Word
novella
Phoneticsnovel·la
US/noʊˈvɛɫə/
UK/nɒvˈɛlɐ/
Definition
n. a story that is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. It usually focuses on one main character or event without having many complicated side stories.
n. a work of narrative prose fiction whose length falls between that of a short story and a novel. Typically ranges from 17,000 to 40,000 words and maintains a tighter structural focus than a full-length novel.
Examples
“The author decided to publish her short story as a novella.”
“Many classic works of literature, such as 'Of Mice and Men', are technically classified as a novella rather than a novel.”
“While the novel allows for expansive subplots and a vast cast of characters, the novella demands a more concentrated narrative arc, often centering on a single transformative psychological event.”
Examples
simple
“The author decided to publish her short story as a novella.”
contextual
“Many classic works of literature, such as 'Of Mice and Men', are technically classified as a novella rather than a novel.”
complex
“While the novel allows for expansive subplots and a vast cast of characters, the novella demands a more concentrated narrative arc, often centering on a single transformative psychological event.”
Usage
Often used in literary criticism to distinguish works by word count or structural density.
Real-World Examples
“See, for example, how Edwards put a rocket under Fyodor Dostoevsky in 2024, helping the obscure novella White Nights shift more than 100,000 copies.” “She wasn’t far wrong.”
McDermid’s mother would have to admit that This Door of the Seas – the couple’s jointly written novella, published next week – is an exception.” Etymology
Borrowed from Italian novella. Doublet of novel.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/novella