At least one major SFF publisher* has cottoned on to something that small-press digital romance publishers and many self-publishers already know. The e-book market had revitalized the novella format and made it so profitable that novellas and novelettes are all many erotic romance authors publish. In wider self-published genres, shorter fiction is also well-represented.
Tor.com is the new (Big) kid on the playground.
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2014/05/announcing-torcom-the-imprint
Yes. A new imprint, for those of us who write SFF larger than short stories, but smaller than, say, the average book by Brandon Sanderson, George R. R. Martin, or Patrick Rothfuss (no offense, guys.) A novella publisher connected with Tor, which has nearly instant recognition among informed readers – and the Tor name already claims a wide reach in the larger novel market. As a short story publisher, Tor.com is largely considered one of the top destinations, paying some of the highest per-word rates, and known for award-winning and career-launching authors.
What the hell is a novella?
According to SFWA (Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America) Nebula Award guidelines:
- Short Story: less than 7,500 words;
- Novelette: at least 7,500 words but less than 17,500 words;
- Novella: at least 17,500 words but less than 40,000 words
- Novel: 40,000 words or more.
How well will Tor’s venture translate in today’s market? We await industry analysis of contract terms and other details. Publishers are, after all, in business to make money for themselves first. There’s always the possibility of boilerplate contract nonsense that unagented (or ineffectively agented) authors might or might not be able to negotiate.
Just on wordcount limitations, there are solid historical precedents in the science fiction and fantasy genres.
Those gigantic doorstopper epics may be fun immersion therapy for many readers (including me), but it took serious advances in printing technology just to make the paperback printing and binding process cost-efficient. Many editing teams will do whatever they can to trim a paperback mms unless they think it’s worth the added formatting and manufacturing costs. Ebooks are slowly pushing mass-market paperbacks aside as the entry point of novel publication. But while they eliminate print costs, large ebooks have their own formatting and marketing issues.
Pre-1988 and Robert Jordan’s ‘Wheel of Time’ fantasy saga, a lot of the science fiction and fantasy novels published were miniscule by some of today’s standards: 35,000 words to 50,000 words. Books of 110K are common now, and 80K to 90K novels are usual across many science fiction and fantasy imprints.
I look back now and marvel at tiny yet perfectly written books by Sherri Tepper (the Mavin Manyshaped series), or Andre Norton’s ‘Witch World’ books, or many of Patricia McKillip’s works (The Changeling Sea clocks in at between 137 and 144 pages, depending on the edition.)
Going back into the 1970’s and 1960’s, those smaller novels held sway. Anyone remember the Ace Doubles? Sure, some of the print was smaller, but not by that much.
A new writer hopping into the SFF market now can be justifiably flummoxed by contradictory advice.
We are told: Don’t go over 90K for a first novel, and fergawdssakes don’t go over 110K! Don’t write too short! Relatively few pro-rated SFF imprints and publications accept work between 18K and 40K, unless one is a ‘name’ writer, or invited into an anthology.
If we aim for pro-level short story publication, we’re told to keep our submissions short there, too: the major magazines don’t generally like to go over 7K to 10K. Maybe 17K, if we’re lucky. Down on the semi-pro (still respectable for publishing credits, though paying less), SFF novellas have a few more potential homes – if one is willing to court far lower potential sales and narrower, less effective marketing.
Meanwhile, the novella format flourishes in digital-only or digital-first erotic romance markets. Harlequin’s Carina imprint has recently stopped accepting manuscripts under 35,000 words, and prefers 50,000 or higher. But many other erotic romance publishers still draw the line at 20K or 25K.
Uncounted self-publishers have figured out various sweet spots for length, and are happily producing and selling short fiction from 7K to 30K with no problem.
The market for novella-length fiction in SFF should exist. While many people are reading less for pleasure, they seem to find shorter fiction to be more accessible. Both to the pocketbook, and the brain’s ability to hold complex storylines.
I hope Tor.com’s new-old experimental model works, because I will definitely have a horse or two in that race.
* I’ve been reminded that Random House/Penguin (RandomPenguin?) has also recently jumped on the novella train.