In the short story, the limited length forces a more direct storytelling. It quickly shows Charlie's initial state, his operation, and the aftermath. In the novel, the longer length allows for a more meandering and detailed account. For example, we get to know Charlie's relationships with different people in more depth.
Short story, medium-length story, medium-length novel, and full-length novel were all terms used to define the length of a novel.
Short stories were usually tens to hundreds of words long and were suitable for headlines or body parts of storybooks, magazines, newspapers, and other media. Short stories usually focused on plot and character creation, emphasizing a compact plot and intense conflict.
A novella is usually between a few hundred and a few thousand words long. It is a genre between short and long novels. It is broader and more complex than short novels, involving more characters, backgrounds, plots, and topics. The novella is usually regarded as an important genre of novel creation with higher literary value and artistic achievements.
A long novel is usually between a few thousand to a few hundred thousand words in length. It is a larger genre between a novella and a short story. A long novel usually involves more characters, backgrounds, plots, and topics, and has more narrative perspectives and emotional depth. A long novel usually required the author to spend more time and energy to create, and it needed to be revised and polished repeatedly before it was finally completed.
The word range for short, medium-length, and full-length novels varied according to the genre and length of the work. The following are some common situations:
- Short stories usually had less than 1000 words, around 2000 words, or even less. Short stories are usually designed to show a distinct plot or highlight the character's personality.
- A novella usually had between 2000 and 5000 words. Novellas usually have complex plots and characters that may require more description to show their depth and complexity.
- A novel usually had more than 5000 words. A long novel is usually a complex story that requires ample time to develop the plot, describe the growth and change of the characters, and show the depth and breadth of the theme.
It should be noted that the word count was not the only standard to measure the length of a novel. The length of a novel should also include the total number of unpublished words and the number of words published on different platforms.
A short story is generally much shorter in length compared to a novel. Usually, a short story can range from a few pages to around 30 pages or so. A novel, on the other hand, is typically much longer, often hundreds of pages long.
Writing a novel was a very interesting process. Whether it was a short story, a medium-length story, or a long story, it could stimulate creativity and imagination. However, it might be easier for novices to write a long story because it requires more time and energy to conceive, write, and revise.
Writing long novels could help him practice writing skills such as plot design, character creation, language organization, and so on. In addition, writing a long novel could also make him more familiar with the structure and flow of the novel, such as the narrative rhythm, chapter arrangement, and so on.
Of course, writing short stories was also a good start because it allowed him to explore the storyline and character more deeply, and at the same time, it could also train his writing speed and skills. Whether you choose to write a short, medium-length, or long story, the most important thing is to maintain your creativity and enthusiasm and constantly practice and improve your writing.
A short novel typically ranges from about 15,000 to 40,000 words. However, this can vary. Some may be as short as 10,000 words if they are very concise, while others might stretch up to 50,000 words and still be considered short novels compared to full - length novels which often exceed 80,000 words.
The length of a short novel is determined in various ways. The narrative structure is important. A linear narrative with few twists and turns may be shorter. The amount of description also matters. If the author likes to describe the settings and characters in great detail, the novel will be longer. Additionally, the author's intention, whether it's to make a quick, impactful read or a more in - depth exploration, will affect the length.
The length of a short novel is often determined by the author's intention. If the author wants to tell a simple and quick story, it may be shorter. For example, around 20,000 - 30,000 words.
The length of a short novel can be quite variable. There are some short novels that are as short as 10,000 words. These are often very focused, perhaps exploring a single event or relationship in great depth. On the other hand, some short novels can be close to 50,000 words. Publishers might have different ideas about what constitutes a short novel too. Some might consider anything under 40,000 words a short novel. It also has to do with the density of the writing. A novel with a lot of description and complex language might be shorter in word count but still feel like a substantial read.