# Short Stories, Novellas or full length Novels for your Kindle...



## Valerie Maarten (Jan 14, 2011)

I have a question for all of the kindle users out there.  I've learned one thing about kindlers....they are addicted to their e-readers and can be found using it all the time, in the oddest places and staying up late at night reading e-books they would not have normally read otherwise. 
So based on this observation, it lead me to wonder about one thing.  Do you generally read short stories, novellas or full length novels?  What is your preference?


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## 3pointers (Jan 8, 2010)

I prefer novels; the longer the better.


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

Full length novels. I've accidentally downloaded some free novellas but I'm really not interested in them.


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## James Everington (Dec 25, 2010)

I don't really care; I've don't really associate literary quality with any specific length.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

I prefer a longer read in general . . . but have some collections of shorter things as well. . . .sometimes that's just the ticket when you don't have a lot of time and don't want to risk getting caught up in a longer work when you know you can't settle in for an extended reading session.  Which is, incidentally, the great thing about Kindle. . .you can carry it all with you.


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## JennaAnderson (Dec 25, 2009)

I mix it up. I like novels that are on the shorter side. I read slow and get distracted easily. So if I'm going on week three reading the same book - I'm getting antsy to move on. Novellas are great. 

I've recently been on a kick of reading short stories. Joel Arnold, Sommer Marsden, Phaedra Weldon, plus classics shorts by Jane Austen, Rudyard Kipling, etc. 

Short stories are difficult to write. You need to get a lot done in a small space. The Kindle is a perfect device for readers and authors who like shorts. Before the ereader, where would you go to find a short story? An anthology? Newspaper or magazine? It was tough. I'm sure a lot of great short stories went unread.  

Jenna


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## Jon King (Sep 10, 2010)

I generally read whatever my Kindle Fairy sends to my homepage (I share an account with DW, who is the book-shopper of the two of us ).

Last five books I've read in part or full run from indie vampire novel, to Star Wars short story, to cowboys vs. prehistoric monsters novel, to history of Norse warfare, to Huck Finn.

The kindle actually has led me to read more short fiction, since there's no need to carry multiple little anthologies around with it.


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## pahiker (Feb 27, 2010)

Novels, but occassionaly a short story.


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## Iwritelotsofbooks (Nov 17, 2010)

I tend to like things on the shorter end of the scale.  When I come across a five hundred page book, I want to start editing it.


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## ValeriGail (Jan 21, 2010)

I love a long book.  I am always sad to see the end come, because by then I'm invested in the characters.  I don't do short stories very often.  For me, they are kind of like a magazine article.  I'll read them when I'm just wasting time or for a short happy smile, but I don't actively chose them as my main reading.  Now if the short stories link together to make up a bigger story, that changes things.


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## beckyj20 (Jun 12, 2010)

I read full length novels. I love to read series! I will read a short story or novella if the author wrote it to go along with the series.


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

All of the above. I also find that, since I can't look up how many pages are in the book, I'm not as invested in the length making it somehow more worthy of being toted around.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I'll read any of them. I probably prefer novels in general, but I'll take any length as long as it's well written and effective. I am, however, getting tired with long series where it takes _forever_ for the author to tell a single story, or even just very long single-volume novels that feel too busy: too many plot lines, too many characters, too much for this poor old brain to keep track of.


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## Valerie Maarten (Jan 14, 2011)

I'm sort of in the middle.  Although I generally prefer full length novels, I've found some wonderful novellas and short stories.  Lately, I've read some wonderful short stories.  So, I guess my preferences have changed over time.  No matter which, as long as it's well written, I'll probably read it


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

A collection of short stories (ala A Pound of Flash) is ok with me, but not just 1 or 2. 
Novellas.. can duo
LOVE LOVE LOVE LONG stories (like The Half-Orc Omnibus)


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## Valerie Maarten (Jan 14, 2011)

@BTackitt Thanks for participating.  I'm finding that most of the people I ask this question prefer serials and long novels.  Which is shocking to me because I would have guessed that it was the opposite.  Oh well, what do I know.  I'm learning something every day


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## Linda S. Prather Author (Jun 25, 2010)

I probably love the longer novels because when I'm hooked on a character I don't want the story to end.  And I too love series where I can keep following my favorite characters.


