How long should your story be? Well, there are a lot of options and this blog will guide you through them! Because different lengths of fiction have different markets and audiences. And it’s always very helpful to know what the options are and how the market works for those options! 

Just a caveat: as always, definitions can be flexible when it comes to art! This resource includes the most standard word counts for each type of story length, from novels and novelettes, to short stories and microfiction subtypes. If you’re writing for publication, always check with the publisher, magazine or anthology to know exactly what they’re looking for.

Serial Fiction & Web Fiction

Serial fiction and web fiction can be very VERY long – often hundreds of thousands of words! But it’s not meant to be read in one sitting. Readers tune in each week or so for a new installment, and the writing time can span years. It’s is often published online through platforms like World Anvil or Royal Road. The word count of each installment can vary widely (from 500 word chunks to chapters of several thousand words). Each release usually feels like an “episode” – more like a long running TV show than a movie. 

Serial fiction is one of the fastest-growing formats, especially in fantasy, romance, and LitRPG genres. It allows you, as an author, to build up an ongoing relationship with your readers, hooking them back in for a regular update. A lot of successful web serials also go on to become published novels (for example, The Wandering Inn or Worm). And even better, you can grow your audience and get feedback as you write, which can make this an incredibly rewarding format to explore.

If you want to know more about getting started with serial fiction, check out our Guide to Serial Fiction video.

How long is a novel?

A novel usually runs between 80,000 and 120,000 words. There’s a lot of variance, though, depending on your chosen genre. For example, romance novels tends to be shorter; and epic fantasy tends to be much, much longer, sometimes up 150,000 words or more! Authors looking to sell their author to a traditional publisher – especially debut authors – should consider erring on the shorter side. Sadly, traditional publishers are less likely to risk the extra costs of a longer novel (printing, editing, etc!) with an unproven author. But of course, there are exceptions!

If you’re self-publishing you have more freedom over the length, although well-read readers will have expectations based on genre.

If you have way more material than that, don’t worry! You can absolutely share worldbuilding and setting details, characters and deleted scenes with your readers through online platforms. That’s a great way to immerse your readers in your world, and build a community around you work. Some writers even monetise this material through Patreon, Kofi and similar platforms, so avid fans can support them beyond just buying the book. You can set all of this up on World Anvil. 

How long is a Novella?

Novellas are usually around 17,500 to 40,000 words, shorter than a novel, but long enough to deliver a powerful story with real depth. They’re often more tightly focused on a single character or theme, and can be consumed in one or two sittings. Famous examples include The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, as well as more recent works like Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries.

Novellas have had a resurgence thanks to digital publishing and subscription services, since readers enjoy digestible but meaningful stories they can finish quickly. If you’re worldbuilding on World Anvil, novellas are a fantastic way to showcase your setting without the massive investment of a novel-length series.

Novelette – 7,500 to 17,500 words

A novelette is a longer short story, usually giving space for a more complex plot, a larger cast, or deeper worldbuilding. It’s a lovely “in-between” form—short enough to be read in one sitting, but long enough to really immerse the reader. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) formally defines novelettes in this range, and you’ll often see them as categories in awards like the Hugo and Nebula.

If you’re writing speculative fiction, a novelette is a great length for exploring “what if” concepts that need more than a short story, but don’t quite stretch to novella size.

How long is a Short Story?

A short story is usually between 1,000 – 7,500 words. This is the most common form published in magazines and anthologies. The sweet-spot for publication, especially for newer authors submitting to magazines, is usually 3,000-4,000 words. Again, each anthology and magazine has their own specifics, and some will define what length they would prefer, and where their cut off is. 

Flash Fiction – 1000 words

Just a warning, flash fiction isn’t defined by every short story magazine as 1000 words . I’ve seen at least one that caps out flash fiction at 800 words . So if you are writing short stories to submit to the short story magazine market make sure you doublecheck what the length is according to each publication. 

 

What is Microfiction?

Micro fiction is an umbrella term for all fiction under 300 words. There are several categories of short fiction within this length, and some publications specialise within this space too! These are often fast and fun pieces to write, and capitalize on flavour and vibes over plot. 

What is a Drabble?

A Drabble is a very short story of exactly 100 words – this requires some precision and finesse to carry off! They are a very fun length to write to, and there are several publications that specialise in Drabbles. Generally they’re more like a vignette, capturing a moment in words, rather than a full story with developed plot and characters. Fast and fun to read and write. There aren’t many paying markets for Drabbles but they can be very satisfying to craft. 

 

Twabbles / Twitfic – exactly 100 characters

Twabbles, also known as Twitfic, are exactly 100 characters. Like Drabbles, they need a certain amount of jiggery-pokery to make sure they’re the correct length, but they’re a very fun writing exercise to produce. Twabbles can be about everything, but with such a short character count, every choice is important! I recommend using a thesaurus to get yourself over the finish line! They’re excellent for sharing on social media (as the name suggests). Also, both Drabbles and Twabbles make excellent scene setting quotes for worldbuilding articles! Starting an article with a little snap shot of vibes-intensive fiction is a great way to set the scene for your fans.

What is #VSS365 ? Very short stories!

The VSS, or very short story, is a social media trend. The exact length is defined by the character limit on your social media of choice (historically Twitter, although Bluesky is increasingly popular!)

The hashtag #VSS365 refers to an informal challenge, where authors challenge themselves to write a short story every day on the social media of their choice. It’s a great writing warm up and a good way to engage your audience! 

If #VSS365 sounds too much, you could totally do #VSS52 instead – one a week for 52 weeks!

Six-word story

A six word story is, as the name suggests, exactly 6 words long! The most famous example is attributed to Hemingway: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”  Margaret Atwood also has the  fabulous example “Longed for him. Got him. Sh*t.” And science fiction and fantasy legend Ursula K. LeGuin famously wrote “Easy. Just touch the match to”

The art of the six word story is meaning through brevity, and as you can see, there’s a lot of story telling in just a small fragment of text. These are really fun to try, and make great social media posts for authors! 

Can you write a story in six words or fewer? Have a go in the comments!