Every once in a while I get an e-mail from a writer asking about novellas. I guess it’s because I’ve published close to 20 novellas. I thought it might be helpful to post some common questions here, but I am the first to point out that what I say is based on my experience. Talk to authors who write in your sub-genre for the most up-to-date information! ~ Susanna
What is a novella? In the romance fiction industry, a novella is a complete story between 20,000 to 30,000 words. When the novella is part of a six-author anthology, the story is expected to be 15,000 to 20,000 words.
Why do authors write novellas? Novellas offer writers an opportunity of reaching different readers, have more releases during the year, and write for more than one publisher.
How can I write a novella if I haven’t been invited to contribute to an anthology? It used to be that contributing to an anthology was invitation-only, but these days editors buy unsolicited novellas. E-publishers will sell a novella as a stand-alone story, and they often have calls for submissions for specific anthologies.
What if there are no publisher guidelines? Study the market! Compare the anthologies by publishing houses and you’ll soon realize which publisher prefers holiday anthologies and which one won’t do them. Comparing anthologies within the publishing house will help you determine that your novella about common female fantasies would be a hard sell because they focus more on taboo fantasies.
Can I put together my own anthology idea? Many anthologies you see today are author-driven or literary agency-driven. Find out the policy in your targeted publishing house, or see if your agent puts together anthologies for clients.
As a reader it was good to find out exactly what a novella is and how they are sometimes chosen.