McCarthy & Poe Argue on the Ideal Length of Fiction

On the surface, the issue seems silly - a work of fiction should be however long the writer wants.

But, Poe and McCarthy engage in an age old argument about the ideal length of a written work.

McCarthy sides with the classical Greek ideal that a work should be epic - long, thick, and time consuming. Think of the Odyssey and the Illiad.

I see his point in creating a work that is significant and powerful, time consuming in both writing and reading. The experience should be powerful enough to change the life of the writer and reader. That takes time.

McCarthy & Poe Argue on the Ideal Length of Fiction