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Novellas are back. This once popular style of narrative publication has seen a resurgence thanks to some new trends in publishing and distribution. “Originating in Italy during the Middle Ages, the novella was based on local events that were humorous, political, or amorous in nature; the individual tales often were gathered into collections along with anecdotes, legends, and romantic tales” (The Editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica). Authors like John Steinbeck, Truman Capote, and H.G. Wells all used this form of printed work to tell interesting tales with great success. While many authors have published some of their best known and most beloved works in this shorter format, but the popularity of the novella has waned in the twentieth century. More contemporary authors have not been mixing this shorter style in with their longer work in the same way that authors from previous generations had. “Most writers feel pressure, internal or external, to scale up or pare down to a ‘suitable’ length. In other words, revise or rewrite the novella out of existence” (Fassler). That trend has been changing, however, with the increasing popularity of eBooks. Authors are beginning to see the benefits as publishing shorter works in the e-format as stand alone works or as tie-ins to other novels.
Novellas are longer than short stories but lack the page count to truly qualify them as full length novels. They are a length that has recently proven to work well in the eBook format. “‘Kindle is a great way for authors to make different lengths of their writing available and to reach diverse audiences with their work’ said Stephen King. ‘I’m excited to be able to offer ‘Blockade Billy’ in the Kindle Store’” (Bestselling and Iconic...). The shorter format of the novella not only makes it a quicker read than a full-length novel, but also puts it as a great price point for buyers. Amazon currently has 11,250 results for the search term “novella” in the Kindle eBooks store, with genres such as romance, mystery, suspense, and more. More than 6,000 of those titles are available for under $10.00 and many of those are actually free Kindle books.
Not only do these eBook novellas provide a quick read at a low price for buyers, but they also provide a way for authors to continue to story of characters from a novel in a way that is easily accessible to readers. There has recently been a surge in the number of novella length tie-ins to existing full length books. It is also an easy way for authors and publishers to convince readers to try out a new author for the first time. A reader may be more likely to purchase a novella from an author they have never read for a dollar or two than they would be to purchase a full length novel for more than ten dollars.There has recently been a surge in the number of novella length tie-ins to existing full length books, movies, and television series as well. The 2000s CW series Veronica Mars has a collection of eBook novella length stories that can be purchased for Kindle at a cost of $1.99 each and author Tiffany Reisz novella companion to her Original Sinner series.
Novellas are also a way for small and independent publishing houses to put out a greater number of works on a regular basis and make a good deal of money for their businesses. The more recent increases in self-publishing also lends greater support to the novella length as an eBook. “Ebooks do seem to be the primary venue for novellas lately, but I still think there’s a place for them in print. Novellas never used to have the commercial stigma they do today. The Old Man and the Sea, Fahrenheit 451, Animal Farm… many of our most enduring classics are novellas and would probably be rejected by today’s publishers who are constantly pushing the needle from art toward commerce” (Charman-Anderson).
Novellas are also an art form of their own that require some skill on the part of the author to craft a story that can come full circle in less time. They allow authors to express their creative vision without having to finish an entire novel. “The smoke and mirrors, rabbits and hats are more self-consciously applied than in the full-length novel. The novella is the modern and post-modern form par excellence” (McEwan). This format has showcased the writing talents of many great authors throughout the years and its resurgence in popularity gives current authors the ability to flex their creative muscles in more ways than before.
In more recent literary history the novella has been the underdog in the publishing world, reviled by publishers as something that did not fit in with the current publishing models. “Mid-length works suffer from a koan-like criticism: They’re too short and they’re also too long. Novellas hog too much space to appear in magazines and literary journals, but they’re usually too slight to release as books” (Fassler). This trend is changing and the popularity of eBooks and their easy distribution model is allowing the author, independent and self-publishers more freedom to publish what they want rather than what the major publishing houses say will sell. As a result, eBooks are putting more options in the hands of the readers and many are making the choice to embrace the novella again.
Resources
"Bestselling and Iconic Author Stephen King Publishes New Novella 'Blockade Billy,' Available in the Kindle Store." Mental Health Weekly Digest 3 May 2010: 615. Science in Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2015.
McEwan, Ian. "Some Notes on the Novella." The New Yorker. Conde Nast, 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 06 Mar. 2015. <http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/some-notes-on-the-novella>.
