This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner and by How.com.vn staff writer, Devin McSween. Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing.
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As you’re strolling through the library, an interesting book catches your eye. When you inspect the shiny cover, you see “A novel” printed underneath the title. You know you have a book in your hand, so what’s the need to specify that it’s a novel? If you’ve been wondering how books and novels are different, we’re here to tell you how. We’ll go over the main differences between books and novels and tell you more about what each one is. Read on to learn more!
Things You Should Know
- A novel is a type of book written in sentences, or prose, while books are a general term for bound pieces of paper containing text or illustrations.
- Books are either fiction, describing made-up stories, or non-fiction, containing facts. Novels are always fictional narratives following a plot, characters, and theme.
- Novels are typically no less than 40,000 words long, while books have no set length.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Tips
References
- ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/book
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/art/novel
- ↑ https://guides.library.ucla.edu/content-types/books
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/art/novel
- ↑ https://guides.library.illinoisstate.edu/comparetypes/typesofbooks
- ↑ https://lithub.com/what-exactly-do-we-mean-by-a-book/
- ↑ https://www.ignitedinkwriting.com/ignite-your-ink-blog-for-writers/whats-the-difference-between-a-novel-novella-and-short-story-and-why-should-you-care/2021
- ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/author
- ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/novelist
- ↑ https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-a-novel.htm
- ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/chapter/3-2-history-of-books/
- ↑ https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-a-novel.htm
- ↑ https://www.ignitedinkwriting.com/ignite-your-ink-blog-for-writers/whats-the-difference-between-a-novel-novella-and-short-story-and-why-should-you-care/2021
- ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/mediaandculture/chapter/3-2-history-of-books/
- ↑ https://openpress.universityofgalway.ie/guide/chapter/what-is-in-a-book/
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