A novella is typically how many words long?

• A. 2,000-4,000 words
• B. 20,000-50,000 words
• C. 5,000-10,000 words
• D. 100,000-200,000 words

Answer: (B)

A novella sits between a short story and a novel in length. Most references place it around 20,000 to 50,000 words, which allows a tighter, more focused plot and some character development without the breadth of a full novel. Quick story-length ranges like 2,000–4,000 words are typically microfiction or short stories, while 5,000–10,000 words is usually still considered a short story or a very brief novella in some catalogs. A length of 100,000–200,000 words is characteristic of a full-length novel. So the 20,000–50,000 word range best fits a novella.