Welcome again to our Saturday Discussion! Today, I want to talk about something that it’s my head for quite some time already.
Did you also catch that there are more and more and more Novella’s are coming out? And, I am not just talking about “normal” Novellas – meaning stories that stand on their own or a series of Novella’s.
No, I much more want to talk about those Novellas that are PreQuels and or MiQuels (my term for in between novella’s – is there an official term for these? I’d love to know)
PreQuels and MiQuels
There are tons of series out there where you can read a prequel either for free or for a small amount of money (coming to that point later.. and I have a big point to make here). HarperTeen even created an Imprint: HarperTeenImpulse just to push this trend even further!
Just yesterday I shared an Excerpt for UNDONE from Elizabeth Norris which is set between Unraveling and Unbreakable.
Here are a few more examples:
And .. this is just a selection, you all probably know that there are tons and tons more!!
Why do we need to read them?
Of course to tease us before an official release! It’s exciting when you are waiting desperately for a book to come out when there is a prequel that we can read. It also might be a good chance to see if we actually will like the story.
But, not just this – miquels (Novella’s in-between books) are meant to keep us hooked! Especially when there is often a year in between. I bet so many of us have already experience the same: We love a story and right when we finished we are desperate to read the sequel, then a year passes and we have to decide if our love is strong enough to read the sequel. Maybe miquels help here. They get us back into the story and gets us excited all over again.
So, I definitely see the value from a promotional POV.
YaY or NaY?
However, this doesn’t mean I truly love this recent trend.
and now, I admit that I haven’t read a single published Novella prequel or miquel even not from my favorite series like “Unearthly”, “Angelfire” or “The Iron Druid Chronicles”. (Oh wait! I was wrong, I did read “Stopping Time” from the Wicked Lovely Series! 😉 )
..and I have a weird way of thinking: If these stories are truly so important than they would be in the real Novel.
Is that a weird way of thinking? I am not sure.. Are they crucial for the series? And then.. going further are we then “forced” to read and buy them in order to keep track on our favorite series?
This brings me to the next point..
Novella Pricing … $1.99 – seriously?
Most of the Novella’s range between 0.99 and 1.99 and .. I am honestly think that $1.99 is too much. I mean, I know that the author needs to get paid, the marketing team, the publisher etcetc.
BUT, those Novella’s are meant to keep us hooked, or get us started so that we end up buying the full length Novels. So, I personally think that this pricing range is too much. Even for a standalone Novel like “Flirting with Maybe” from Wendy Higgins is $1.99 in my eyes too expensive. And don’t get me wrong, I actually bought “Flirting with Maybe” because I love Wendy and because the story sounded cute. I also ended up loving this book so so sooo much but was frustrated that it wasn’t a full length novel.. ;(
What do you think? Do you read all these Novellas from your favorite series? Did you ever started a series because you read the prequel? Do you usually read miquels? What do you think about this new promotional idea and .. the price range those novellas are sold!
Let’s discuss!!
Much Love,
P.S.: I know I didn’t reply to all of your recent comments. But.. I was insanely busy so I wanted to apologize. Today, I have all the time in the world and will be here today answering your comments! Thanks for understanding! I appreciate all of your comments so much! *hugs*
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I don’t often read novella’s because I can’t afford it, even 99c ones. I’ve never started a series because of one either, but they are fun little extras. Often I find they fill in little gaps about events that happened between books that were only briefly mentioned, or they flesh out side characters.
My favourite novella is Double Crossed by Ally Cater. Her fans (me included) dreamed about a crossover of her two series but were resigned to reading mediocre fan fiction. Then she announced Double Crossed and it was a dream come true! It was also FREE. It’s a really fun story that anyone can enjoy, even if they haven’t read either/both series. I think novellas like this one are the novellas I want to be reading.
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Oh I love Ally Carter, so I have to check this out. I absolutely love her books, but for reasons I stated above I do not care so much about Novella’s!
Danny recently posted..Discussed! The Novella Trend … YaY or NaY?
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I am big with the NAY lol. I fall too in love with the characters / story then it is over and I have to wait again and it gives me the sads.
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Exactly my point Erica!!!! It’s exactly what happened with Wendy Higgins “Flirting with Maybe”. I loved these characters and the story so so much and I was so sad when it was over. Even more, this story had the potential for more and some elements were rushed and could have explored more… YES for a whole Novel!
