The Nebula Awards are given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) for the best science fiction or fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year. The award has been described as one of "the most important of the American science fiction awards" and "the science-fiction and fantasy equivalent" of the Emmy Awards. The Nebula Award for Best Short Story is given each year for science fiction or fantasy short stories published in English or translated into English and released in the United States or on the internet during the previous calendar year. A work of fiction is defined by the organization as a short story if it is less than 7,500 words; awards are also given out for pieces of longer lengths in the novel, novella, and novelette categories. The Nebula Award for Best Short Story has been awarded annually since 1966.