The words “book” and “novel” are sometimes used interchangeably. But they actually mean different things. In this article, I’ll describe the differences between books and novels, and offer you a Story Weapon to get started on your first novel.
A book is any written work intended to inform, entertain, or inspire, while a novel is a specific type of book. They convey ideas and emotions through storytelling rather than direct instruction.
What classifies as a book?
The main thing to remember when defining books vs novels, is that a novel is always a book but not all books are novels. The term book is broad, while novel is specific.
A book refers to any written work created to communicate ideas, information, or experiences on various subjects.
In general, the purpose of a book is simply to expand the knowledge of its readers.
“As you read a book word by word and page by page, you participate in its creation, just as a cellist playing a Bach suite participates, note by note, in the creation, the coming-to-be, the existence, of the music. And, as you read and re-read, the book of course participates in the creation of you, your thoughts and feelings, the size and temper of your soul.”
– Ursula K. Le Guin
Books were originally defined as a bound, printed collection of writing, but that has expanded as the growth of technology opens up new forms of media. The term now includes things like e-books and audiobooks, and even interactive digital formats. What matters is not the medium so much as the intent to convey content to a reader or listener.
Because the category is so broad, books can serve many purposes. Some aim to inform, like textbooks, histories, or self-help guides. Others preserve knowledge, such as encyclopedias or reference manuals. Still others exist primarily for reflection or creativity, including poetry collections, journals, essays, and memoirs. Books can be any length, follow any structure, and focus on virtually any subject imaginable. Even a blank notebook technically qualifies as a book.
So where do we draw the line?
Novels are fiction
It all boils down to the content of the book itself. A novel is defined as a fictional narrative written to tell a complete story to entertain its readers.
These days, novels tend to be a minimum of 40,000 words but typically range from 50,000 – 100,000 words. Anything shorter than the minimum is in novella territory (which was the original form of novels before roughly the 17th-18th century).
Novels are designed not simply to transmit information, but to immerse readers in a narrative world that can be very similar to real life, or wildly plunge into the endless bounds of imagination, or fall somewhere in between.
“People wonder why the novel is the most popular form of literature; people wonder why it is read more than books of science or books of metaphysics. The reason is very simple; it is merely that the novel is more true than they are.”
– G.K. Chesterton
Novelists can absolutely educate their readers — just not like a textbook. The learning has to happen through the story itself. Novels traverse a range of different genres including fantasy, crime, sci-fi, or children’s books.
The purpose of many novels goes beyond just entertaining and tells a story to highlight a problem in society. They use the shortcomings of their characters and the actions they take throughout their dilemmas, to reveal a greater theme to their audience.
Novels differ from books by using unique structures of storytelling like character formation, plot, setting, dilemma, and theme. (Read more on the key elements of a novel here.) They typically aim to evoke an emotional response from their readers.
Now, to be clear, there are other books that tell a story and convey growth through their character’s development, like a Memoir, however, these are non-fiction in their nature.
The basic points to remember for novels are:
- They must be a fictional work
- They should be at least 40,000 words
- They must be driven by a narrative
Your story weapon: Advice for first-time novelists
Every first-time novelist learns the same quiet truth: the goal of the first draft is to get it down quickly; in around 90 days, or so.
Remember that writing is rewriting. Don’t write the polish until you have written the first draft!
There are 3 cardinal rules in writing your first draft.
- Don’t go back and rewrite or edit.
- Don’t concern yourself with the quality of your prose.
- Write every day if you can, so you don’t lose momentum.
“I believe the first draft of a book — even a long one — should take no more than three months… Any longer and — for me, at least — the story begins to take on an odd foreign feel.”
– Stephen King
Keep writing forward even when you feel unsure, confused, or convinced you’re doing it wrong. Your only job is to reach the end. You can’t fully understand your story until you’ve completed your first draft. And let it be messy. Expect gaps, contradictions, and loose threads. Resist the urge to fix them too soon.
Finishing that first draft changes everything. Once the story exists from beginning to end, however rough it may be, you’ll understand your story in a way you couldn’t have in any other way.
Join today! Get your first draft down quickly in my next 90-Day Novel workshop. It’s open to both novice and experienced writers.
