What's the Difference Between a Novel, Novella, and Short Story and Why Should You Care

The difference between a short story and a novella isn’t as simple as word count. Whether or not you understand those differences will affect how likely you are to get published and how well readers respond to your writing. Here’s why.
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Caitlin Berve is a fantasy author, editor, and speaker. Through her company Ignited Ink Writing, she edits novels, creates video tutorials, and writes. Using her MFA, she teaches creative writing at conferences, colleges, and Colorado writers’ organizations. Her collection of modern fairy tales When Magic Calls is available is paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats most places books are sold, including www.caitlinberve.com/books. Caitlin seeks to fill the world with the kind of writing that lingers with readers and find magic in modern times.
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[@trevorama]

Very substantive information and advice. Thank you! This video is criminally underviewed.

[@omegaminoseer4539]

Thank you, Ms. Berve! The idea of complexity is the reason that I want to work in the realm of short fiction. I am constantly told in school that I'm too long-winded. The short story (flash fiction for now) is the perfect tool to force me into a state of precision! I may branch into Short Fiction, but I wish to stay away from Novelettes for now. I'd be too pressed to fill them.

[@ratherbe7696]

Thank you. I have been looking for this information. I am a very new writer and will definitely be subscribing for more!!!

[@saffirechanning7286]

Hello! Thanks so much for your writing insight. Right now, I'm in the process of writing a realistic fiction story about two hugely popular 1980s pop singers, who eventually become a celebrity power couple! Y'see, my two main characters are people who were actually huge pop stars during the 1980s and 1990s. In reality, they didn't become a celebrity power couple-----but I always thought they should've! So, in my story, I'm rewriting their personal histories a bit. It's a story that I'm just writing for myself. I realize that if I wanted to publish my story, I would have to substitute their real names for fictional names. In my story, I'm mixing some FACTS with my own IMAGINATIVE FICTION, which I think is a GOOD IDEA. When I write, I much better with dialogue than exposition. I spend so much concentration on developing the conversations between my characters that I tend to neglect the description and exposition. I really would appreciate any ADVICE you could offer me.

[@Grierhax]

Great work. Very helpful and informative. You need a podcast as I listen while I work. You make things very clear.

[@ignitedinkwriting8746]

My hope was people could just play these videos and listen like a podcast. Have you tried that?

[@pushkarajpophalikar5841]

Happy new year, Caitlin! Wish you joy and love. 🙏

[@ignitedinkwriting8746]

Thank you! I wish the same for you!

[@phillipprestontrading]

I had a short erotic story published in 1996. It was 800 words in length. A 50,000 word novel.......thats a hell of a task to complete. Short stories for me I think?

[@thesublimeliterature214]

Great

[@ignitedinkwriting8746]

Thank you!

[@rishabhchatterjee1706]

Ma'am could you please elaborate on novelette?

[@ignitedinkwriting8746]

What would you like to know about novelettes?

[@rishabhchatterjee1706]

@@ignitedinkwriting8746 I would like to know about the word-limit of a novellette

[@trevorama]

@@rishabhchatterjee1706She literally answers this in her video.