How can one cut one novel to novella length?

Deciding what to cut can be really difficult. There may be parts that you as the author are attached to, like a beautiful but not entirely necessary description or a minor character's backstory. But you have to be ruthless and choose what serves the main story best when cutting down to novella length.

In terms of length, a short story is short, often under 10,000 words. It's not very complex. A novella is around 10,000 - 40,000 words and has more complexity. A novel is usually over 40,000 words and is highly complex.

If it's very short, say less than 20 pages, it's likely a short story. If it's between 20 and 100 pages, it could be a novelette. For something around 100 - 200 pages, it's probably a novella. And if it's much longer, hundreds of pages or more, it's a novel.

A novella is shorter than a novel. A novel is often a long, complex work with many characters and sub - plots. A novella is more concise, usually focusing on a single main plot or a few related ones.

One way to final cut a novel is to first reread it carefully. Look for any plot holes, inconsistent characters, or overly wordy passages. Then, start making cuts. Trim down long descriptions that don't add much to the story. Remove any sub - plots that are not essential to the main narrative. Also, check for repetition and eliminate it.

When writing a 'word length novel', you need to be methodical. Let's say you want to write a 50,000 - word novel. Begin with a strong concept. Outline the main events and the character development. As you write, be aware of your pacing. In a shorter 'word length novel', the pacing needs to be brisk. You can't afford long, drawn - out scenes. For a longer one, you can have more gradual build - ups. Also, review your work regularly to ensure you are on track with the desired word length. Edit out any unnecessary parts and expand on areas that need more depth to fit the word length requirements.

You can count the number of words in your manuscript. Most word - processing software has a word - count feature.

One way is to look at similar successful novels in your genre. If most popular novels in your genre are around a certain word count, that can be a good guideline. For example, if you're writing a thriller and most best - selling thrillers are about 90,000 words, you might aim for that.

One way to determine a good length for a novel is to look at the genre. As I mentioned before, different genres have different typical lengths. Another factor is the complexity of the story. If you have a simple story with a few main characters and a straightforward plot, it might be better to keep it shorter. Also, consider your target audience. If they are busy people who like quick reads, a shorter novel could be a good choice. You can also study successful novels in your genre and see what their lengths are.

Look at the genre. As I said before, different genres have different norms. For example, YA novels tend to be on the shorter side, around 50,000 - 80,000 words. Also, consider your story's complexity. If it has a simple plot and few characters, it may not need to be very long.