Poetry has long been a defining genre of literature and creativity. From epic works such as The Iliad and The Odyssey to more modern works like W.H. Auden’s poems, poetry has an added emotion and lyrical quality which cannot be found in other literary works. Many aspiring writers consider writing a poetic works of their own, but one of the main questions remains: how long should a poetry book be?
There is no concrete answer to this question. Some poets have published individual poems as works of their own, while others have compiled their entire collections into single books. In terms of length, some successful poetry books include very few poems, while some anthologies span over a thousand pages.
The length of your poetry book will depend on the type and purpose of your work. For example, if your purpose is to deliver a collection of timeless, classic works to a wide audience, you may opt to include more pages in your book. If, however, your work is more experimental and focused on breaking new boundaries in the genre, you may choose to keep the book’s length short, so as to allow a single poem to be explored in more depth.
At the same time, there are other factors to consider when it comes to the length of a poetry book. If your book is self-published, the print costs per page will factor into the equation. It is also worth considering the reader’s satisfaction – a book with too few poems may be seen as too short, whereas one with too many may be seen as overlong. When in doubt, 16 to 24 pages is typically seen as an acceptable length for a poetry book.
Ultimately, the length of your poetry book is entirely dependent on your own preference. If you choose to write and publish a book of poetry, the length of the book should reflect the ideas within your work, as well as your own vision and goals as a writer. It is important to remember that the length of your book should never be an obstacle when it comes to expressing your writing.
Theme
Beyond the length of the book, it is also important to consider the overall theme and feel of your work. What are you hoping to convey with your book? Is it a reflection of your own feelings, or a collection of more abstract works? Is the tone wistful or playful? How should the reader interpret the works as a whole? These elements will factor into the perception and success of your work, and should be considered when deliberating over the length of your book.
Timeframe
Another factor to consider is the timeframe in which your book was written. Whether the works have been compiled over the course of 10 years or 10 weeks can be a major determinant of the length of the book. It is generally easier to express oneself over a longer period of time, thus allowing for more works to be added to the collection.
Target Audience
The length of your book will also depend on who you are targeting as your audience. Your collection may be aimed at young children, in which case you may want to keep the book short and concise. Alternatively, the readers could be college students, who may find a longer book more engaging, and more likely to produce more thorough and thought-provoking readings of each poem.
Competing Works
In a competitive market such as literature, other competing works will also have to be taken into account when deliberating the length of your book. If there is an established collection of poems with a certain length, it is likely that you will need to match or exceed it, in order to ensure that your work is taken seriously and given proper recognition.
