Yeah, Way Station 417 is going to be well over 20,000 words. In terms of labeling, I have landed in the most inconvenient zone. In terms of storytelling, I think this “novella” thing is a wonderful length. Some stories just aren’t suitable as something shorter or longer. They sit in that weird middle. This is one such story.
It’s funny how quickly things shift for a shorter story. My opinion of what it is and what to do with it changes multiple times a day, especially because with this particular story, the very reason I started it is to FEEL THAT ENERGY OF BURNING THROUGH IT.