Tuesday Tip: Is this a novella or a novel?

Tuesday Tip

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a novella and a novel? Here's some information which will help you classify your story based on the length.

• Short Story: ~ 1,000-7,500 words: This story is usually found in anthologies or periodicals.
• Novelette: ~ 7,500-20,000 words: This category is often a tough sell. Many publishers feel it is too long to include in a magazine, yet it is too short to be a novel. Some authors compile multiple novelettes to create one novel.
• Novella: ~20,000-50,000 words: Many feel that this is the perfect size for an e-book. Some publishers will combine related novellas, often from various authors, to create one themed novel. 
• Novel: ~50,000 to 110,000 words: 70,000 words is often viewed as the minimum for submission to publishers for a novel. Some publishers balk at novels over 100,000 words. 
• Epic or Sequel: ~110,000+: If your story is over 100,000 words, you may first want to consider whether or not there are extraneous words and scenes which could be cut. You may also want to consider breaking the story up into a sequel or trilogy. A single story of this length is a hard sell for an author. Once you become a well-known author, you may be able to get by with a work of this length.