How Long Should Your Novel Be? A Guide to Word Counts by Genre

Figuring out the right length for your novel is a huge deal, whether you're aiming for a traditional publishing deal or planning to self-publish. The word count of your novel can affect everything from reader expectations and marketing to production costs and whether it will even sell. It's a skill every serious author needs to master.

Novel word counts vary a lot by genre and audience. It's a strategic choice that balances your story with what readers and publishers expect.

The length of your novel impacts the entire publishing journey. Agents and editors use it as a first-pass filter. Publishers use it to calculate printing costs and set a retail price. Readers use it to decide if they have the time and energy to commit to your story.

Different genres have their own unwritten rules about word count, shaped by years of reader habits and publishing realities. Understanding these conventions will help you write a novel that fits the market while still being true to your creative vision.

This guide will break down the word count expectations for different genres and age groups, and give you some strategic advice for making your novel the perfect length for success.

Why Word Count Matters in Publishing

The length of your novel has real-world business implications that go beyond just telling a good story.

The Economics of a Novel

Word count directly affects how much it costs to produce a book, which is a big deal for publishers.

Production Costs: Longer books mean more paper, ink, and higher printing costs. This eats into the publisher's profit margin and can affect the book's final price.

Shipping and Storage: Heavier books are more expensive to ship and store. This is a logistical headache that publishers have to consider.

Retail Price: Readers expect to pay more for a longer book, but there's a limit. Publishers have to find a sweet spot where the price is fair for the length but still profitable.

Shelf Space: Physical bookstores have limited space. A shorter book is an easier sell for them because they can stock more copies.

What Readers Expect

Readers have subconscious expectations about how long a book in a certain genre should be.

Time Commitment: A long book is a big time investment. Readers will weigh whether they're ready to commit to a 500-page epic or if they'd prefer something they can finish in a weekend.

Perceived Value: Some readers feel a longer book gives them more bang for their buck. Others prefer shorter, punchier stories that fit into their busy lives.

Genre Conventions: If you're writing a cozy mystery, readers will expect a certain length. If you're writing an epic fantasy, they'll expect something much longer. Deviating too much from these expectations can be jarring.

What Agents and Editors Want

For traditional publishing, your word count is one of the first things an agent or editor will look at.

The Query Letter: Most agents ask for your word count in your query letter. If it's way outside the norm for your genre, they might pass on it without reading a single page.

Submission Guidelines: Publishers often have specific word count ranges for different genres. Submitting something outside that range is a tough sell.

The Editor's Workload: Editors are busy. A shorter, tighter manuscript is often more appealing because it means a faster and easier editing process.

The publishing industry, reader expectations, and agent preferences all play a role in determining the ideal length for your novel. It's a balance between your creative vision and the realities of the market.

Adult Commercial Fiction

This is the biggest slice of the fiction market, and it has some pretty established word count conventions.

Mainstream Commercial Fiction (80,000-89,999 words)

This is the sweet spot for most commercial adult fiction. It's long enough for a complex plot and deep characters, but not so long that it scares off casual readers.

Why this range works: According to Writer's Digest, this is the "good range you should be aiming for." It's what publishers like to see because it's cost-effective to produce and what readers are used to.

Genres that fit here:

Contemporary fiction
Thrillers
Horror
Romance
Mysteries
Commercially-appealing literary fiction

What it looks like: A novel in this range is usually about 300-350 pages, which feels like a substantial read without being a huge commitment.

Longer Commercial Fiction (90,000-109,999 words)

Some stories just need more room to breathe.

When it's okay to go longer:

Multi-generational family sagas
Stories with a large cast of characters
Historical fiction with a lot of period detail
Complex psychological thrillers
Literary fiction with a commercial hook

A word of caution: If your book is on the longer side, it has to be really good. You're asking for a bigger time commitment from the reader, so the payoff has to be worth it.

Genre Fiction

Different genres have their own word count expectations.

Fantasy and Science Fiction (100,000-115,000 words)

These genres often need a higher word count for world-building.

Why they're longer: You're not just telling a story; you're creating an entire world with its own rules, cultures, and history. That takes space.

Epic Storytelling: Fantasy and sci-fi often have epic plots with multiple characters and high stakes, which requires a longer format.

Reader Expectations: Fans of these genres are often looking for an immersive experience and are happy to dive into a long book.

The Exceptions: Some epic fantasy series, like George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire," have books that are over 350,000 words. But for a debut author, it's best to stick closer to the guidelines.

Mystery and Crime Fiction (70,000-90,000 words)

Mysteries need to be tightly paced to keep the reader guessing.

Pacing is Key: The word count needs to be managed carefully to maintain suspense. You need enough space to lay out the clues and red herrings, but not so much that the story drags.

Focus on Plot: Many mysteries feature a recurring detective, so the character development can happen over the course of a series. This allows individual books to be more plot-focused.

