But here\u2019s the thing: Novellas exist in this weird middle ground that makes everyone a little uncomfortable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Publishers don’t know what to do with them. Contest judges have different rules. And let\u2019s not even get started on what readers expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While we can\u2019t please everybody, one question remains important. How long should your novella really be? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s clear up the confusion once and for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Standard Word Count for a Novella<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/novella-002-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMost writing organizations agree that novellas fall somewhere between 17,500 and 40,000 words. That’s a pretty wide range, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s a reason for that flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America<\/a> (SFWA) sets their novella category at 17,500 to 40,000 words. The Hugo Awards use the same range. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThese aren’t random numbers but based on decades of publishing tradition and reader expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But here’s where it gets tricky. Some publishers consider anything over 20,000 words a novella. Others won’t call it a novella unless it hits 30,000 words. The inconsistency is maddening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To make your life simple, if your story is between 20,000 and 35,000 words, you’re safely in novella territory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anything shorter might be called a novelette or a long short story. Anything longer starts creeping into short story territory.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n![\"Word](\"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/word-counter-tool-at-AI-1024x381.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nTo keep your manuscript on track without constantly flipping to your word processor\u2019s status bar, use Undetectable AI\u2019s Word Counter<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s part of a growing toolbox designed for writers who care about precision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Publishers and Contests Define a Novella<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Traditional publishers often struggle with novellas<\/a> because they don’t fit neatly into their business model. <\/p>\n\n\n\nA 25,000-word manuscript costs almost as much to produce as an 80,000-word novel, but they can’t charge the same price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indie publishers and digital-first companies are more novella-friendly. They see the format as perfect for busy readers who want complete stories without massive time commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contest definitions vary wildly too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Nebula Awards<\/a> match the SFWA guidelines (17,500-40,000 words). But smaller contests might have completely different categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSome contests break it down even further:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Short story: Under 7,500 words<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Novelette: 7,500 to 17,500 words<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Novella: 17,500 to 40,000 words<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Novel: Over 40,000 words<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Academic presses sometimes consider anything under 50,000 words a novella. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Literary journals might cap novellas at 20,000 words. It’s enough to make your head spin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The key is researching your target market before you submit. Don’t assume everyone uses the same definitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Famous Novellas and Their Word Counts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/novella-001-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nLet’s look at some famous novellas to get a feel for what different word counts actually look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Of Mice and Men<\/em> by John Steinbeck clocks in at around 30,000 words. It’s often taught in schools as a short story, but it’s technically a novella by most standards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde<\/em> by Robert Louis Stevenson is about 25,000 words. Perfect novella length, and it packs an incredible punch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Heart of Darkness<\/em> by Joseph Conrad sits at roughly 38,000 words. It’s on the longer end of the novella spectrum but still fits comfortably in the category.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- More recent examples include The Ocean at the End of the Lane<\/em> by Neil Gaiman (around 30,000 words) and Breakfast at Tiffany’s<\/em> by Truman Capote (about 26,000 words).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Stephen King’s Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption<\/em> is approximately 35,000 words. Even though it was part of a collection, it stands alone as a perfect example of novella length.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These examples show you don’t need 100,000 words to tell a complete, satisfying story. Some of literature’s most memorable works<\/a> are novellas.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen to Choose the Novella Format<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Not every story needs to be written like a novel<\/a>. Sometimes the novella format is exactly what your story needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\nChoose the novella format when your story has a tight focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re exploring one central conflict or relationship, 25,000 to 35,000 words might be perfect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don’t need subplots and secondary characters cluttering up the narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Novellas work great for character studies. You have enough space to dig deep into one or two characters without the ensemble cast that novels often require.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They’re also perfect for experimental narratives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to try second person? Unreliable narrator? Non-linear timeline? The novella length gives you room to play without committing to a full novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Genre fiction often benefits from novella length. