Writing a novella can be an exciting journey for any writer, but it’s often misunderstood as just a “shorter novel.” In reality, a novella has unique requirements and offers distinct advantages. In this guide, we’ll delve into what makes a novella special, explore the specific structure and pacing novellas demand, and provide strategies to help you create a compelling story. Whether you’re exploring novellas as a standalone option or as a way to expand your writing repertoire, this guide offers the practical steps to get started.
Guidance for your writing journey
Your Advice for Writers resource articles.
Your Advice for Writers resource articles.
Writing a book comes with questions, challenges, and moments of doubt, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. The Advice for Writers resource articles break down the writing, publishing, and promotion process into clear, approachable guidance, so you can focus on telling your story with confidence.
Launching your book at the right time of the year can make a big difference in its success. Consider the seasonality of your book, competition, and media coverage when deciding on the best time to launch. And remember, there's no one-size-fits-all answer – what works for one book may not work for another. Ultimately, the most important thing is to have a great book that resonates with readers, no matter when it's launched.
Distribute your ebook through an aggregator that feeds OverDrive — such as Draft2Digital, Smashwords, or PublishDrive — and your print edition through IngramSpark. Libraries then order copies through those catalogs. You can’t upload directly to OverDrive as an individual, which is why an aggregator is required.
At Atmosphere Press, interior design is one of the final major steps before your book moves toward physical proofing and production. By this point, your manuscript has already moved through earlier editorial and preparation stages. Now, the focus shifts from the words themselves to how those words appear on the page.
Romantasy still sells, and BookTok creators broadly expect it to stay dominant through 2026. What’s changed is the supply side: the market is crowded, and there are signs that agents and editors are less hungry for new romantasy voices than they were two years ago. If you love the genre, write it—but write it knowing you’re entering a saturated field where “competent” no longer stands out.
Book rights are divisible, and many deals license print while the author retains ebook, audio, or foreign rights. Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl deal with Ace is a prominent recent example. Whether a publisher will agree to a split depends on your leverage and the specific contract.
Whether you're drafting your first romantasy or refining a manuscript already brimming with yearning and enchantments, you’ll find practical guidance here to help you blend heat, heart, and high-fantasy energy into one irresistible spell.
At Atmosphere Press, we offer four tiered hybrid publishing packages—Essential, Premium, Flagship, and Enterprise—designed to give authors everything they need to publish a high-quality book, reach readers worldwide, and retain full creative control.
For writers considering Atmosphere Press, Dossett’s experience offers a grounded example of what a strong publishing partnership can provide: professionalism, guidance, encouragement, and a path forward.
Stuck between first draft and finished masterpiece? Beta readers can bridge the gap. These unsung heroes provide fresh eyes, insightful feedback, and honest critique to take your story to the next level.