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I don’t like to read novellas. I think I’ve only read one- Breathless, and that’s because of the teaser the author had on her blog and even though I avoid novellas like the plague, I HAD to check it out. It was more like a teaser for the next year’s novel rather than an actual short story. But it was still good.
Anyway, I’m rambling now.
Unless the novella/extra/whatever is included at the end of an actual novel part of the series, I won’t read it.
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Oh, totally forgot about Double Crossed by Ally Carter. No way I could have possibly passed that up. A GG/Heist cross over is just too good to ignore.
Katrina (athousand-lives) recently posted..Review — The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
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Yep it seems like you feel exactly like I do!!! I just avoid them and it annoys me to see so many are coming out and make me feel like I miss out on something;(
Ahh you are the second to mention Ally Carters Novella.. maybe I must read it !! 🙂
Danny recently posted..Discussed! The Novella Trend … YaY or NaY?
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To be honest, the Ally Carter novella wasn’t THAT great. Fans were mainly excited with the fact that it was a cross over. It was really short. But then again, I wouldn’t know whether or not that’s the norm.
Katrina (athousand-lives) recently posted..Review — The Eternity Cure by Julie Kagawa
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I haven’t read many novellas yet but my general consensus of them is that they should be free. I feel that if novellas were available to everyone, they could get a sneak peek on what to expect in the book and would be more inclined to get the book. I do understand that publishers and authors need to get paid but I don’t think novellas are just worth the price since they’re only a couple of pages long. I’ll only get a novella if I feel like I would be missing out a piece of information in the series. If it’s not crucial to the plot or I wouldn’t miss anything out by not reading it, I wouldn’t get it.
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YES Charlotte!! YES – I also think they should be free as they serve mostly an promotional purpose! And often they do include sneak peaks exactly to tease us and make us read the book! And you know what, it makes me even a little mad that I need to read a Novella to get an essential piece of story;(
$ 1.99 is just a ridiculous price in my opinion – I think free would be perfect and would make more people read and appreciate these Novellas!
Danny recently posted..Discussed! The Novella Trend … YaY or NaY?
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I don’t read novellas because I feel like they’re so short that not enough can really happen or be developed that will actually interest me. I never consider it a real part of the book, and that just makes me completely uninterested!
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Hehe. It was somehow clear you and I think the same about this topic. I hate underdeveloped stories and characters. Again, may point with Fiirting with Maybe – not that the characters were underdeveloped – but the story was. And it was not the fault of the author, not it was just because to sell is as a Novella you have to pack so much in a few pages. And the story was AWESOME and amazing, when I was done I desperately wanted MORE! So in the end I was just sad it wasn’t ..more..
And I agree on the Novellas set in between – if they are not important enough to be in the novel, then why should I care!
Danny recently posted..Discussed! The Novella Trend … YaY or NaY?
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I went on a novella-spree, of sorts, where I read Destroy Me, Radiant, A Dark Grave and Roar and Liv. The only one that I thought was worth anything, was Destroy Me. I wasn’t sure if I was going to continue with the Shatter Me series, but after reading Destroy Me I decided to give Unravel Me a shot (which I’m now regretting; the only reason I liked Destroy Me was because it wasn’t from Juliette’s PoV! Lol)
I think these novellas should be available for free online, like the one for Mila 2.0 (Origins: The Fire) or the one for Of Posedion (Legacy Lost). I really enjoyed both of those, and I think it’s because I wasn’t dissatisfied by their short length because I wasn’t expecting anything – I hadn’t paid for them!
Also, from what someone told me on my post where I talked novellas, authors are being asked to write them! They’re not vital to the story, in any way, because they’re being written specifically as promotional pieces.
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Oh yes Kelly, that is right I know that authors are actually ask to write them. I know that Wendy Higgins was asked and she came up with Flirting with Maybe, which is a standalone and not part of the Sweet Evil Trilogy.
So yes, authors need to come up with something worth putting in a Novella and this besides writing all the other stories.. In the end, it’s never their choice how to sell them! this is all on the publisher!
I absolutely think they should be free! Again, 70 pages for $1.99 ?? That I find ridiculous!
Oh and how the freaking heck could I have missed the Of Poseidon Novella?? THIS is one I need to read lol!
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I agree that novellas are sometimes very expensive! I don’t read many, in all honesty, unless they are a part of a series I really enjoy. It helps to have something to bridge the gap between books, though, most of the time, I do wish they were longer. 😉 Great post, Danny!
