How Long Is a Short Story? Word Count, Guidelines and Tips
How long is a short story? This is a common question writers ask before writing a story. Nevertheless, it’s a completely valid question. Especially since some writers prefer to end their stories quickly, whereas others enjoy exaggerating details and adding plot twists to keep the suspense alive.
To clarify, short stories are a bit shorter than novels, typically with a reading span of 10 to 20 minutes. Unlike novels, such stories don’t include any longer explanations about the character’s backstory. Instead, they are short with a focus on a single plot.
In this blog you get a comprehensive word count guide tips and of course answers to your burning question; how long is a short story? So, stay tuned and keep reading.
How Long is a Short Story? A Comprehensive Guide
By now you have got a brief understanding of a short story. Now, it’s time to know how long is a short story. As the name implies, the short story is the one you can read in a go. This kind of story has a simple plot with limited characters. To keep the tale short and to the point, the word count should be limited and not boring for the reader.
As a general rule of thumb, any story between the word count of 1000 to 10000 is a short story. You may think that 10000 words doesn’t count as a short story however multiple prominent literary awards and publications have word limits of no more than 7,500 words. Additionally, as previously mentioned, short stories are divided into subcategories so there are stories with a word count of less than 1500.
On the other hand, any tale exceeding the word count above 10000 is considered a novella. Similarly, a tale having a word count between 7500 and 17000 is considered a novelette.
If you are curious about how long is a short story in pages then here’s an estimated answer. A short story may be 3 to 30 pages with each page containing 250 to 450 words. Keep in mind that word count per page may vary depending on the font style and size the author follows.
Its a human nature to get the story reading time estimation by counting the pages. Speaking of the reading time, the typical short story is around five minutes long.
Types of Stories with Word Count and Length
Usually, short stories are in the form of drama script, crime, action, horror story, biography, history, romance, thriller or whatnot. However, there are other types of stories too which are discussed below:
1. Flash Fiction:
Any tale which not really follow a conventional storyline(character development) but has suspense and unexpected turns falls in the flash fiction category. In turn, these short stories are between 5 to 2000 words long.
2. Mini Saga:
As the name suggests, a mini-saga is as simple as 50 words.
3. Novella – How Long is Novella
Novella or you can call it a mini novel is in between a short story and a novel. This 200-page tale has only one main character and minimalistic plotline yet it’s over 10000 words in length. An ideal novella is anywhere from 10000 to 40000.
4. Novelette – how Long is a Novelette
A novelette is a work of fiction with a word count between 7,500 and 17,500 words. Cited by the Hugo and Nebula awards criteria, these longer-than-short stories were initially published in magazines in the late 19th and early 20th century.
5. Novel – How Long is a Novel
Stories of 40,000 words or more are considered novels. Having said that, 50,000 words or more is the standard for novels. A 40000 to 50000-word novel is also called a short novel but authors, particularly those working on their first novel, shouldn’t create works that are more than 120,000 words long.
Need help in writing a long compelling novel but feeling writer’s block? You need not to worry when you have Arvin AI. Avin AI offers features to make your increase word count and make your story longer.
Examples of Short Stories by Renowned Authors:
| Story Name | Word Count and Story Length |
| Virginia Woolf’s A Haunted House | About two to three pages with 700 words |
| One of These Days by Gabriel Garcia Marquez | About three pages with 1000 words |
| Why Don’t You Dance by Raymond Carver | Five pages with 1600 words |
| Hearts and Minds by Jack Petrubi | Six pages with 2000 words |
| The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe | 200-word count |
| A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas | Nine to ten pages long with a 3000-word count. |
| A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury | 4300 words story with fifteen pages book |
| The Edge of the Shoal by Cynan Jones | This award-winning story is 6000 words long and comprises 25 pages |
| Ernest Hemingway’s The Snows of Kilimanjaro | Longest short story of 11000 words composed on 30 pages |
Why is Word Count Important in Short Stories?
