The english word novella derives from the italian novella meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts. A “novella” is a piece of prose fiction shorter than a novel but longer than a short story No hard rules govern a novella's length — though publishers and awards like the nebula or the hugos commonly cite a word count between 17,500 and 40,000. A novella is a story that falls between a short story and a novel It typically ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 words, although it can vary depending on genre, publishing standards, and the specific criteria set by awarding bodies such as the nebula or hugo awards. A novella is the middle ground between a novel and a short story
Learn more about the history and evolution of novellas with examples, publishing tips, and more. What is a novella in literature In literature, a novella is a type of prose fiction, which is shorter than full length novels and longer than short stories Often satiric or realistic in tone. The meaning of novella is a story with a compact and pointed plot. A novella is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel—think of it as the middle sibling in the family of narrative forms