Linda


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## AnnetteL (Jul 14, 2010)

Full-length here. Novels, mostly. Some non-fiction.


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## Daniel Pyle (Aug 13, 2010)

I honestly like everything from 100-word drabbles to big, honking doorstops like _The Passage_. Just depends on my mood.


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## Mrs. K. (Dec 31, 2010)

After I finish a full-length novel, a sample or two from my wish list always hits the spot. Samples are big cash-savers for me- they give me the time to think about whether I'm really going to enjoy the writer's style and the book.


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## jamshill (Jan 17, 2011)

I read the book of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen but i need more books of Jane Austen author if any one provide me free books with full length and good format please reply me.

Thanks


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

There was a thread in the Writer's Cafe about short story anthologies and how poorly they sell.  I prefer an anthology over a singleton short story.  Even if I skip some of the stories when they don't float my boat, I prefer a novel sized book.  I usually look at the file size before purchasing to see if a book is novel length but I forgot to check last week and bought a book based on a recommendation for $2.99 and then discovered it was 650 locations.  It didn't fill my entire lunch hour and that was sad .... It was a good short story, but it wasn't all that.


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## Dana Taylor (Jan 8, 2010)

I'm enjoying exploring new territory through the Kindle by reading samples of all different genres. I had gotten into a reading rut.  Mainly I'm searching for writers that really grab me with their style.

Dana Taylor


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## mayfire (Nov 11, 2010)

All of the above in addition to non-fiction (essays, editorials, and news articles), but mostly full length novels. I do greatly admire the short story genre, but have not yet done much of that with Kindle.


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## James Everington (Dec 25, 2010)

Geoffrey said:


> There was a thread in the Writer's Cafe about short story anthologies and how poorly they sell. I prefer an anthology over a singleton short story. Even if I skip some of the stories when they don't float my boat, I prefer a novel sized book. I usually look at the file size before purchasing to see if a book is novel length but I forgot to check last week and bought a book based on a recommendation for $2.99 and then discovered it was 650 locations. It didn't fill my entire lunch hour and that was sad .... It was a good short story, but it wasn't all that.


But isn't this a question of quality not length? You bought an _okay_ short story... if you'd bought a _brilliant_ one you could have read it twice on your lunch hour... (lucky you, I get 33.3 mins!)


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## isaacsweeney (Jan 1, 2011)

I enjoy reading all of the above. As a writer, I've only published short stories and small collections of short stories for Kindle.


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## Bakari (May 25, 2010)

I am still getting used to the idea of reading my Kindle. I can clearly state that when I am reading fiction I prefer short stories and novellas. When I am reading non-fiction I still prefer shorter lengths but I can read on the Kindle for much longer. 

If I really like the book it doesn't matter how long it is to me.


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## MeloniePhillips (Jan 13, 2011)

I really enjoy lengthy books.  I am the type of person that dislikes seeing a book I really enjoyed end.  I get wistful when I am nearing the end of a really good book, and kind of sad that it is over.  That being said I do enjoy an occasional short story if it is about something I am really in to.  Odd really since what I write tends to be on the short story side.  I loved finding short stories that go along with a series of books I may be reading.  Like some of Charlane Harris's that go along with her Sookie books, or LJ.  Smiths on her website.  Just depends really.


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## Gordon Ryan (Aug 20, 2010)

Yes, yes, and yes, although like most of the posters on this thread, I prefer longer novels or even a series.  I think one of the hardest things for a reader (and an author) is to kill off a character, or allow them to die in the natural course of events.  It is more than a novel ending, it seems.  It is truly the end of the story.