Not to mention, a story holds the emotions of the writer and some past experiences. In addition, a lot goes into mind while composing that winning script.
It goes without saying that authors don’t write stories blindly without keeping important factors in mind. Of all the crucial factors, considering the short story word count comes on the top. To create that lasting impact on the reader, authors make sure to keep the word count according to the genre.
Now, let’s have a look at the reasons why you should be mindful of the word count while creating a perfect tale, novel, or script:
1. Reader Expectation – Keep the Story Reader Friendly
It goes without saying that a writer writes for the reader. So the writer would never wish for that reader to get bored or frustrated with so long or short stories. Therefore every genre is limited to a specific word count. In turn, you need to keep the reader’s expectation in mind while composing to not scare off the potential buyers with excessively lengthy or short novel.
While novels have more room for an introduction, shorter works like short stories, novellas, and novelettes are to the point and can be read in minutes. For instance, the reader is looking for a short story but your written word count exceeds the 10000 words. In that case, it’s not a short story but a novel. In this manner keeping your tale engaging and in the required word count will increase its chance to get published.
2. Marketing – Craft Marketable Story
In today’s fast world of technology and social media, everyone is always in a hurry to get to the ending part. Like short videos and reels, people like reading short stories with a reading span of 10 to 20 minutes. Such stories are easier for publishers to sell hence boosting their marketing value.
Not to mention, stories with a lower word count and fewer pages are adaptable for film directors. It’s in a way that they have to invest in fewer actors and characters in turn increasing the adaptability.
Therefore it is necessary to make your way easy in marketing your content by publishing the story length which is in trend. Although, it’s not right to say that only short fictions work well. Sometimes shorter fictions lack that suspense and plot twist which ruins the spice of the story. Therefore, whether it’s a horror, crime, action, or whatever category you are working on keep the trend and word limit in mind.
3. Cost – Printing Longer Books Cost High
Last but not least, is the publisher’s budget. Time is money so the longer the narrative is the more energy, time, and money it requires to craft and print. Similarly, the printing and publishing are directly related to story length. To keep the budget in balance, the publisher or literary magazine buyers would prefer investing in the books with less printing cost.
Unleash Your Creativity With Arvin AI:
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In fact, this GPT-4o-powered AI assistant can 10x your creativity by writing you multiple short stories in seconds. Best of all, your search for answers, such as “How long is a short story?” ends here, since this AI tool provides you with the most useful information. Additionally, you can get precise word count details for any story genre directly from this chatbot. Here’s an example below:
As shown in the picture above, composing a thrilling short story using Arvin AI is incredibly easy. All you need to do is provide a well-thought-out prompt, and you’ll receive your short story in no time. Furthermore, you can unleash your creativity by using the best 76 ChatGPT prompts available. Get help from these prompts and write an unbeatable short story in no time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the frequently asked questions about how long is a short story:
How can I publish my short story?
Anyone looking for a career in writing must consider publishing his or her work. Here’s how you can publish your short story:
- Contact a famous magazine and submit your well-written story to them
- Participate in the short story contest for a chance to win $1,000 and have your work published.
- Another option for self-publishing short stories is to upload them on an online publishing platform like Amazon Kindle and get recognition.
How long is considered a short story?
Any tale with a word count in between 1000 and 10000 is considered a short story.
Can I write a short story of less than 1000 words?
No, any narrative with a word count less than 1000 words is not a short story but is a flash fiction.
Conclusion – Final Words
To sum things up, an ideal short story typically spans between 1,000 and 7,500 words or, at most, 10,000 words. However, the exact word count often depends on the story’s genre and complexity.Now that you understand how long is a short story and the importance of word count, you are ready to compose your winning short story. To ensure success, always start with a hook, then add an element of mystery, and finally let your creativity guide you. Above all, remember that quality is more important than quantity, and regular practice is essential.
