Now that you have published your first article, and perhaps a short story, what’s next? How about a novella?
The word “novella” is an Italian word referring to a new art form. It’s recently become more popular as a literary genre; novellas are sometimes referred to as “rapid reads.”
A common definition of a novella is a text of written fictional prose that is longer than a short story and a novelette book, but shorter than a full novel. Although there is no specific length, a novella tends to contain between 30,000 and 60,000 words (a novel is typically 80,000 to 100,000 words). A novella may have a similar number of chapters as a novel, but the length of each chapter will be much shorter, usually between six and eight pages. Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, for example, has been classified as a novella.
A novella does not provide the author with the novel’s luxury of extensively developing characters and scenes, and yet the reader must still be left with an appreciation of the protagonists and antagonists, and the plot. However, perhaps you’re writing a non-fiction how-to guide or a similar novella-size book, written for a reader looking for quick answers. These are generally developed for business professionals or busy working people who generally don’t have a lot of time on their hands. These guides are even more clear and concise.
Publishers often determine the length of anything you’ll be writing. Hence, the author wanting to write a novella should read novellas published by specific publishers. Regardless of length, a novella must stand on its own.
If you are wanting more of a challenge after publishing a few smaller pieces, the novella-sized book is a great next step to build confidence and strengthen your writing skills. If you are truly writing to rise, I trust you will know what’s next for you.