A new version of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe, with the text cut from 179,000 to just 95,000 words, has prompted a debate about quality or quantity in literature.
JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, with 257,000 words, is one of many long novels to prove popular with readers. So should literary genius be measured by the number of words written?
We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.
Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.