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I really do not like Novellas in general mainly because they are so short. a few years ago, I only bought books that were huge! I love big books – they make me completely fall for the story and let me get lost completely. A novella? I start and then I’m done and … then I’m sad because it’s over…
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I’ve read a bunch of novellas but just because they’re free (whether “sold” for $0.00 or ARCs for review). They’re great for promotion and, really, shouldn’t be more than $0.99. That’s not to say that the author’s time and work isn’t worth a lot more but, really, novellas are promotional, they generate excitement for the first or next novel and keep the author’s buzz going.
While novellas are okay, I most definitely prefer novels. Like you said, you can get completely lost in them while you can’t in novellas (they’re TEASES!! *shakes first*).
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It’s really tricky. I know the Authors time is definitely worth more. Still, I think if they are only released because of an promotional idea behind they should be free.
In the end I bought Wendy’s Novella also for 1.99 because it’s Wendy… 🙂
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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This is a great discussion. We’ve read a few novellas that we felt were worth the money and some that weren’t. Just think if Laini Taylor wrote one or two…we’d be all over that even if 2.99 or 5.99! So basically the novellas have to be more than a teaser if it will pique our interest (and open our wallets).
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LOOL Yes about Laini Taylor!!! Woot! But still… if they add real value to the story then I would go for it. Often they serve promotional purposed to tease us and keep us hooked!
I loved this part: “So basically the novellas have to be more than a teaser if it will pique our interest ”
YES!! That fits it perfectly!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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NAY! I really, really dislike them — honestly more prequels than miQuels (great word by the way). My problem is that I’ve read a number of them without realising ahead of time that they aren’t whole stories. Never once have I gotten to the end of one and felt a sense of satisfaction. As bonus materiel at the end of another book they would be great, but out there on their own they just annoy me. I generally either feel cheated or manipulated into buying the ending.
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*giggles* Thanks for appreciate my awkward work creation:)
You know, that I feel like often PreQuels only make sense when you actually read the full length novel before.. which is weird but happened a few times.
And that is exactly the point, these novellas are often just there to tease and get us hooked – so why pay for it?
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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That’s a big nay for me. My TBR pile is already out of control. I don’t have time for a novellas or short stories. Plus, I don’t like them. I prefer the complexity of novels. Novellas and short stories take me back to the days of high school, when we were forced to read them and analyze theme and symbolism. The stories were always dull. It was like a prerequisite.
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You said if perfectly! ” prefer the complexity of novels. ”
I hate falling in love with some characters only to have been rushed through their story and often there is no development at all.. which makes sense given the few pages…
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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I don’t read most of the novellas, sometimes I think I should. I know that they give more insight into the characters. If they are about one of my favorite characters, I am more apt to pick it up.
Jenea @ Books Live Forever
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That is may point … I feel like I NEED to read them to get the whole experience of the story I love so much. But.. What when I do not like reading Novellas…
Ugh!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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When this novella trend first started I thought it was a fun idea – but now it seems that every series has a novella or three tacked on. These novellas are really just for promotional purposes and so I think they should be available for free , as an add on chapter of a book, or if we have to pay then no more than 99 cent.
I’ve read Radiant by Cynthia Hand and I enjoyed that one as I feel it added to the series – although the main points of that one were recapped in the final Unearthly book. However, the publishers are making their money with that novella as it currently retails for €4.05 on Kobo – which is INSANE for a novella!
I’ve also read the Delirium novellas and the Raven novella in particular didn’t make much sense to me as a lot of big things are revealed about the character in that novella, but then none of those things were mentioned in Requiem.
I feel like I’m going to give novellas a miss from now on. Not only are they pricey but, also, if anything is important enough for the story or character then it should be mentioned in the actual book!
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I haven’t read Radiant… but then, when I was reading Boundless I felt like I was lacking information. And .. what seriously???? 4.05?? That is insane!!!!
And my feeling exactly: If these stories are not important enough to be in the novel then why bother?
I’m really looking forward to see where this is going.. more or less? Only time will tell.. Personally, I don#t hope it will be even more..
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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I think if they’re free, then yes. I read a novelette by an author that I absolutely loved. It was in a genre I didn’t even like. But I read it and desperately wanted to read the next book. The novelette was free and got me hooked. I think that should be the purpose of these. It gets readers interested in a story without having to put the first book in a series for free (which feels painful to me). It acquaints a new reader with an author, which is half the battle.
