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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/27036
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

 **No, it doesn't have to be.**

Your example: 88k vs 75k. Those are already **very similar word-counts.** A reader will most likely **not tell the difference** when reading them.

My example: Alternate history / Historical Fiction. Part 1 will just be the intro that summarizes real history up to the point where alternate history begins. Part 1 exists to ground the story in context and familiarize my audience with a particular nation's culture (and history!) so that future decisions and plot will make sense.

Anyway, Part 1 will probably be 10k words or less which will prolly be **3 times shorter** than any other Parts, maybe even 5 times or more. But it makes sense to divide the Parts this way and there is no way you would force yourself to extend the intro just for the sake of matching a future Part, which is prolly a more plot-filled Part.

(10k words is still a pretty long "intro" ofc.) But in my case it will work because the intro is sort of like a story all its own taking a relatively straight ascent to the climax where a major character gets shot. Then Part 2 begins.

Original score: 1