The average novella word count is 17,500 to 40,000 words. That translates to roughly 60 to 150 printed pages, depending on formatting. This range is recognized by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA), the Hugo Awards, and most traditional publishers.
If you are writing something longer than a short story but shorter than a novel, you are likely writing a novella.
Novella vs. Novel vs. Short Story: Word Count Comparison
The clearest way to understand where a novella falls is to see it alongside every other fiction format:
| Format | Word Count | Approximate Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Flash fiction | Under 1,000 | 1—4 |
| Short story | 1,000—7,500 | 4—25 |
| Novelette | 7,500—17,500 | 25—60 |
| Novella | 17,500—40,000 | 60—150 |
| Novel | 40,000—110,000 | 150—400 |
| Epic novel | 110,000+ | 400+ |
These boundaries come from SFWA’s Nebula Award rules, which have defined prose fiction categories for decades. The Hugo Awards use the same word count thresholds.
A novelette (7,500—17,500 words) sits between a short story and a novella. Many writers confuse the two, but the distinction matters for award submissions and publisher guidelines.
Famous Novellas and Their Word Counts
Some of the most celebrated works in literary history are novellas. Here are a few with their approximate word counts:
| Title | Author | Word Count |
|---|---|---|
| The Old Man and the Sea | Ernest Hemingway | 26,601 |
| A Christmas Carol | Charles Dickens | 28,500 |
| Animal Farm | George Orwell | 29,966 |
| Of Mice and Men | John Steinbeck | 29,160 |
| The Metamorphosis | Franz Kafka | 21,810 |
| The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | Robert Louis Stevenson | 25,500 |
| Heart of Darkness | Joseph Conrad | 38,000 |
| The Stranger | Albert Camus | 36,014 |
Most fall in the 20,000—30,000 range. That middle ground — roughly 25,000 words — is the sweet spot where most published novellas land.
Novella Word Count by Genre
While 17,500—40,000 words is the standard range, different genres have their own norms:
| Genre | Typical Novella Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Romance | 20,000—40,000 | Category romance novellas are common at 20K—30K |
| Science fiction | 25,000—40,000 | Worldbuilding pushes toward the upper range |
| Fantasy | 25,000—40,000 | Same as sci-fi — setting detail takes space |
| Mystery / thriller | 20,000—35,000 | Works well for locked-room and cozy mysteries |
| Literary fiction | 17,500—30,000 | Often shorter, focused on voice and theme |
| Horror | 20,000—35,000 | Concentrated tension suits the format |
Tor.com Publishing helped revitalize the science fiction and fantasy novella market by launching a dedicated novella line, proving there is strong reader demand for the format.
Romance novellas are particularly popular in self-publishing. Series of connected novellas — each 20,000—30,000 words — perform well as quick reads that keep readers coming back.
Why Word Count Matters for Your Novella
Getting your word count right affects three things:
Award eligibility. If you want to submit to the Nebula Awards or Hugo Awards, your novella must be between 17,500 and 40,000 words. Outside that range, it gets classified as a novelette or a novel.
Publisher expectations. Traditional publishers and literary magazines that accept novellas expect work within the standard range. Submitting a 50,000-word manuscript labeled as a novella signals that you do not know the market.
Reader expectations. Novella readers want a complete, immersive story they can finish in one or two sittings. Going too short may feel underdeveloped. Going too long defeats the purpose of the format.
Pricing and production. In self-publishing, novellas are typically priced at $0.99—$3.99. Reedsy’s guide to novella word counts notes that the production cost difference between a 30,000-word novella and an 80,000-word novel is minimal, which is why traditional publishers have historically been cautious about the format.
Can a Novella Be Longer Than 40,000 Words?
Technically, once you cross 40,000 words, most industry standards classify your work as a novel. Some publishers use 50,000 words as the novel threshold, creating a gray zone between 40,000 and 50,000.
For practical purposes:
- Under 40,000 words — safely a novella by all major definitions
- 40,000—50,000 words — could go either way depending on the publisher
- Over 50,000 words — a novel, full stop
If you are targeting award submissions or traditional publishing, stay under 40,000 to avoid classification confusion. If you are self-publishing, the label matters less — readers care about the story, not the category.
How to Write a Novella at the Right Length
Writing a novella is not about cutting a novel short or stretching a short story beyond its natural length. The novella has its own structural logic:
One central conflict. Novels juggle multiple plotlines and subplots. A novella focuses on a single narrative thread and follows it to resolution.
Limited cast. Two to five characters is typical. Every character needs to earn their place — there is no room for walk-ons who do not serve the story.
Tight timeline. Many successful novellas take place over days or weeks rather than months or years. The compressed timeframe matches the compressed word count.
One or two POVs. Multiple viewpoints eat words quickly. Most novellas use a single point of view or alternate between two at most.
If you are planning a fiction book and your outline suggests 25,000—35,000 words of material, you may be looking at a novella rather than a short novel. That is not a limitation — it is a format that some of the greatest stories in history have used.
Where to Publish a Novella
The novella market has expanded significantly in recent years:
- Self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP are the strongest channel for novellas, especially in romance, science fiction, and fantasy
- Tor.com Publishing runs a dedicated novella line for science fiction and fantasy
- Literary magazines and journals publish novellas, though competition is fierce
- Small presses like Melville House and Akashic Books have novella-specific imprints
- Novella series perform well in self-publishing — connected stories of 20K—30K words keep readers engaged across multiple releases
The format works especially well for writers building a catalog. A novella takes less time to write than a full novel, and a series of novellas can generate steady reader engagement.
FAQ
Is 15,000 words a novella? No. At 15,000 words, your work is classified as a novelette (7,500—17,500 words). You need at least 17,500 words to reach novella territory by SFWA standards.
How many pages is a novella? A novella is typically 60—150 printed pages in standard book formatting (roughly 250 words per page). The exact page count depends on font size, margins, and trim size.
What is the most common novella length? Most published novellas fall between 20,000 and 30,000 words. The middle of the range — around 25,000 words — is the most common length based on well-known examples.
Can I sell a novella on Amazon? Yes. Amazon KDP has no minimum or maximum word count requirement. Novellas sell well as ebooks, particularly in genre fiction like romance, science fiction, and mystery. Price them between $0.99 and $3.99 for best results.
Is a novella too short to publish? No. Novellas are a legitimate and commercially viable format, especially in self-publishing. Works like The Old Man and the Sea and Animal Farm prove that shorter fiction can have enormous literary and commercial impact.
