Is that a novella? A long short story?
I don't know if I can cut it in half to make it saleable as a short story. Is 13K words saleable?
I don't know if I can cut it in half to make it saleable as a short story. Is 13K words saleable?
What's a 13K work?
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It's a novelette (according to the SFWA, anyway). It's a tough sell, only because there are fewer publications who accept that length, but it's definitely not un-sellable. Good luck placing your story!
johnnysannie
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It would generally be a novella but it also depends these days on genre. Some of the romance presses are running anything over 15,000 as "short novels".
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I see by your profile that you write SF. In that case, 13K is definitely a novelette, not a novella, and there are plenty of print and online markets that buy novelettes.
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What Beth said - this is a novelette in SFF, and there are plenty of markets that take that length. That said, it is a tough length to market, especially when you're new; but it can be done.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Call it 'short fiction' and try to sell the dang thing. If they don't like the length, they'll tell you. But if they like the story, odds are they'll buy it. I've sold a number that length and slightly longer.
And I really don't care what they call it, long as they write my name correctly on the check.
And I really don't care what they call it, long as they write my name correctly on the check.
I had a story that was just over 11k, but decided it wasn't novelette material. I ended up cutting it to 9k after the first rejection. It was a good thing I did... the story flows much better now and the language is tighter.
Are the markets for SFF novelettes the same as for short stories? Or do you have to start querying publishers instead of magazines?
Are the markets for SFF novelettes the same as for short stories? Or do you have to start querying publishers instead of magazines?
SFF novelettes are generally sold to short story magazines (just ones with a higher maximum word count).
If you don't have a number of professional publications under you, the Writers of the Future Contest takes up to 17k. No fee, and they pay well, too.
McTheebs
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A long short story.
You'll probably find more success with it if you either trim it down a few thousand or lengthen it out by a few ten thousand.
You'll probably find more success with it if you either trim it down a few thousand or lengthen it out by a few ten thousand.
It's a novelette, and they won't buy it unless it fits their length guidelines, which you should know before submitting anywhere. No matter what you call it, it's the editor who has the last say.
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