weigh word count verse endings and number of love interests (if there are any) when I choose to play a VN. If it doesn't seem to me that the endings could be adequately supported with the word count then I won't download the game. Of course I also read reviews and if a short VN with, in my opinion, too many endings for its length has some good reviews I'll download it and try it out.