A recent article in The Telegraph suggests that novellas will gain in popularity thanks to the invention of e-readers. I hope this will prove to be the case. I'm a big fan of shorter books - both as a reader and a writer. Most of my fiction for children and teenagers is between 19,000 to 30,000 words and I have great respect for anyone who can sustain a story for 100,000 words. However, I've read other articles that claim that readers much prefer to read longer novels, and indeed I have had this feedback myself from readers who have enjoyed my work but were disappointed it wasn't longer - which can be interpreted in both a positive and negative light. I suppose my ideas just don't (so far) lend themselves to a longer form.
One of the great aspects of indie publishing is not to be constrained by often prescriptive word lengths. And the rebel in me has always rejected the idea that a short story/novella/novel/blockbuster SHOULD be a specific word count. Why? Who says?
Shorter lengths definitely lend themselves well to the experience of reading on an e-reader. So, what do writers and readers think? Is less really more? Or is bigger, better?