A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction of novelette compared to other literary forms, like a novel, is usually based upon word count. The Hugo and Nebula awards for science fiction define the novelette as having a word count between seven thousand five hundred (7,500) and seventeen thousand five hundred (17,500) in length.

Other classifications of fiction based upon word count are:

• Novel: A work of 40,000 words or more.
• Novella: A work of at least 17,500 words but under 40,000 words.
• Novelette: A work of at least 7,500 words but under 17,500 words.
• Short story: A work of under 7,500 words.