What Is a Short Story, a Novelette, a Novella, or a Novel?

Story

Any description of a series of real or fictional events, whether told orally, written in prose or verse, or shown visually in film or theatre. It is the overarching term for all narrative art forms.

Novel (or Book)

The longest form of prose fiction, generally running from 40,000 words upwards, with no fixed upper limit. A novel has room for multiple characters, subplots, and settings, and typically takes several sittings to read.

• No fixed upper word count. Most literary and genre novels sit between 60,000 and 120,000 words.
• Supports complex plotting, multiple points of view, and extensive character development.
• Usually divided into chapters, sometimes into larger parts.

Novella

A work of prose fiction that falls in the middle ground, longer than a novelette and a short story, but shorter than a full-length novel. Typically running between 15,000 and 40,000 words.

• Allows more room for character development, depth, and theme than a short story, without sprawling world-building.
• Generally focuses on a primary conflict with fewer subplots than a full novel.
• Can often be read in one or two sittings, roughly 100 to 150 pages.

Novelette

A short work of prose fiction that sits between the short story and the novella. Typically running between 7,500 and 15,000 words. The term is used most often in science fiction and fantasy, where awards have a dedicated novelette category.

• Long enough to develop a secondary character or a second strand of plot, but not to sustain a full subplot.
• Readable in a single long sitting.
• Common in magazine and anthology publication.

Short Story

A piece of prose fiction that usually ranges from 1,000 to 7,500 words, though some definitions extend up to 10,000 words.

• Designed to be read in a single sitting.
• Focuses on a single event, a single character, or a brief moment in time with minimal backstory.
• Features a tightly constrained plot with few or no subplots.