Remember the movie with Kathy Bates and James Caan (think those were the characters) where she captures him (he's an author) and forces him to rewrite a story where he had killed off her favorite character?  

I have to also agree with other posters here that a short story is really hard to write and touch the reader.  Too short a space of time, or words, to draw the reader into the character or plot.

Give me a long novel.  Funny how a couple dozen of those old hardbacks don't weigh so much anymore as they ride around on my Kindle.

Gordon Ryan


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## Valerie Maarten (Jan 14, 2011)

It has been interesting reading all of the varying points of view, as it relates to shorts, novellas and novels.  Like I've said earlier, I'm mixed.  I agree that shorts are hard to write and engage the reader emotionally, but some I've found are really well done.  Same for novellas.  It looks like full length novels seem to be the majority of people's preference.  Thank you all for sharing.  I'm looking forward to other readers/writers opinion on this subject.


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## RobynB (Jan 4, 2011)

Valerie Maarten said:


> No matter which, as long as it's well written, I'll probably read it


Ditto -- I love both, as long as they suck me in and are well written. I think shorts can be immensely satisfying (think Alice Munro, Jack London's "To Build a Fire," and Stephen King). That said, I love me a good, juicy novel as well. (Perhaps this is why I write both!  )


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## Michael Crane (Jul 22, 2010)

I read anything that interests me, but I have to admit I'm a BIG fan of short stories.  Having a Kindle makes that easier for me, seeing that I don't have to buy a ton of books that'll take up space.  It's hard for me to commit to a novel at times, so I love being able to read something that's short and to the point.

Richard Yates, Raymond Carver, Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K. Dick and Joyce Carol Oates are some of my favorites.

Stephen King also has some excellent ones.


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## Miriam Minger (Nov 27, 2010)

I prefer full-length novels, but am thinking of writing some short stories for fun.

Miriam


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## Jason G. Anderson (Sep 29, 2010)

I honestly don't mind either. A story should be the length it needs to be, and no longer. If that means it's a short story, so be it. If it needs to be three huge books, that's fine too. I've tended to read more novels in the past, but now that I've got the Kindle App on my iPad I'm reading more short stories.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

As long as I am not mislead into thinking I am getting a novel, and end up with a short story, I'm ok. But if something is a short story or novella, it needs to be clearly marked as such. It's not like I can judge how thick it is in e-form.


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## Daphne (May 27, 2010)

Quality not quantity - although quality and quantity is good too.   - I have enjoyed short stories, poetry and limericks on my Kindle; perfect for train journeys and annoyingly long waiting-room waits. I have also enjoyed full length novels, but I need the free time to really get into them, and life doesn't always allow me that.


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## Michael Crane (Jul 22, 2010)

BTackitt said:


> As long as I am not mislead into thinking I am getting a novel, and end up with a short story, I'm ok. But if something is a short story or novella, it needs to be clearly marked as such. It's not like I can judge how thick it is in e-form.


Agreed.  You can usually tell by the size of the file that's on the Amazon page, but that can also be misleading at times if the cover takes up a lot of space.

If I put out a short story, I always mark it as such on both the cover and the overall name.


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## Valerie Maarten (Jan 14, 2011)

I remember picking up a book and thought it would be a nice long read and it was a short story.  Although I was disappointed because I read it so quickly, it was a nice refreshing read.  So what I started doing was saving the shorts for work (breaks, lunch, etc) and the full length novels for home when I need a nice long read.  That seems to work for me.


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## joanhallhovey (Nov 7, 2010)

I like both novellas and full-length novels on my Kindle.  It really matters most that the book hold my attention, the same way I hope my books hold my readers' attention.  Early on, I used to love short stories but they're ...well ...too short.   You can't get as deeply into character and that's what makes a book for me. That emotional investment we make in the character so that we care what happens to them..  Yes, the people who inhabit the book.  That's not to say the storyline isn't important. Or the description. Or setting. They're like the many colorful threads that go into a wonderful wall-hanging.  You can't really separate them. 

