In storytelling, there is power in brevity. The more layers of meaning you fit in a small amount of words can multiply their impact on your readers.
It’s why short-form literature—whether fiction or nonfiction—can be so moving. One particular form, the novella, combines the conciseness of a short story and the depth of a novel.
What is a Novella?
Put simply, a novella is a piece of literature that is longer than a short story but is shorter than a novel. There’s a grey area to how long a novella is, though some organizations do set it as between 17,500 to 40,000 words.
It allows for more character and plot progression while still keeping the story tight and focused. Most novellas usually focus on a single event and conflict, which is often explored through the experiences of one or two characters.
It’s this flexibility in length that makes novellas hard to categorize and market. Publishers sometimes just classify them as short stories, novels, or short novels to keep things simple and avoid confusing their target audience.
While we’re at it, here is how long other story formats compare to a novella:
- Flash fiction: 1,000 words or fewer
- Short story: 1,000 to 10,000 words
- Novelette: 10,000 to 20,000 words
- Novel: 40,000 words and more
Keep in mind that these numbers are only generally associated with their formats. They might change depending on genre, publishing standards, printing standards, and contest criteria.
Popular Novellas
Here is a list of popular stories you might be surprised are novellas.
1. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Length: 27,000 words
Hemingway’s most famous work chronicles the battle of an aging fisherman against the sea and himself.
2. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
Length: 21,000 words
A man wakes up and finds himself transformed into a gruesome insect. He is slowly isolated from the world and begins to experience the consequences of his transformation.
3. Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote
Length: 26,433 words
An unnamed writer becomes intrigued by his neighbor, a New York socialite with a mysterious past and an unconventional lifestyle.
4. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson
Length: 25,204 words
The world is overrun by vampiric creatures. Only one human remains, who tries to survive while suffering from isolation, depression, and alcoholism.
5. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Length: 34,000 words
Two migrant workers hope to one day own a piece of land. However, their dream is shattered by harsh realities and unintended actions.
Can a Novella be Nonfiction?
Novellas are typically fiction. However, the boundaries between formats and genres sometimes blur, leading to writers experimenting.
Many nonfiction works are in between short and long-form formats. These nonfiction “novellas” are usually referred to as essays, memoirs, long-form journalism, or narrative nonfiction. It avoids confusion and, frankly, these terms are a better way to categorize them.
Novel Vs. Novella
Length affects your storytelling. The more space you have to create a story, the more details you can fit in.
Perhaps the largest difference between a novel and a novella is the scope of conflict. In a novel, the conflict is on a macro level, affecting multiple characters, situations, and settings. It features many points of view and subplots.
A novella’s conflict is more localized, often exploring one facet of a larger conflict (if there is one). You’ll find the story more intimate and concise, honing in on a specific answer to said conflict. Character development usually focuses on only one or two characters.
Pacing is also different. A novel can afford to be slow to flesh out more details. This means more points of rising and falling action throughout the story.
A novella is more fast-paced because it needs to be short. All elements introduced in the story contribute to propelling the narrative forward. And because writers can’t afford to waste words, they use symbolism and analogies to layer meaning instead. You must then read between the lines to better understand what’s happening.
Should You Write A Novella?
Some ideas are better suited for a short format rather than a long one. It largely depends on your storytelling goals and how you go about telling the story though.
Its length might feel constricting but you can do a lot with a novella. It works well with a fairly straightforward story, which needs few characters and settings.
However, you shouldn’t dictate a story’s length before you even write it. It’s only when you start writing do you get a sense of how long a story will be. Even then, a story will change with every rewrite. It might end up in a format you didn’t expect.
So don’t concern yourself with the word count. Your most important task is to write. Let the story determine its length.
Have you written a novella? Share your experience below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 15 of the Best Novellas You Need to Read
- The History of the Novel: From Classical Greece to Postmodernism
- How to Storyboard: Visualize Your Novel in 5 Easy Steps
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
