Are novelettes shorter than short stories?

No, novelettes are actually longer than short stories. Here's a general breakdown of fiction lengths:

* Short Story: Usually 1,000 to 7,500 words.

* Novelette: Between 7,500 and 17,500 words.

* Novella: Between 17,500 and 40,000 words.

* Novel: Over 40,000 words.

So, a novelette is considered a longer piece of short fiction than a regular short story.