The short answer is novels.


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## isaacsweeney (Jan 1, 2011)

What's the difference between a novella and novelette? Is a novelette shorter?


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## Valerie Maarten (Jan 14, 2011)

As a writer, I know how you can get emotionally attached to a character.  So, as the reader of a story we pretty much have the same connection *fingers crossed and it's written well* which is why I understand why people prefer longer length stories because we're usually emotionally vested.  Love to hear other opinions.

BTW, I guess I'll have to find out if there's a difference between a novella and a novelette.  If anyone knows, chime in please...


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## Daniel Pyle (Aug 13, 2010)

Valerie Maarten said:


> BTW, I guess I'll have to find out if there's a difference between a novella and a novelette. If anyone knows, chime in please...


A novelette is shorter. Different people will give you different ranges, but most of the writing associations that break the novella category up into novelettes and novellas call anything between 7,500 words and 17,500 words a novelette and anything between 17,500 and 40,000 a novella.


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## Jen Bluekissed (Jan 22, 2011)

I consider myself primarily a short story writer.  I might be the anomaly.  My short stories (5-7k) are selling better than my novels at the moment.  I prefer reading longer works but am enjoying short stories more and more now that I have a reliable ereader (Kindle).  On my Sony Reader, I didn't have the patience for short stories because the batter drained too fast for me to have to take the time to hook up the cords and load the books onto the reader.


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

My best friend and I always say that there's nothing better than a short classic.  Minimal time investment, a lifetime of feeling cultured.

I've enjoyed reading short stories since high school.  Two all time favorites are The Lottery and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.  Stories like that have inspired me to write shorts of my own.  They don't sell very well compared to my novella, but they're tons of fun to write


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## Keith Blenman (May 31, 2009)

Oh, I'll put any length story on my Kindle. These past two semesters, I've even purchased my textbooks on the Kindle. Awesome stuff!


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## RobynB (Jan 4, 2011)

Alain Gomez said:


> My best friend and I always say that there's nothing better than a short classic. Minimal time investment, a lifetime of feeling cultured.
> 
> I've enjoyed reading short stories since high school. Two all time favorites are The Lottery and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Stories like that have inspired me to write shorts of my own. They don't sell very well compared to my novella, but they're tons of fun to write


Loved "The Lottery." Some other good classics I loved: "To Build a Fire" by Jack London and "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury.


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

RobynB said:


> Loved "The Lottery." Some other good classics I loved: "To Build a Fire" by Jack London and "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury.


Ooo... I shall look into those.

Have you ever read A Rose For Emily by William Faulkner? _So_ classic. Alfred Hitchcock could take notes from that story.


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## RobynB (Jan 4, 2011)

Alain Gomez said:


> Ooo... I shall look into those.
> 
> Have you ever read A Rose For Emily by William Faulkner? _So_ classic. Alfred Hitchcock could take notes from that story.


Ah, that sounds so good! I found it on Kindle (bundled with analysis), but it's not a NookBook yet (I'm a Nookie). Dang.


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## Alain Gomez (Nov 12, 2010)

RobynB said:


> Ah, that sounds so good! I found it on Kindle (bundled with analysis), but it's not a NookBook yet (I'm a Nookie). Dang.


I have a nook as well. I hate it when that happens, though. I find an ebook I like here only to discover it's not available on the nook 

But I found it online here:

http://www.eng.fju.edu.tw/English_Literature/Rose/el-text-E-Rose.htm

It's not very long, totally worth the read.


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## RobynB (Jan 4, 2011)

Alain Gomez said:


> I have a nook as well. I hate it when that happens, though. I find an ebook I like here only to discover it's not available on the nook
> 
> But I found it online here:
> 
> ...


