I had the pleasure of getting to know romance author Ginny Frost at a writers retreat a couple of years ago. Since a lot of her work is novella length, I invited her to be a guest here and talk about her relationship with novellas and how they fit in the romance genre.
I’m Ginny Frost, and I write sexy books. Romance is my genre of choice because I love a love story. You know, the part where they fall in love? Whether it’s Elizabeth and Darcy or Han and Leia, the genre calls to me. The novella works wonderfully for love stories.
For me, the shorter format allows me to get to the point of the tale fast. And the point is falling in love. Novellas allow me as an author to focus on the romance (sexy stuff or not). I can write the details about their fears, wants, and needs without having to establish a lengthy backstory. My characters fall into bed quickly and then sort everything else out afterward. Keeping the story concise forces me to push the characters to deal with their issues. They can’t languish in ennui. They must move the plot forward!
Being able to write a short, fulfilling tale is an art form. As a writer, we need to convey everything to our readers in under 40,000 words. Novellas challenge us to tighten our writing and find new ways to express complex ideas. Not to mention, they are much easier to edit than a 100,000-word monster. But I digress…
Recently, there’s been a trend in romance to do MAPs—multi-author projects. Several writers will publish a series of novellas using the same setting, prop, or theme. I’ve taken part in two MAPs and love having my short pieces exposed to other readers. (Wow, that sounded dirty. Good thing I write spicy!) My most recent novella is part of a magical series with seven books. With the shorter format, all seven of us were able to produce and self-pub the novellas within a year. We had time to work on other projects because the stories were under 40,000 words.
Let’s talk about pricing. Unfortunately, the trend is for authors to sell books at a minimum profit. Readers want free or $0.99 titles. It’s hard to mark your work for only a dollar when it takes years to write it. Novellas are a terrific way to lure readers with a book in a low price range. Readers are willing to try out a new author for a dollar. Short works under $2 can entice readers to check you out and then grab that $20 “book of your heart” later.
As a reader, I love the novella. It’s short and sweet. It gives you a taste of the author’s work. With many book titles available, novellas help me weed through the masses to find hidden gems. Romance is not the only genre using this format. I’ve read sci-fi and cozy mystery novellas. These authors show off their skills by creating a satisfying story in such few words. (I’m looking at you, Martha Wells.)
My conclusion? In a world with millions of authors to choose from, mastering the novella format will get eyes on your books. Read widely to see how other authors squeeze a full story into 40k. Then go do it. You won’t regret a thing.
Thanks for letting me visit today. Check out my books here, including my $0.99 newest novella, Artist. I’m all over social media—Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I’ve got a fantastic blog for authors called Apps for Writers. And if you like a free book, check out my newsletter for a free prequel to Stonewater Stories.
Ginny Frost is a hybrid author with two traditionally published novels and seven indie titles. She writes contemporary romance with a sexy, funny kick. In her downtime, she plays clerk at the local library—the perfect job to feed her reading addiction. She lives in upstate NY with her very own kindhearted ogre, their two smart and sassy daughters, and an evil cat named Flash.