So I wrote a novella. Now what?

efreysson

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I've given up on self-publishing, as I have no talent for marketing, and am now seeking representation for my new series.

But in between full-length novels I decided to scratch a particular itch and wrote a 31.000 word fantasy novella that explored a couple of ideas I've been wanting to look at.

Like everything else I wrote I did it out of passion, not with any concern for trends or marketability or some such.

Now what do I do with it? I did Google "fantasy novella submissions" and found a site that lists markets, but I found almost nothing that fits the word count, genre, timing and my nationality.

How are novellas typically handled by the publishing industry?
 

Marissa D

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How are novellas typically handled by the publishing industry?

If you find out, let us know. Everything I've seen is that novellas are an extraordinarily hard sell, unless you're an established author using novellas to explore some side issues in an existing series.

Marissa, who (sadly) loves to write novellas
 

Maggie Maxwell

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How are novellas typically handled by the publishing industry?

There have been a few calls recently for them from places like Tor and Fireside Fiction, but they're limited time openings. It seems like a thing that you just have to keep an eye on and catch submission calls when they're there. Either that, or establish yourself in novels enough for publishers to know your novellas will get interest.
 

Enlightened

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You can try opening a Patreon account and posting it on your Website for purchase. Else, you can try writing a novel around the novella and offer the novella as a free bonus to people who pre-order on your Website (or for all readers). Content would have to differ.
 

Elenitsa

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I wrote a few short stories and a novella which are all related (and the novella is in the middle). All together form the life story of a mercenary, and will be published as a short story collection titled "The mercenary's fate and other destinies" (the second part, "Other destinies", has a few unrelated short stories).
 

efreysson

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You can try opening a Patreon account and posting it on your Website for purchase. Else, you can try writing a novel around the novella and offer the novella as a free bonus to people who pre-order on your Website (or for all readers). Content would have to differ.

See: "I have no talent for marketing."
 

Enlightened

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lizmonster

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Patreon is still self publishing.

I second Harlequin’s zine suggestion. Tor notwithstanding, I think that’s likely to be your best bet.
 

cool pop

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Novellas do very well in self-publishing but unless it's a small press a publisher won't be interested in anything shorter than 60,000 words at least. A big pub? Forget it.
 

cool pop

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See: "I have no talent for marketing."

Sigh, man. You keep saying this over and over. Do you think WE all have a talent for marketing? You don't have to be a marketing genius to promote your book. All it is, is doing some research and finding out what works for you. I think your "I have no talent for marketing" is code for you not wanting to do it. That what it seems like to me. I've read all your posts lately. They all boil down to the same thing, you seem to be looking for an easy way out or for someone to do all the work for you. That's not gonna happen. You think going with a publisher is going to change that you gotta promote? If you expect to sell anything you are going to have to promote, period. You are not going to sell if you just sit back and think someone is going to do the work for you. It doesn't work like that whether you self-publish, go with a big house, small, whatever. Those days if they ever existed are gone at least for the average author.

If you don't wanna promote you should just write books for free and not for sales. If you expect to sell anything you're gonna have to learn how to do at least some type of promotion whether you like it or not. There are a lot of things I don't like (that we all don't like) but we have to do them.

All it takes is to try. There are many ways to promote but you have to try or as I said, how do you expect to sell books? Are you King or Patterson where a pub will roll out the red carpet for you? If not, sorry but you're are going to have to get over not wanting to market. And it doesn't seem like it's a "can't do" thing but a "I don't want to try thing" and it's negative and only hindering you.

I don't think you really want advice or help because every time someone points out something you should do you won't even try.

If you won't even try the advice you get then all this is for nothing. Good luck with your endeavors. I won't be commenting in any more of your posts because I doubt it matters. I posted that LONG post for you before to hopefully help you but you came back with reasons why you won't even try. Nothing wrong with making mistakes or even failing if you at least try.

Most authors hate to promote or are intimidated by it because most writers are not social creatures so promotion and marketing is out of our comfort zone. But if you want it bad enough, you will do it. You will try.

Many writers have issues that makes things hard to deal with. I have severe anxiety disorder, two types that's why I pick promotion that's comfortable for me and not something I can't stick to. But, you can't be scared to try. Also, just because you promote but your book didn't sell a zillion copies doesn't mean you did anything wrong. Books don't sell for many reasons but promotion helps spread the word and gives visibility you won't get on your own.

I like helping my fellow authors but you gotta meet people halfway. Enlightened gave you TWO good ideas. You won't even try it. Won't even try! And that's two of many good tips we've given over many of your threads that you won't...even...try.

I'm out and really do hope you find whatever you are looking for.
 
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cool pop

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Patreon is still self publishing.

I second Harlequin’s zine suggestion. Tor notwithstanding, I think that’s likely to be your best bet.

Liz, yep, it's still a form of self-publishing but I don't think that's the point anymore. I think the OP is looking for a way to sell books without having to do anything beyond write them. Hey, if anyone else figures out a way to do that, let me know!
 

Old Hack

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See: "I have no talent for marketing."

Sigh, man. You keep saying this over and over. Do you think WE all have a talent for marketing? You don't have to be a marketing genius to promote your book. All it is, is doing some research and finding out what works for you. I think your "I have no talent for marketing" is code for you not wanting to do it. That what it seems like to me.

efreysson has made it clear that they have no talent for marketing, and don't want to self publish; so why are you berating them and insisting that they should do things the way you want them to do it?

Please don't do this. It's not helpful, and it doesn't answer their questions.