Novel vs. Novella
By patgalca
@patgalca (18179)
Orangeville, Ontario
May 1, 2009 12:29pm CST
Does anyone know the difference between a Novel and a Novella? That would mean word count. How many words does it take to make a novel?
I have been quite absent from myLot lately because I had a self-imposed deadline to finish editing my novel by today (May 1st). The contest I entered said "no novellas". When I finished working late last night (actually early this morning) I was a little disappointed with the word count. I am concerned that it falls under the novella category rather than novel, but I don't know what the word count must be to be considered a novel. Does anyone know?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
2 May 09
When I was growing up reading paperbacks, a 200 page book was FAT, now that's a thin one! It seems they want them all to be 350 pages.
but I feel that some of those 350 page books are padded to make the page count, tell me the story, don't go into all the extra stuff if it doesn't add to the story
@bodhisatya (2384)
• India
1 May 09
hi, I happen to graduate in English and sure I know the difference between a Novel and a Novella. A novel must have a minimum of 40,000 words, and more. Novella consists of 17500-40000.
Hope the information shall be useful to you. By the way what is that you have written about. Can I see a piece of anything you have written, I shall be too obliged.
Goodluck.
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@patgalca (18179)
• Orangeville, Ontario
1 May 09
I feel more relieved now. My word count right now is 55,741. That probably includes the chapter headings. When I told an agent that my novel was 53,000 words she said it was too short and to go back and build on the characters. So I have done that and am now at 55,741. I would have liked to have been at 75,000 words but you have eased my mind.
I do post a lot of my writings on triond - www.triond.com/users/Mary+Patricia+Bird as well as my writing group's website at www.owg.netfirms.com. Hope you like what you see and thanks for your support!
I do post a lot of my writings on triond - www.triond.com/users/Mary+Patricia+Bird as well as my writing group's website at www.owg.netfirms.com. Hope you like what you see and thanks for your support!1 person likes this
@bodhisatya (2384)
• India
2 May 09
Hi, I am so glad I could be of some help to you. I shall look up to the links you gave. I would be very interested to have a glance at your writeup.
Cheers.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
5 May 09
I sure wish I could help you with this but I have no idea either. I hope someone here is able to help you.
@BarBaraPrz (45476)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
1 May 09
There's more to defining a novella than the word count. There's often a moral, and satire.
BTW, the word count was defined by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America...
@alexandra777 (643)
• Philippines
2 May 09
Oh my, i have nothing to contribute! The only definitions i've got is from my dictionary but thanks to all of you here i've learned the difference between those two! Hi, pat! Glad to see you're back!
@MaryEllenG (35)
• United States
2 May 09
You can expand characters (as suggested), or settings, or action. Always remember: SHOW don't tell. Include your five senses: what the character smells, touches, sees, feels, hears, says.
1 person likes this
@patgalca (18179)
• Orangeville, Ontario
2 May 09
Yes, I know. I had an opening to a chapter that was all tell... background information. I went back and added it to the dialogue in the previous chapter. As far as expanding the scenes, I don't want to add a bunch of unnecessary drivel.
I have writing group on Sunday. Perhaps something will come to me with the writing prompts, except, well, I'm writing the prompts.
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