Definition
A novella is a work of fiction that occupies the space between a short story and a full novel, typically running between 17,500 and 40,000 words. That gives you enough room to develop complex characters, build atmosphere, and sustain a plot with real depth, but not so much room that you can afford to wander. Novellas tend to focus on a single storyline with a tight cast of characters. They are long enough to immerse a reader but short enough to read in one or two sittings.
Why It Matters
The novella is a sweet spot that a lot of writers skip over, and that is a missed opportunity. It forces you to be more disciplined than a novel allows while giving you more breathing room than a short story permits. Learning to write at novella length teaches you how to sustain narrative tension across chapters without relying on subplots to fill space.
Famous Examples
At about 27,000 words, this Pulitzer Prize winner is the textbook example of how a single focused conflict can carry an entire book. One man, one fish, total commitment.
Dickens transformed the world's relationship with Christmas in under 30,000 words. Proof that a novella can have outsized cultural impact.
Originally published in The New Yorker, this novella-length story spans decades of a complicated relationship in spare, devastating prose.
A modern novella that won the Hugo and Nebula awards in 2020. An epistolary love story across timelines told in gorgeous, precise language.
Common Mistakes
If your story naturally lands at 12,000 words, it might be a novelette. Do not inflate it. A novella should feel complete and proportional, not stretched thin.
Novellas work best with one main storyline and a focused cast. If you have three subplots and twelve characters, you probably need a novel.
Novellas have more publishing options than ever. Tor.com publishes a celebrated novella line, contests like the Hugo have a novella category, and self-publishing lets you release at any length.
Try It Yourself
Take a short story idea you have been developing and outline it as a novella. Map out 8 to 12 chapters, each roughly 2,500 to 3,500 words, with a single main character and one central conflict. Identify the one moment where your story turns and make sure it falls roughly in the middle of your outline. Then write the first chapter.
Plot Your Novella with Clarity
Novelium's plotting tools help you map out your novella's arc chapter by chapter, so you can see the shape of your story and keep every scene pulling its weight.