: Re: Should I self-publish my novella on Amazon or try my luck getting publishers? I have completed my novellas first draft which is 32k words long. For all the reasons, I was doing research as

@Kristi637

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Unfortunately, the word count of your work means that traditional publishers will not be interested. Even well-established authors like Stephen King publish their novella-length work only as part of larger collections, not as stand-alone works. Also unfortunately, a self-published novella by an unknown author will vanish without a trace on Amazon, unless you just so happen to be an amazing self-promoter.

Does this mean there's no hope for your book or for your writing career? No, you have many options:

Make it shorter or cut it up. Maybe, with some great editing, you could cut away all the flab and carve a really solid, impressive short story out of this (around 7500 words or less). Maybe you could even get two or more out of it. Short stories have many potential markets, and are often a better way for a new writer to break into the market.
Make it longer, or combine it with something else. Maybe this could be expanded into a full-length novel. Or, if not, maybe you could write another novella --particularly if they are related --and try to sell them together. There are many successful books that are essentially two or more related novellas packaged together, and Stephen King's noted collection Different Seasons contained three (unrelated) novellas that each became blockbuster movies.
Change the format. Maybe your story would make a great screenplay, or script for a graphic novel, both of which are much shorter than the typical novel in terms of written material.
Target a younger audience. If your book is appropriate for children, sell it as a children's novel. These are sometimes the same length as adult novels, but can often be considerably shorter. Would the same storyline work if you made the protagonist a child or a teenager?
Chalk this one up as a learning experience. We all think we're going to be that one person who writes an eternal bestseller on the first time out of the gate --that was certainly my expectation. But that's not most people's experience. I have several completed, unpublished novels. I'm not sorry I wrote them, but by this point, I'm glad they never made it out into the world with my name on them.
Build a reputation. Self-publishing can work --if people know who you are. Conversely, if you have a good reputation, publishers will take a chance on projects they would turn down from an unknown. So how do you become known? Write a lot.

Becoming known as a great short-story writer first has been the avenue towards novels for many authors, particularly in science fiction.
There's a book called Write. Publish. Repeat. that shows how just being prolific can lead to reliable success in self-publishing.
Many writers have gone onto success after honing their skills and building a fan-base by participating frequently in fan-fiction writing communities.
If you write a lot, you'll become a better writer, and more in control of your craft. That, in turn, may expand your options on what to do with your existing novella.

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