<human>:  What is the difference between a novel and a short story?
<bot>: The main difference between a novel and a short story is the length of the story. Novels are typically longer than short stories, with most being around 50,000 to 100,000 words. A short story, on the other hand, is usually closer to 1,000 to 20,000 words. Novels tend to focus on a greater range of characters and settings than short stories, and may follow a complex plot with many events. Short stories usually focus on a single event with only a handful of characters, and may explore a single idea or emotion more deeply.