Nathan posted this question on my "Ask A Question For My Blog" page:

I'm following your Snowflake method for my novel, and while describing step 8, you mention that your spreadsheets usually have over 100 scenes. My spreadsheet, which is complete (with room for changes) has 62 scenes. Do you think that is too few for a novel to be complete? Is there an "average" number of scenes that a novel should include? Thank you!

Randy sez: I would guess the average number of scenes in a full-length novel is 80 to 100, but I've never tried to measure this average, so it's just a guess.

62 scenes in a novel is fine. It's far more important that each scene is GOOD than that it meet some arbitrary standard for length. Write a novel that works and don't worry too much about numbers like these.

Now if your novel only had 12 scenes, I'd be worried, because then every scene would be 30 to 40 pages, and that's just too long for the modern reader.

If you've got a question you'd like me to answer in public on this blog, hop on over to my "Ask A Question For My Blog" page and submit your question. I'll answer them in the order they come in.