A novella is a fictional story that is not as long as a full novel but longer than a short story. It usually has one main plot and a small number of characters. Famous examples include 'The Old Man and the Sea' by Ernest Hemingway.
She read the novella in one afternoon.
The author published a novella before her first novel.
In historical literary studies, a novella refers to a short story from medieval or Renaissance Europe, especially from Italy. These stories were often humorous or romantic and told about everyday people. The word itself comes from the Italian word meaning 'new' or 'news.'
Boccaccio's Decameron contains many classic novellas.
The Renaissance novella often told stories of love and trickery.
In modern publishing, a novella is sometimes released as a bridge story between larger books in a series. It gives extra background or story details to readers who want more. This is especially common in fantasy, science fiction, and romance publishing.
The publisher released a novella between the two main books.
Fans loved the bonus novella set in the same fantasy world.
In some Italian and European artistic traditions, the term novella has been applied to short dramatic or operatic pieces. This usage is less common today and mostly found in academic or historical discussions of Italian theater and opera. It reflects the word's broader original meaning of something new and original.
The composer wrote a novella for the small chamber theater.
The novella was performed at the opera festival last spring.
In informal everyday speech, people sometimes use the word 'novella' humorously to describe a message, email, or explanation that is much longer than expected. This is a playful or exaggerated way of saying something is too long. It is a figurative use of the literary term.
Her excuse for being late was a whole novella.
He wrote me a novella instead of a simple text message.
With the rise of digital publishing and e-books, the novella has become a very popular and specific format sold online. Readers can buy and read a complete story that is shorter than a full novel at a lower price. Many self-published and indie authors use this format on platforms like Amazon Kindle.
She bought the novella for her e-reader last night.
Many indie authors sell novellas on digital book platforms.
In the world of genre fiction awards, 'novella' is a formal and official category with specific word-count boundaries. Awards like the Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker Awards include separate prizes for novellas. This gives medium-length works their own recognition separate from short stories and full novels.
Her story won the Hugo Award in the novella category.
The novella category requires between 17,500 and 40,000 words.
Novella is also used as a personal first name for women, particularly in Italian, Spanish, and Latin American cultures. The name comes from the Latin and Italian word for 'new.' It is not very common but has a poetic and literary feel because of its association with storytelling.
Novella is a beautiful and uncommon name for a girl.
My neighbor's daughter is named Novella after her grandmother.
