: Are Novellas marketable? I am thinking of writing a novella, but I am not sure whether it is marketable. I have a story in mind, but I'm trying to determine how best to publish a novella,

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Novellas and short stories don't sell well. Even short story collections with big names don't sell well. That is why publishing houses don't look out for novellas and short stories.

But:

this novella might be a good exercise and might help you grow as a writer
it might be a perfect marketing instrument. As you said: a sample work.
there might be another outlet. Maybe a genre magazine that also publishes novellas.
there is always self-publishing.
consider it as a free giveaway to 'get your name out there'.

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A novella may do better as a self-pub or a e-book than a trade paperback. Or you could write a few novellas and combine them into one larger format, like Stephen King did with Different Seasons. No way to tell until it's written and edited and you start shopping it around to agents, who will give you more market-relevant feedback.

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