Yay! You rock! Totally going to read it. Here's the Veldt: http://www.veddma.com/veddma/Veldt.htm Happy reading!


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## theraven (Dec 30, 2009)

I prefer novels.


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## Valerie Maarten (Jan 14, 2011)

Okay, 
Since I last posted this question I've purchased an ereader.  I have uploaded 108 ebooks and they range from short-stories to full novels.  I still try to read the shorter ones at work and savor the longer lengths for home where I can read in relative comfort.


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## Debbie Bennett (Mar 25, 2011)

I don't really mind - I'll read anything. What I *do* like to know though is whether I'm reading a short story, novella or a novel before I start and it's not always obvious. I've bought books I thought were novels only to find they were really just long short stories and I felt rather cheated to be honest. It's not the money - it's the expectation.


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## Keith B. Darrell (Apr 27, 2011)

I love the short story art form and prefer it to novels (which I also like). I was surprised by the reader comments showing a majority subscribe to the opposite view. I don’t know what they’ve read to reach this conclusion, but I would surmise they have never read quality short stories. One disadvantage of the Internet and the rise of self-publishing is that the slush pile has expanded exponentially. 

In no particular order, I’ve listed a few of my favorite short stories.

O. Henry "The Gift of the Magi" 
Charles Dickens, "The Poor Relation's Story"
Jane Yolen, “The Maiden Made of Fire”
Max Beerbohm, "Enoch Soames"
Anton Chekhov, "The Bet"
Edgar Allen Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado”
O. Henry, “The Ransom of Red Chief”
Guy de Maupassant, "The Necklace"
Shirley Jackson, "The Lottery"
Richard Connell, "The Most Dangerous Game"
W.W. Jacobs, "The Monkey’s Paw"
J.D. Salinger, "For Esme, With Love and Squalor"
Ambrose Beirce, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
Edgar Allan Poe, "The Telltale Heart"
Nathaniel Hawthorne, "Young Goodman Brown"
H.P. Lovecraft, "The Outsider"
Harlan Ellison, "Repent Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman"
Jerome Bixby, "It's a Good Life"
Mark Twain, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County"
Hans Christian Andersen, "The Emperor's New Clothes"

Of course, that's just scratching the surface. I've omitted a ton of horror, fantasy, SF, and other genre authors. I also think anthologies are a great introduction to authors.

I really hope this thread is not representative of the preferences of Kindle readers as a whole, because I'm launching a series of my own short stories as Kindle eBooks. I believe our fast food, channel-surfing, attention deficient disorder society, combined with the creation of e-readers like the Kindle, has resulted in the perfect storm for a renaissance of the short story format. But now you've got me worried.


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## Sean Thomas Fisher (Mar 25, 2011)

Interesting answers.
And Deb B is right, authors should include word counts for each project (page counts would vary too much with different formatting), and then readers can google _book lengths_ to see where it falls.

Thanks for the insight everyone!


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

I much prefer reading (and writing) the shorter forms of stories.  Big honking novels, and only big honking novels, are only a fairly recent thing, forced on us by publishers.  A lot of the old classics (such as Alice in Wonderland & Treasure Island) are more correctly novellas.

It may be because I don't have the time for the long forms nowadays, but I'd much rather read a short story or novelette.

That is a good thing about the ebook revolution; we can read what we want and not rely on the big publishers to dictate such things.


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## Rejean (Mar 31, 2011)

I usually read novels. I like fast paced thrillers, in the 70-90,000 word range.

But lately the GF has given me a few short stories and novellas to read. Surprisingly I can really get into some of them. However, having said that, I just finished Stephen King's Full Dark, No Stars, and I was pretty disappointed. Some of the stories were pretty predictable. Nothing there that was really outstanding.


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## susan67 (Mar 18, 2011)

I also prefer novels as I like the longer stories. But I will read anything I can get my hands on.


