Everyone loves a novel they can sit and read through in an afternoon – but authors can take many months, even years, to finish even the shortest novel (which is often around 20,000 words, by the way). So, knowing that you’re going to take at least a month, dear author, to reach a 20k first draft of that novella manuscript, it may be helpful to take a look at this list of dos and don’ts for shorter novels and novellas.  

Please note: these are suggestions, not instructions! Please feel free to pick and choose from the advice we offer here. What works for one author may not work for another, but we hope you find some valuable advice here.  

Onto the dos and don’ts of writing shorter novels and novellas:  

DON’T limit yourself (except in your word count) – any type of story, any kind of plotline, and any character arc at all can fit in a novella. You don’t need to limit yourself in terms of detail or complexity – just be aware that you have a smaller space to fit that detail into. Think of a novella like a beautiful miniature version of a full-sized house, shop, or garden – I’m sure we’ve all spent some time watching those relaxing DIY miniature videos (and if you haven’t, I highly recommend them). Your short novel can be just as complex as a longer novel despite its compact word count.  

DO keep your plot (relatively) simple – that said, don’t overwhelm your plot. It can be complex, but maybe keep it to one or two storylines rather than several. Focus on a handful of characters, or even one or two, rather than dozens. This will help you keep to a shorter word count without impacting your story; limit the number of plot lines or characters, not the plot or characters themselves!  

DON’T neglect to world-build – fewer words is no excuse for a poorly built world! Your world can be explored as the story goes along, or it can be introduced in the beginning in broad strokes and have the smaller details build up throughout. You might even want to think of your setting for the novella like a bottle episode of a TV show – what this means is that the entire story takes place in one setting, like one small area town, entirely inside a single house, or even, in some cases, in one room.   Don’t be afraid to have your characters travel, however. Just remember to be aware of how much space you have in the novel, and try and capture a setting in a few sentences rather than paragraphs.  

DO prepare to edit extensively – for most writers, it’s easier to write more than it less. Prepare yourself mentally to leave a lot on the cutting room floor, especially if you want to keep your short novel very short – say, 30,000 words or less.   Don’t completely throw out those sections and sentences, however! You might find they will spark another story one day.  

DON’T plan to write a sequel or a series – though shorter novels can develop into a whole standalone series, don’t plan things out that way. You’ll focus on thinking too far ahead rather than tell the story you set out to tell in a limited number of pages. Let any sequel or series emerge from a novella naturally rather than set out to write with that aim. One of the appeals of novellas for many readers is how they are contained stories, short, easy to read and digest in one sitting. Leaving a novella off on a cliff-hanger or hinting at a sequel might leave some readers wondering why you didn’t just write a longer novel in the first place!  

DO let your readers know that this is a novella – not everyone notices those product stats! Be sure to indicate in your subtitle or summary that this is a novella. Often, readers seek novellas out specifically, but not everyone knows what qualifies as a novella in terms of page or word count. Remember, there’s a big range – a novella can be anywhere from 20,000 to 45,000 words, and some titles that only clock in at 12,000 to 15,000 words are considered novellas, too. Make sure that they can easily distinguish your shorter works from your longer ones.  

We have several articles on novellas and shorter novels available for you to read elsewhere on the blog! Check them out here:  

• How do my readers read? Is my book too long? What’s a novella, really? And more questions, answered
• Writing a successful series – crafting compelling spin-offs, recognizing series potential, marketing tips and more
• Want to write a novella? Read this

And, as always, happy writing from the KWL team!