That being said, I personally don’t think a self-published novella should ever cost more than 0.99. It’s not a full length book. I don’t know about creating novella length stories for in between novels. Personally, I feel you put almost as much time, money and effort into creating a novella (20-50,000 words) as you do into a novel (80-120,000 words). You could put the little extra effort and have a full length novel months earlier.
On a final point, whether you’re publishing a short story, novellette, novella, novel, or epic, it should ALWAYS be a completed story with a start, middle and end. The point is to keep the reader engaged or to introduce new readers to your writing without the risk (to the reader’s wallet). If the story isn’t finished, you only irritate them and turn them away.
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See? That is I think the whole purpose. Read a novella and get hooked – buy the book. Read a MiQuel, remember why you loved the previous book and are now excited to buy the next . That makes sense to me!
AND yes please, they should always have an end.. ! Great Points!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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Oh this is so funny! I just had this conversation with another blogger! I am not happy with the trend of novellas at all. Whether they be prequels, sequels or in-betweens. Yes, I have bought a couple(for the Cinder series). They were good, but just left me frustrated for more and also frustrated at the fact that I actually paid for them. Then another favorite author put out a novella that was about 160 pages long and priced at over $10! Granted it is being sold in hard-back form, but even the ebook is $8.99. That is just crazy! I feel very ripped-off and that the publisher is selling the name of the author rather than the content of the book. So no, I’m not a fan. Another favorite author recently published a poll on her fb page asking her followers if they prefer a book parceled out in serial form sold for .99 cents per section or would they rather wait for the whole book. The consensus was that most readers would wait for the whole book. I would rather pay for a full novel than to have to keep up with all of the novellas and in-between stories that are coming out. Plus get my money’s worth of book 🙂
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160 for $10?!?!?!? That is INSANE!!! And yes this you can only do when the author is really big.. but still, it’s playing with us as Readers! I would feel used and cheated!
I also love to read more complex stories and novels which is why Novellas do not really appeal to me.
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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I’m actually a huge NAY! The stories can’t be that important if they’re not actually in the novel, and I agree that the pricing is way too expensive. It’s just a promotional stunt not only for the books, but to get people more invested in Kindles/Kobos/etc, because you need them to read a novella. I have read a few novellas, but only the free ones. I wouldn’t buy one, and I’d prefer reading an actual book as a better use of my time.
Janita @ Book, Interrupted recently posted..Just Some Little Thoughts (2)
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YEP! My points exactly Janita!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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So far I’ve only read two novellas (Elixir from the Covenant series by Jennifer L. Armentrout & As They Slip Away from the Across the Universe trilogy by Beth Revis). I borrowed Elixir from the library & was completely in love with Elixir because it was shown from the guy’s perspective and didn’t feel like a filler or a way to keep readers hooked as it was so touching & seemed essential for the series. I’m not ashamed to say it made me sweat through my eyes & I loved it enough to write an individual review for it though it was just a novella. You can check out the review on my review blog. As for As They Slip Away by Beth Revis, it was also told from another character’s POV. Though said character did not have a major part in the original trilogy. It was a fun read & was free so I’ve got no complaints. I have noticed that some authors who have published multiple novellas usually compile them into one physical book when the series ends. Some examples are Lauren Oliver (Delirium trilogy), Julie Kagawa (The Iron Fey) and Aimée Carter (The Goddess Test). This is a pretty good thing to me because I usually borrow the books I read from the library and the library would most likely have these novella compilations. So I guess I’m picking YaY for novellas!
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You have pointed out some pretty awesome examples of Novellas that not only make sense but are there to serve a purpose in terms of story development. Or even talking about characters that weren’t in the full length novel .
These kind of stories make sense to me and are worth my money!!
If you are lucky to be abe to pick them up at he library even better, still depending on the content the price is simply to high for me!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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This is really only happening in young adult. In New Adult novella’s are complete side stories, often of a secondary character whom we love, but the author doesn’t want to create a spin-off. Say for example Jinks and Ivy from the Hollows. In YA they are basically world-friggin and character building. I would rather have an additional hundred pages in my novel thank you very much. I think they should be .99 cents or free..i mean i bought the dang book! Ooo and what about this whole new serial thing. Some are ok, where you pay 1.99 and get weekly installments for that price..but what about the ones that want 1.99-2.99 for each installment and they are really only novellas…ooh do not get me started Danny..LOL
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i meant to say in the adult genre, novellas are side stories..LOL This subject gets me all worked up…hehehe
kimbacaffeinate recently posted..Caffeinated Confessions #3: Are You Loyal to Only One Genre? Ever Get Burned Out?
