Fantasy Novels vs Novellas vs Novelettes

Hello Fantasy Readers!

By Charles Moffat - February 2019.

I have a question for you fantasy readers (and especially fantasy writers):

Does everyone agree with the following definitions?

• Flash Fiction: 53 - 1,500 words
• Short Stories: 1,500 - 7,500
• Novelettes: 7,500 - 17,500
• Novellas: 17,500 - 40,000
• Novels: 40,000 + words

Because there used to be a time 25 years ago when the definition was this instead:

• Flash Fiction: 53 - 1,500 words
• Short Stories: 1,500 - 15,000
• Novelettes: 15,000 - 30,000
• Novellas: 30,000 - 90,000
• Novels: 90,000 + words

Note - There are older definitions too. "Pulp Fiction" was considered to be anything in the 30,000 to 60,000 range. More serious books were always longer. Pulp Fiction writers were hemmed into that word count range due to deadlines where they were expected to write a new book every month, so they needed to keep the books shorter just to meet deadlines.

Apparently the definition of what counts as what has slid dramatically during the last 25 years, and is continually changing.

Novellas that were 40 to 90k are now considered to be full length novels.

Novelettes have shrunk to roughly half the size.

And the max length of a short story has likewise shrunk by half.

Now I have to wonder, how did these definitions change so much over the last 25 years? And the answer seems to be self publishing. Amazon Kindle, Kobo and other forms of self publishing.

If a fantasy writer can write 40,000 words and call it a fantasy novel... that helps their sales and it requires less work than 90,000 words.

Now I cannot say I mind too much. My fantasy novel count based on the new definitions has basically doubled from 4 novels to 8 novels, thanks to my old novellas now being redefined as novels. I can now market what was 25 years ago a 50,000 word novella as a full length novel, thanks to dropping standards.

To me back then, 90,000 words was "barely a novel", and any novel that really wanted to meet the definition had to be at least 100,000 words in length. I wrote four novels based on that word count requirement and my personal goal of reaching 100,000 words.

So should I be happy about this change in definitions? I don't know.

I wrote essays 18 years ago in university that went over 20,000 words. Should I edit and publish those essays as academic books? I could call them Treatises instead of essays. [Insert sarcasm here.]

What I do know is that I have old short stories that now count as novellas. Maybe it is time to go back, edit them, and publish them.

Is any other fantasy writers out there in the same boat? Have you realized the dropping standards mean you could simply edit some old stories (maybe make them a bit longer) and they now count as novelettes or novellas?

I am curious to hear from other fantasy writers (or writers in general) on this subject.

charlesmoffat {atsymbol} charlesmoffat dot com

If you want to check out my writing please visit fiction.charlesmoffat.com.