Dream Discussions

Novellas - pros and cons of a shorter story

The 2023 Open Novella Contest (ONC) is coming to an end (an annual contest hosted by OpenNovellaContest), and contestants are reaching for the contest's goal of 20K - 40K words. Therefore, this month, we have a discussion topic regarding just that: word count! Just a few words under or over, and your story is no longer considered a novella—and no longer qualified in the ONC—which brings us to our question...

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Question posted on Apr 8, 2023:

For writers: Is it any more difficult to write stories, ONC or not, when you have a limited word count? One of the biggest draw factors of contests like ONC is the lower word count and slower pace, but even though it's less to write, do you feel like having a limit on the words puts a limit on your creativity? And how do you adjust your writing style to fit it?

For readers: As you read these limited-word contest entries, do you feel that you're deprived of all the little details that make a story shine, or the full, satisfying plot that a regular novel has? What's something you've noticed that's better or worse when your favorite authors are kept within a set word limit?

*note, all answers are slightly modified for grammar and structure*

Winning answer by WrennaStone:

As a writer: It. Is. So. Hard. I've written novellas before, and I have like three of them that I'm slowly working on right now (not for ONC), but put me in a competition where I'm told I have to... and it's not happening. 

I have ADHD and with that comes the lovely trait of, "telling me to do something I was planning to do reduces my chances of actually doing the thing to zero." So I find that, every year, I have so many ideas for ONC and I want to do it, but that part of my brain instinctively takes over and I cannot do it no matter how hard I try. My words end up feeling forced and sloppy and clipped to the point that I rage quit (usually before the first chapter is out).

But, sit me down after ONC with those ideas, and I'll crank out a novella in no time. No problems. Because it's on my own terms.

As a reader: Give me ALL the bite-sized chunks of awesomeness. I love books of all sizes, but when there's a day that I just cannot sit down and focus on a ton of drawn-out lore and detail, novellas pack the fast-paced punch I need. Especially Wei's (yes AziaElga I'm calling you out) because they're so easy to sit down with in the morning and finish by evening, concentration levels willing. 

Novellas are like short little bags of potato chips that are too addicting and you can't just stop with one chapter because "well, it's short, so it's fine if I spend my whole day reading," where with thick books, you go into it knowing you have to ration that time like a responsible person. Sometimes, the only drawback for me is that there isn't more, but it's less of a lacking feeling and more of a "this was so amazing that I want to consume more now, thank you."

1st Runner-up (tied) answer by WolfHusky88:

As a reader: I don't think I feel deprived of details or plot when reading stories written for the ONC. In general, I believe that the degree of immersion tends to rely on the writer themselves. For example, a writer may be wonderful detail, but the plot isn't exciting. So whether they are writing a full novel or a novella, a reader's personal enjoyment won't change. 

That being said, I do think being able to write a novella is a fantastic skill to have! It's not easy writing a slightly shorter work that has the punchy details and a gripping plot. In general, I've noticed that when kept within a set word limit, authors are driven to hit their plot points a lot faster. Which I think, if done well, does make for an exciting read. 

But again, I think it's down to the individual writing and their level of comfort. I think it's a skill knowing how to take a restricted word count and nudge your reader along without absolutely confusing them with the pacing.

1st Runner-up (tied) answer by AziaElga:

As a writer: I know that some stories are meant to be smaller, so I don't feel too limited by a novella. If I am picking these smaller stories to write, I won't be able to expand it anyway! It will be a completely different story if I do. 

As a reader: I actually love it when writers keep the worldbuilding to its most necessary elements and keep its story pacing as quick as possible—and novellas are perfect to force the writers to do that. Therefore, I don't think novellas are better or worse than longer novels—they just serve different purposes! Novellas make for really quick and satisfying binge-reads, which is great for my extreme short attention span. Of course, if I have all the time in the world, I rather all stories be epicly long so I can enjoy more of the world, but novellas are so great for a quick dip-and-go into the world.

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And that's all! Thank you to everyone who participated in this round's discussion questions, and congratulations to the winners! Feel free to leave any additional thoughts in the comments.

See you next round, debaters!