What is considered a short/medium/long story?

[iwannadobadthingswithyou]

Hi all.

I'm very new here (just working on my second story) and I was curious what do you guys consider to be a short story, a medium one and a long one? In terms of number of words or number of pages.

Thanks

 

[ElectricBlue]

Hi all.

I'm very new here (just working on my second story) and I was curious what do you guys consider to be a short story, a medium one and a long one? In terms of number of words or number of pages.

Thanks

Here on Lit, I reckon:

Short = 1 - 2 Lit pages = 4k - 8k words
Medium = 3 - 5 pages = 9k - 20k words
Long = 20k words plus (the traditional novella, sliding up into novel territory).

Maybe stretch Medium to 8 Lit pages = 30k words, thereabouts.

There are plenty of standalone "Medium" stories using those break points, anything longer you wander into the "what is the best chapter length?" discussion. And there, a sweet spot is pretty much the same as a Medium length story.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Now you get into, "What constitutes a story?"

Beginning, middle, and end. We all get that, but is it accomplished through multiple published chapters or in a single stand-alone tale? You will see numerous variants published here.

Patiently write the tale that you want to tell, regardless of how long it is. Worry about its size once it is complete.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

There is no real consensus about story length and categorization in that sense.
I generally agree with what EB posted, but many Literotica authors wouldn't. Some think a story can be 750 words long and still be called a short story. I don't agree, but as I said, opinions vary.

 

[ElectricBlue]

There is no real consensus about story length and categorization in that sense.
I generally agree with what EB posted, but many Literotica authors wouldn't. Some think a story can be 750 words long and still be called a short story. I don't agree, but as I said, opinions vary.

I'm with you on that. The 750 words shorts in my lexicon are vignettes. They should be self-contained as a scene, but they're hardly a "story".

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

'Reader's Digest' stories (750s) are fine. None need to be 'War and Peace".


Mine rarely top 6K.