Writing the Novella

This course concentrates on the craft of writing a form of fiction that combines the intense thematic focus of short stories and the complex character development typical of the novel. The novella offers writers the opportunity to create an extended story without juggling the complexities of multiple points of view, intricate plot lines, and difficult-to-manage back stories. Typically concerned with a character’s emotional and personal development rather than the interaction of many characters in a complicated social context, the novella usually takes place in one location or in a larger but well-defined setting. Novellas are common in genres such as mystery and science fiction, and because of their strong focus and relative brevity, they are widely considered the perfect form for adaptation to the stage, film, and television.