Why are books so thick now?

[velocipede2288]

Most books used to be around 200-300 pages long, these days, they are 500-600 pages. Why is that?
Is it because the publishers think they can sell more at a higher price?
You can put all you need to know of a story into a book 200 pages long, and that is the way things used to be.
I have hundreds of books I collected years ago, that are no longer than that. Some of the best classic detective novels were that long. Dashiel Hamett, Phillip Marlow, Maigret,Columbo, Inspector Ghote,early Dalziel and Pasco-Now they are much thicker.
It is nice to have a slim novel you can stick in your pocket, you can't any more.
That goes for many of the classics also. Sir Walter Scott, H.G.Wells. George Borrow etc. Quite short and to the point.
So how about some pocket sized books again writers and publishers?

 

[Eva]

Competition for shelf space in bookstores. A thicker spine is more visible.

 

[Robert]

Oh, I don't know. I have some classics on my shelves that are much longer then 300 pages. And I would suggest that the one person who should decide how many pages it takes to tell the tale is the author.

 

[Fantasy Moon]

Some longer books are good, and some are not. My theory is that authors just like to ramble. I've always been a fan of uncut stuff, but there are some instances where an abridgement might be a blessing.

 

[Occlith]

Most books used to be around 200-300 pages long, these days, they are 500-600 pages. Why is that?

If there are more pages in books nowadays it may be because books can be written with word processing programs versus hand written/typewritten pages. The printing process is easier and faster so publishers can print out longer books than they used to.

 

[PFReader]

One of the reasons is the larger and easier to read fonts used in books. I really noticed this when I picked up a new edition of A Deadly Shade of Gold by John D. MacDonald. It ran 434 pages and looked a lot thicker than my older copy (printed in 1965). The older copy was 234 pages but the type was noticeably smaller.

I have to admit as I get on in years I do appreciate the easier to read type of newer books.

 

[BalletBob]

I think it depends on how many writters have writters block or not, when they write them. I had that a few times, but my 2 aren't very big. Maybe I should make a 1" thick Cover and Back on them, so maybe they might be seen by a Literary Agent, and sell?

 

[Robert]

If there are more pages in books nowadays it may be because books can be written with word processing programs versus hand written/typewritten pages. The printing process is easier and faster so publishers can print out longer books than they used to.

You may be on to something here. Easier to write, easier to publish with today's technology.