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LOOL Kimba it’s perfectly fine to feel passionate about topics…. and I feel the same.
I mean I do not care about 0.99 – but the more novellas are coming out the more I feel forced to buy… oh my poor money!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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I actually like this novella-revival because I enjoy the format! I like for instance getting a different character’s POV on some things. It’s more of an extra to me in most cases, or a way to check out the author’s writing.
About the prizes: from my location, most of these novellas and prequels are between 2 and 4 dollars. 2 or 3$ are okay, in my opinion – it depends on the actual length though. Some of these novellas are 30 pages, others 60. But my total outrage falls on Brodi Ashton’s Neverfall!! It’s 3$ in the US, but from my location it’s 9. NINE freaking dollars for a novella!! I wouldn’t even pay that for an ebook if it was a whole novel. I know the author has nothing to do with the pricing, but seriously what is that publisher thinking?! And why do I have to pay 3 times more just because I live outside the US? Ugh. Sorry for that rant…
Anyway, I like the idea of shorter inserts into existing series. Makes the waiting less hard to endure. But yeah, it’s definitely a marketing device too. We’ll see where it all leads…
Great idea for a discussion post!!
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Seriously??? 2-4? That is way too much and I feel this is really pushing it! For 70 pages this is an insane amount of money!
Neverfall — 9 ?!?! This is so beyond any reason that I even get mad just thinking about it.. And don’t worry, you can rant anytime!! I know how you feel!!
But… in the end I’m happy to hear you love this trend 🙂
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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I enjoy the novellas but 90 percent of the time they are totally unnecessary. They just add on to the story and let the readers see a different side of their favorite characters. Frankly though I think the money that they ask for is way too much. If it is really that good then it should be in the story and if they want to get more people to read their series it should be cheaper. I would say they start off as fifty cents and no more then 99 cents in my opinion.
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That is so sad.. You pay money for something that feels unnecessary!
50 cents feels like a great idea for me. But in the end, if the purpose is promotional then they should be free! In the end, they are there to get us hooked right?
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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Great discussion post Danny. I hear ya about the price point. I absolutely will not pay 2.00 and up for a novella. They are really filler and in my experience they don’t really do much as far as the story goes. I recently read the Unearthly novella and I was so disappointed. I am pretty much through with them unless they are free or come out in a volume. I got annoyed that just as the plot is picking up they end.
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You know, I am kind of liking this novella trend. Especially the ones that fall between books in a series (not pre-quel, but a mi-quel as you put it) because I have found that they often help in building character development. For example reading Tahereh Mafi’s Destroy Me really got me into the head of Warner which was awesome because when Unravel Me released I understood his actions so much better. And when I read Marissa Meyer’s The Queen’ s Army before starting Scarlet, it gave me a great deal of information about the conscripted Lunar soldiers, and made getting to know Wolfe so much more rewarding. When I read Radiant by Cynthia Hand, I got to know more about Angela and Phen, who I was really intrigued by. Had I not read that I would have missed out on so much of their story because it is barely touched upon in Hallowed.
I guess what I’m saying is, ideally, the info covered in novellas would be covered in the actual books, then there would be no need for a separate pre-quel or mi-quel. But I am still happy to read these additional stories, even if it is a publishing or marketing ploy to make more money. I’d rather have them to read, no matter the format, then not.
Great topic!
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YEAH.. I’m actually happy to hear that some are really loving this trend!
And funny you mention Radiant.. I felt a little left out that I didn’t read Radiant when I was coming to this point in Boundless. You read it and didn’t care – I didn’t and somehow cared that I didn’t read it… Makes sense lol?=
But in the end, if it’s a beloved series or author it’s easy to feel like we need to read everything from them!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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I HATE novellas. I’m sorry, but to me they just seem like a way to make more money. I’ve only ever read one (Destroy Me), and that was because I was doing a read-along with friends. I don’t understand why they can’t just include that info in the main story if it’s so important. And they are definitely not worth two dollars. Obviously they work well from a business perspective, but as a reader, I do not view them very positively.