Subgenre Variations:

Cozy mysteries are often shorter (60,000-75,000 words).
Police procedurals might be a bit longer (80,000-95,000 words) to include realistic detail.
Psychological mysteries can also be longer (85,000-100,000 words) to allow for deep character exploration.

Romance (50,000-90,000 words)

The word count for a romance novel can vary a lot depending on the subgenre.

Category Romance (50,000-60,000 words): These are the traditional, shorter romances that focus almost exclusively on the relationship between the two main characters.

Contemporary Romance (75,000-85,000 words): These novels have more room for subplots, secondary characters, and external conflicts.

Historical Romance (80,000-90,000 words): The historical setting requires extra word count for period detail and context.

Paranormal and Fantasy Romance (80,000-100,000 words): These have the same world-building needs as fantasy novels, which means a higher word count.

Age-Specific Markets

The age of your target reader has a huge impact on the ideal length of your novel.

Young Adult (YA) (55,000-79,999 words)

YA novels need to be sophisticated enough to tackle complex themes but accessible enough for teenage readers.

Attention Spans: Teenagers are busy. They have school, friends, and a million other things competing for their attention. A book that can be read in a reasonable amount of time is more appealing.

Emotional Intensity: YA often deals with intense emotions and big life changes. The word count needs to be long enough to explore these themes without being overwhelming.

Subgenre Variations:

YA contemporary is usually on the shorter end (55,000-70,000 words).
YA fantasy and sci-fi can be longer (75,000-90,000 words) to accommodate world-building.

Middle Grade (MG) (20,000-50,000 words)

Middle grade novels are for readers aged 8-12, and the length reflects their developing reading skills.

Developing Readers: MG readers are building their reading stamina. The length needs to be challenging but not intimidating.

Age-Appropriate Content: The stories deal with themes like friendship, family, and school in a way that's appropriate for this age group.

Classroom Use: Many MG novels are read in school, so the length needs to be manageable for a classroom setting.

Specialized Categories

Some types of novels play by their own rules.

Literary Fiction (80,000-100,000 words)

Literary fiction has more flexibility with word count because it's more focused on art than commerce.

Art Over Market: Literary novels prioritize language, theme, and character over fitting into a neat commercial box. This can mean more experimental lengths and structures.

Critical Acclaim: Critics and award committees are often more open to ambitious, longer works that serve a clear artistic purpose.

The Novella (20,000-50,000 words)

The novella is a tricky format to sell in traditional publishing, but it has its own unique strengths.

The Publishing Challenge: Novellas are often too short to be sold as standalone books and too long for most magazines. Digital publishing has opened up more opportunities for this format.

The Artistic Advantage: The novella allows for a tight, focused narrative that can explore a single idea with an intensity that's hard to achieve in a full-length novel.

Different age groups and specialized genres have their own word count conventions. Success depends on understanding your target audience.

International Considerations

Word count expectations can vary from country to country.

International Publishing

European Markets: Readers in some European countries are more open to longer, more literary works.

Asian Markets: Publishing traditions in Asia can have different expectations for length.

Translation Costs: The length of a novel affects how much it costs to translate, which can impact its chances of being published in another language.

Digital Publishing

E-books have changed the game, but length still matters.

Flexibility: E-books don't have the same physical constraints as print books, which allows for more experimentation with length.

Serialization: Digital platforms make it easy to release a story in serialized installments, which can be a good fit for certain cultural preferences.

How to Manage Your Word Count

Successful authors are strategic about their word count from the very beginning.

Planning and Outlining

Chapter Structure: Think about how many chapters you want and how long each one should be. Most commercial novels have 15-25 chapters, with each chapter being around 3,000-6,000 words.

Plot Complexity: Is your plot simple enough to be told effectively within your target word count?

Character Development: Allocate enough space for your main characters to grow and change.

World-Building: If you're writing fantasy or sci-fi, budget a significant portion of your word count for world-building.

Revision and Editing

Editing is where you can really tighten up your word count.

Evaluate Every Scene: Does this scene move the plot forward, develop a character, or reveal an important theme? If not, it might need to be cut.

Trim Your Subplots: Are all your subplots essential to the main story?

Tighten Your Dialogue: Cut out unnecessary chatter and make every word count.

Balance Description and Exposition: Give your reader just enough information to understand the world and the story, but don't overdo it.

Tools to Help

Modern writing software can help you manage your word count.

Word Count Trackers: Use a tool like Word Counter to keep an eye on your progress.

Chapter Analysis: Monitor the length of each chapter to ensure consistent pacing.

Specialized Software: Programs like Scrivener can help you organize your novel and track your word count by scene and chapter.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the word count conventions for your genre is a crucial part of being a professional author. It's not about following a rigid set of rules; it's about making strategic decisions that will give your story the best possible chance of success.

Remember, the story comes first. The most successful novels use their length to serve the narrative, not the other way around. Master these principles, and you'll be well on your way to writing a novel that will captivate agents, editors, and, most importantly, readers.