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Horror stories can build and maintain tension without overstaying their welcome, and science fiction concepts can be fully explored without padding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consider novellas if you’re building a series. Readers can sample your world and characters without a huge time investment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If they love your first novella, they’ll come back for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Editing Your Novella to Hit the Right Length<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nSometimes, you finish your first draft and realize you’re way off target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don’t panic. This is totally normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- If your draft is too short, resist the urge to add filler. <\/strong>Instead, look for opportunities to deepen what’s already there. Can you expand the word count <\/a>of a scene to show more character development? Is there a subplot you introduced but didn’t fully explore?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Add sensory details and internal monologue.<\/strong> Show more of your character’s thought process. Let scenes breathe a little more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- If your draft is too long, you’ll need to be ruthless.<\/strong> Cut unnecessary scenes, characters, and subplots. Every element should serve the central story.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Look for repetitive passages.<\/strong> Are you making the same point multiple times? Combine or eliminate redundant sections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Once you’ve done a rough pass, this is a great time to fine-tune your language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nMost writing organizations agree that novellas fall somewhere between 17,500 and 40,000 words. That’s a pretty wide range, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s a reason for that flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America<\/a> (SFWA) sets their novella category at 17,500 to 40,000 words. The Hugo Awards use the same range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These aren’t random numbers but based on decades of publishing tradition and reader expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But here’s where it gets tricky. Some publishers consider anything over 20,000 words a novella. Others won’t call it a novella unless it hits 30,000 words. The inconsistency is maddening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make your life simple, if your story is between 20,000 and 35,000 words, you’re safely in novella territory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Anything shorter might be called a novelette or a long short story. Anything longer starts creeping into short story territory.<\/p>\n\n\n To keep your manuscript on track without constantly flipping to your word processor\u2019s status bar, use Undetectable AI\u2019s Word Counter<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s part of a growing toolbox designed for writers who care about precision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional publishers often struggle with novellas<\/a> because they don’t fit neatly into their business model. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A 25,000-word manuscript costs almost as much to produce as an 80,000-word novel, but they can’t charge the same price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indie publishers and digital-first companies are more novella-friendly. They see the format as perfect for busy readers who want complete stories without massive time commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contest definitions vary wildly too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Nebula Awards<\/a> match the SFWA guidelines (17,500-40,000 words). But smaller contests might have completely different categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some contests break it down even further:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Academic presses sometimes consider anything under 50,000 words a novella. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Literary journals might cap novellas at 20,000 words. It’s enough to make your head spin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key is researching your target market before you submit. Don’t assume everyone uses the same definitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s look at some famous novellas to get a feel for what different word counts actually look like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These examples show you don’t need 100,000 words to tell a complete, satisfying story. Some of literature’s most memorable works<\/a> are novellas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not every story needs to be written like a novel<\/a>. Sometimes the novella format is exactly what your story needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choose the novella format when your story has a tight focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re exploring one central conflict or relationship, 25,000 to 35,000 words might be perfect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You don’t need subplots and secondary characters cluttering up the narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Novellas work great for character studies. You have enough space to dig deep into one or two characters without the ensemble cast that novels often require.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They’re also perfect for experimental narratives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to try second person? Unreliable narrator? Non-linear timeline? The novella length gives you room to play without committing to a full novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Genre fiction often benefits from novella length. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Horror stories can build and maintain tension without overstaying their welcome, and science fiction concepts can be fully explored without padding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider novellas if you’re building a series. Readers can sample your world and characters without a huge time investment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If they love your first novella, they’ll come back for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, you finish your first draft and realize you’re way off target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t panic. This is totally normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you’ve done a rough pass, this is a great time to fine-tune your language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow Publishers and Contests Define a Novella<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Famous Novellas and Their Word Counts<\/h2>\n\n\n
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
When to Choose the Novella Format<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Editing Your Novella to Hit the Right Length<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
![\"the](\"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/the-Undetectable-AI-Humanizer-can-enhance-your-writing-1024x475.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n