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*giggles* Thanks for starting your comment of so strong!! And I perfectly and totally agreee, they are a promotional element that is getting explored and we have to pay for it..
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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It depends. If they are about characters that I like and would like to see more of (Liv & Roar, for example) then I like them and will read them. I know what happens isn’t vital to the story but it’s just something fun to read while you wait for the next book. So I guess I’m on team yay. If it’s about the main character or something, then I don’t really see the point of them — like you said, if it was vital that info should be in the actual novel. But if it’s a side character (particularly when the original plot line is in first person) then how else are we going to learn about that character? I’m eager about the Something Strage & Deadly by Susan Dennard novella that’s coming out about Daniel. I really like him and would like to see how he came to be. It’s not vital to the story, and there’s been hints to it, but I kind of feel like it’s an opportunity to see them from a different way.
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You are right we should discriminate a little more about what is really the point of the story. If it gets you a different characters POV or a sidestory which the author really wants to tell then.. it feels like original work I might be tempted to buy it.
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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Sign me up on the side of NAY. I’m cheap, so I’m certainly not going to spend that much money on a not even full book when I can buy and entire used book for that price at a library sale. Or swap a book for the cost of postage, which is little more than they’re charging for those e-novellas. And that’s the thing, they’re e-books, which means they’re not even tangible books.
So, no. I’m kind of interesting in reading the stories, but more if they’re either offered for free or as an add-on to a full-length book (which, I know, defeats the very valid purpose of maintaining interest until the next publication in the series, and making the author money).
So, no, they’re just not worth it for me.
Small Review recently posted..Book Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee
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Haha.. welcome in Team NAY! There are really lost of us in this tema! I feel like the best option would be to offer them free or 50 cents – that would feel fair to me.
But yes mostly I just do not care to spend 1.99 for a novella just to keep me hooked! nope!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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Yes, 50 cents or free and I’d be a lot more inclined to read it. Hm, thinking on it more, I think these novellas actually have the opposite effect and make me less inclined to want to read the next full book in the series. I’m not going to pay the asking price, so automatically now there’s something that was published and I missed it.
So now I feel like I’ve missed part of the story that I have no chance of experiencing and I’m less inclined to care about continuing on with the series now that I’m missing pieces.
It’s kind of like missing an episode or two of a tv series and then losing interest because I know I’ve missed part of the story.
Small Review recently posted..DNF Explanation: Cinders & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed
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I read TONS of novellas and always have. I adore anthologies and many times that is where you get the best price rather than buying just the 1 story. Also they are a great way to be introduced to a new to you author or series. That is why they usually have 1 big name author and a few lesser knowns. I also have noticed that many authors offer the novella as freebies to fans through FB, newsletter promos or as an enticement to enter a contest. Like, every entrant wins, you get a free novella and the chance to win the big prize. I am pleased that they are becoming more widely distributed although the prices are often silly especially since there are almost always freebies…
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OH Vanessa – I totally forgot Anthologies! And.. here I admit I have never ever read a single anthology.. UGH! I know I suck!!
Also, it makes me happy to hear you love them so much.
I actually like the idea of offering contests or Novellas only for Facbook Likes or something! This is a smart move!
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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No anthologies? Goshers you are totally missing out. I have to list some I recommend now….
My Zombie Valentine by Katie MacAlister, Angie Fox, Lisa Cach and Marianne Mancusi
My #1 recommendation. All solid authors, and my fave ever novella in an anthology is Gentlemen Prefer Voodoo by Angie Fox.
Try Mysteria, Mysteria Nights, and Mysteria Lane… the first has the funniest story with a former demon and a female pastor….
Also any anthology with Debbie Macomber or JD Robb.
Any of the “big fat” series or the “mammoth book of” series of anthologies, goodness, there are just sooooo many that I love. I actually keep a spreadsheet and have several shelves dedicated to anthologies. To get the complete story in many series you absolutely have to get the novellas. The best way to do that is in the anthologies where you get other stories you will like because they revolve around a theme. Plus, you get to read new to you authors… and feed the addiction 😉
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Big nay. Aside from the money aspect, if it’s not important enough to put in an actual novel, I don’t care. It’s just filler.
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Yep Kristin *nods head* exactly my thoughts! Why do I need to bother if these are no valid additions to the novel? And … why even pay for it..