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## BrentNichols (Mar 18, 2011)

It's neat that there is finally a place to find novellas.  They almost vanished from the marketplace for a long time.

I love 'em all, from flash fiction to multi-book sagas.  I can't pick a favourite form.


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## Katie Salidas (Mar 21, 2010)

While I enjoy full length novels, my reading time has been drastically reduced lately, so at this point, the short stories win. I can get a quickie in when I have a few free moments. 

I do a lot of reading on my kindle in the parking lot of my daughters school, waiting for the bell to ring. LoL.


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## Sondrae Bennett (Mar 29, 2011)

I probably read _more_ novella length than full novels on my kindle but I read and enjoy them both. The only time I'm disappointed with the length is when I expect something to be longer based on the price. Unless I buy an indie author, because those prices aren't a good indication of length, I use the price to judge the expected length. I'll pay .99 for a short story, 2.50 for a novelette (under 25,000 words), 3.99 for a novella (25,000-40,000), and scaling upward since this is a pretty typical model e-publishers use. Half a book at half the price.

That doesn't mean the story itself doesn't sometimes disappoint. There are certain issues novellas and short stories can easily stumble into, but there are some great examples out there of how it can work well, too. For me as a romance reader, they can be the perfect little fix when I've got a free moment. Vivi Andrews, Dana Marie Bell, and Vivian Arend are just a few of my favorite novella romance writers.


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## brianrowe (Mar 10, 2011)

I've read a few short stories but have yet to read a novel on the Kindle we have in our house. But I might be doing so very soon with so many great 99 cent eBooks on Amazon!


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## docnoir (Jan 21, 2011)

I collect old pulp novels from the 50s and 60s, and most of them are pretty short, like the 110-120 page range. And that used to be a novel. I'm betting now we'd consider it a novella. 

So for Kindle, I'm fine with novels and novellas, but I get a little annoyed with single short stories, especially for 99 cents when I can get great longer works for the same price. Instead of putting out a single short, I'd say wait until you have a collection. Even three is better than one.


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## Julia Kavan (Feb 6, 2011)

I have short stories, novellas and full length novels on my Kindle - although I do tend to read the short stories and novellas first, due to lack of time.


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## tim290280 (Jan 11, 2011)

I prefer novels and novellas, especially if you are talking about purchasing decisions. I find it hard to justify buying a short story on its own.

I like reading short stories on occassion, but I prefer something longer as it tends to be more involving and can have more depth (or more happen). I'm not really into really long books though, as often they feel deliberately long, i.e. lots of filler. Someone mentioned that they prefer to buy short stories as anthologies/collections, but these sell poorly. I agree that I'd prefer a collection of shorts, but personally I think they have to have a central theme or be similar in some way, before I'd buy them. With my writers hat on, I like the idea of giving away shorts to give the readers some work to support the one you want them to buy.


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## TLH (Jan 20, 2011)

I personally never read a whole lot of short stories. But now that I have a kindle, I find myself buying a lot of them. I can finish them durning a lunch break. I like that little thrill during the day.


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## tintaun (Apr 20, 2010)

I write both short stories and novels, but tend to veer towards buying longer fiction on Kindle. That said, I read at least a short story a week, usually in the New Yorker, Atlantic or other publication. Somehow, I cannot find short story collections that suit my taste on Kindle, apart from the classics like Joyce, Carver, Munro etc. 


es


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## Tamara Rose Blodgett (Apr 1, 2011)

I wasn't able to buy the new Stephen King compilation,_ Full Dark, No Stars _on Kindle and would have loved to. I only get full stories. I'm not against short stories, per se...but, I read fast enough that they feel "anti-climatic" to me. King's latest were all pretty long as stand alone(s); satisfying. But, he's a prolific writer ( let's address_ Under the Dome_!). Short stories whet the appetite but feel like teasers for the most part (sorry short story writers, not a diss on you AT ALL).


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