How to distinguish between short story and novel?

The main difference is length. Short stories are shorter and often focus on one central event or idea. Novels have more room to develop characters and multiple plotlines.

You can also look at the complexity of the plot. Novels usually have multiple sub - plots and a large number of characters interacting in various ways. Novellas have a more streamlined plot, and short stories are often about a very simple, single plotline. For example, a novel might tell the story of a family over generations, a novella could be about a key event in a character's life, and a short story might just be about a character's brief encounter.

One way to distinguish them is by the length. If it's short and can be finished in a short time, like under an hour of reading, it's likely a short story. If it takes days or weeks to read, it's a long story. Another aspect is the complexity of the plot. A short story has a simple plot, while a long story has a more intricate one.

Well, look for the point where the story's tension is at its highest. It's often when the main character has to make a crucial decision or face a major challenge. The events leading up to it build up the suspense, and the climax is the explosion of that tension.

The distinction between long, medium, and short stories could usually be made from the following aspects: 1. Duration: Novellas are usually longer than short novels. Generally, novels with a length of less than 5 million are novellas. 2. Plot: Novellas usually contain more complicated plots that require a certain amount of narrative skills to present, while short stories focus more on the compact and concise plot. 3. Character Creation: The novella is more full in character creation and the character image is more three-dimensional, while the short story pays more attention to the emotional and psychological description of the character. 4. The theme of a novella is usually more complex and profound, including social reality, human nature, history, culture, and so on. On the other hand, short stories focused more on the presentation of emotions and plots. 5. Style: The style of a novella is more diverse and may involve different subjects such as reasoning, science fiction, love, history, fantasy, etc., while a short story focuses more on the plot and the emotions of the characters. It should be noted that different types of novels have different characteristics and requirements. The readers can choose the works that suit them according to their own preferences and reading needs.

A long novel was usually composed of multiple independent short stories. The plot was complex, there were many characters, and the scene was vast. It usually contained a lot of narrative language and discussion. In the process of writing, the author usually spends a lot of time and energy constructing the plot, shaping the characters and describing the scene. Therefore, the novel usually has distinct characters, profound theme and tense plot structure. A novella is usually composed of a series of short novels. Each short novel represents a story theme or plot line, but the plot and characters are relatively simple. Usually no more than 20 novels. A novella usually focuses on the continuity of the plot and the development of the story, and attempts to show a profound theme through the combination of multiple short novels. Short stories usually consist of a few short stories with relatively simple plots and characters, usually no more than six stories. Short stories usually emphasize the density of the plot and the conciseness of the story and attempt to show a theme or plot line through several stories.

In terms of length, a short story is generally much shorter, often no more than a few thousand words, while a novel can be tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of words long. Regarding complexity, a short story usually has a simple structure with fewer characters and plotlines. A novel is more complex, with multiple characters, sub - plots, and a more intricate narrative structure.

A story is often shorter and more straightforward. It usually focuses on a single plot or event and can be told simply. A novel, on the other hand, is more complex and longer. It has multiple sub - plots, more in - depth character development, and often explores various themes.

Well, the structure of a short story is typically concise. It doesn't have much room for digressions. It focuses on one main idea or event. The paragraphs are usually short and the whole story moves forward at a brisk pace. A novella, however, can afford to have a more complex structure. It might start with a prologue that sets the scene in a broader context. Then it has a main body with different parts that develop the story gradually. It can also have an epilogue. For instance, some novellas use flashbacks and flash - forwards within their structure, which is less common in short stories as short stories are more about immediate storytelling.

Look for specific formatting elements like margins, font size, and citation style. In MLA, margins are usually 1 inch on all sides, and the font is typically Times New Roman, size 12.