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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I have mixed feelings about novellas. I’m with you, I don’t really get it when they consist of nothing more than a deleted scene–in that case, I think they’re better as freebies or extras. As such, I also agree that many of them are over-priced and not necessarily worth the money or time.
I think novellas work best when you get a somewhat complete story and/or new perspective that you wouldn’t have gotten otherwise–like Tod’s story in REAPER, the Soul Screamers novella. It revealed a major origin thing that changed how you look at him and his brother, and the fact that he kept it a secret for so long was amazing. And it wouldn’t have really fit, in that way, if it had been inserted in the books. That was a novella I was happy to have spent my dollars and time on.
Great discussion post!
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Thanks Wendy!!
And.. I love the point you made about the perspective of the Novella. Tod’s Story is a perfect point – but there are others like Elixir!
But, still often I feel somehow used as these novellas are only there to keep me hooked on a series and are there to tease me. For these, I do not care to spend my money.
Danny recently posted..In My Mailbox – Series Starting and Ending
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As an author, I can definitely understand this trend. As a reader, though … I’ll admit I haven’t read any prequel or “miquel” novellas! As you said, I think that if something was truly important to the story, it would be in one of the main novels, so I hope that I’m not missing anything major by not reading the novellas!
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Theoretically I should like this to trend, because when I like a series, I want to read EVERYTHING I can get my hands on. But I’m not a fan of short stories, so novellas don’t usually do it for me. To be honest, I haven’t read all that many, but I just am kinda meh towards them. Like you, I tend to think that if the content in the novella is important enough, it would just be in the book.
I also agree that they’re usually overpriced. I’d rather save a few more bucks and buy a book.
I think I’ve read more indie novellas than traditionally published ones. I like those better for some reason. Maybe because they are a complete story, rather than a deleted scene or the like.
Leeanna @ Leeanna.me recently posted..Book Review: Black Feathers (Black Dawn #1) by Joseph D’Lacey
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Ok I don’t generally buy the single novellas. If they are in a anthology or if they release a set of their own short stories then I’ll buy it. But I think the single novella price is a rip off as you said. I mean come ON! I bought the sets from Faith Hunter and Kelley Armstrong becvause Kelley uses the proceeds for charity and because Faith gives you more than just ONE novella. So I’d have to say NO I don’t like the trend. I have enough full length books I want to read that I don’t want to worry about keeping up to date and track of these silly little side stories.
pabkins recently posted..Review: Black Feathers (Black Dawn #1) by Joseph D’Lacey
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I don’t read many novellas. Mostly because I have way too many other books to read and I find it hard to decide if I even enjoy them. Usually I find them way too short and they don’t keep me interested. And like you, I feel like if it were THAT important, the author would have included it in the full length novel.
But then you have books like Boundless that *heavily* allude to a novella and you feel like you have to spend extra money to have a complete reading experience. That is a bit unfair to the consumer. I appreciate the fact that they are there for fans that can’t wait for the next book, but unfair to those that don’t want to shell out extra money.
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Your way of thinking is not at all strange! I’m totally with you. I understand the point of novellas, but I’m not interested in purchasing them to read. Like you, I feel if it was important enough, the author would have included it in the novel. Besides, there are so many other books I’d prefer to spend reading. Also, I’d rather save my $1.99 and apply it toward a future novel instead of splurging on a novella. $1.99 doesn’t seem expensive, but all those novellas add up!
Jackie recently posted..Book Report: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
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I actually love novellas. They’re quick and easy reads with characters you already know and love. I also like that they’re usually from a different POV then the main story (a la Destroy Me). As an author it allows us to give insight into characters that we couldn’t or wouldn’t be able to normally do in the course of a normal length YA novel, especially if you have characters that are particularly long-lived.
heather recently posted..Teaser: Inhale, Exhale by Sarah M. Ross
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Nay for me! I usually steer clear of novellas altogether because I find them pointless. I read Daimon (Covenant), Mila 2.0 Origins, and Shadows (Lux), and I feel like none of them were even relevant and I didn’t really care about them at all.
The ONE exception to this (the only one I’ve found so far) is Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi. I only read it because someone told me it would make me Team Warner – and I thought PFFFT YEAH RIGHT, he’s an asshole – and they were actually right! It’s probably the most important novella ever written!
Other than that, I agree with you that they are priced too high. I don’t ever get novellas unless they’re free…
Jessi @ Auntie Spinelli Reads recently posted..Review: Taken by Erin Bowman
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