'Nother dumb question...

[BarondeSade]

What is a novel, specifically? It is determined by number of words? Number of chapters? And a novella (short novel?) as opposed to a long, short (confusing terminology) story? I hear a lot about e-novels and being accepted by e-publishers...does each e-publisher have their own guidelines (I'm sure they do) and how do you go about finding them out?

Thanks loads...

 

[Vermilion]

What is a novel, specifically? It is determined by number of words? Number of chapters? And a novella (short novel?) as opposed to a long, short (confusing terminology) story? I hear a lot about e-novels and being accepted by e-publishers...does each e-publisher have their own guidelines (I'm sure they do) and how do you go about finding them out?

Thanks loads...

I believe it mostly comes down to word count, yes..... is it 30,000-60,000 words being a novella, over 60,000 is a novel...??
Each e-publisher has their own guidelines and you can generally find out on their website...

Did that help at all?

And, to those in the know, was I write on ym numbers?

x
V

 

[CeriseNoire]

When I was an undergrad, we were taught that up to 20k was a short story, 20-60k was a novella, and 60k+ was a novel. Of course, in the real world it seems to vary widely by publisher. As for e-publishers (and some print ones too), that info can usually be found in the submissions guidelines.

 

[Carnevil9]

I was taught that a short story was something that could be read at one sitting. (Obviously this is a fuzzy definition, as some people can sit and read for longer than others.) Something that takes multiple reading sessions to finish, and is not a sequence of independent stories, is a novel.

Interestingly, by this definition, a short story should be more readily adapted to a movie than a novel would. Yet far more novels get the movie treatment than do short stories......Carney

 

[3113]

As said it's all about word--or page count. If we go by way of print on the page, then a novel runs at least 175 pages, usually 200 minimum. Anything less is novella, and once you're under the 90-100 page mark you're entering short story territory.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

3 is right. Most print publishers ask for novels in the 100,000-130,000 word range. That works out to about 200 pages minimum, then longer when it's typeset.

 

[starrkers]

I was taught that a short story was something that could be read at one sitting. (Obviously this is a fuzzy definition, as some people can sit and read for longer than others.) Something that takes multiple reading sessions to finish, and is not a sequence of independent stories, is a novel.

Interestingly, by this definition, a short story should be more readily adapted to a movie than a novel would. Yet far more novels get the movie treatment than do short stories......Carney

Very fuzzy definition - by that reasoning Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a short story for me...

 

[BarondeSade]

Thanks for all the input...

I guess will just have to go by the specific publisher/website guidelines...Thanks for the input...But one other question...What are literotica's guidelines for submitting to specific category? Or are there any?