Figuring out how many words should be in a novel is one of those questions that sounds simple until you try to answer it.

Technically, a novel starts at around 40,000 words. But that number doesn’t tell you much by itself. A 42,000-word romance might feel lean and fast. A 42,000-word epic fantasy might feel underdeveloped. A 120,000-word fantasy novel might be perfectly normal, while a 120,000-word debut thriller could make an agent nervous before they even read the first page.

That’s why word count is less about hitting one magic number and more about knowing what readers in your genre already expect.

Nobody wants to feel like their story is being squeezed into a spreadsheet. And if you’re in the middle of drafting, worrying too much about word count can make the whole thing feel mechanical. But ignoring it completely can create problems later, especially if you’re trying to publish traditionally, price the book correctly, or make sure readers feel like they’re getting the kind of book they came for.

The length of your novel can affect how agents look at it, how readers judge it, how much it costs to produce, and whether it feels satisfying for the genre you’re writing in. Not because every book has to follow the average exactly, but because averages give you a useful gut check.

That’s the real value of word count. It won’t tell you whether your book is good, but it can tell you whether the length makes sense for the kind of book you’re writing.

Why is word count important?

Word counts are helpful guidelines that can improve your book’s chances of being read. Here are the top 3 reasons that your novel word count is important:

1. A novel’s word count can make or break book deals. If you are an author seeking a traditional publishing route, you know that literary agents see copious amounts of manuscripts, and competition is fierce. Just one misstep can put you out of the running. Even a high-quality manuscript will be passed over if it’s twice the expected word count. Though there are no hard and fast rules, traditional publishers usually won’t take on the first novel with over 100,000 words from a new author.
2. Word count can affect readers’ impressions. Readers tend to be experts in the genres they love. They’ve read dozens of their favorite types of novels, and they have expectations when they look up your title. If your book doesn’t fit their expectations for length, whether too long or too short, they might pass it over.
3. The number of words often determines how much your book costs. Novellas, which typically contain under 40,000 words, are usually sold at a lower price point than a full-fledged novel.

Your word count affects the opinion of both publishing houses and readers, not to mention establishing your price point.

However, the broad category of novels is full of sub-genres, so it’s essential to know exactly what word count is best for your book.

Speaking of manuscripts, I’m a big fan of Scrivener after reviewing it myself, and I even have a discount for you if you want to use it for writing your novel.

Word Count: Novel vs. Novella

One commonly asked question: Are 40,000 words enough for a novel? 40,000 words are usually not enough for a novel. The average book needs to be around 50,000 words to be considered marketable. This may be disheartening for authors of shorter works.

However, there are other genres available for books with a lower word count range. Let’s take a look at categories of books that contain fewer than 40,000 words.

• Novel: 40,000+ words (though you’re better off above 50,000 words)
• Novella: 17,500-40,000 words
• Novelette: 7,500-20,000 words
• Short story: 1,000-10,000 words
• Flash fiction: 1-1,000 words

There’s a market for shorter books, but you can help your pitch by using the proper term for your manuscript’s length.

Word Count: Adult vs. Young Adult

The reader’s age is a pivotal factor to consider when determining the best word count for your novel. Conventionally, the younger the audience, the shorter the recommended length.

Here are the best word counts for a YA novel to children’s books:

• Adult fiction: 50,000+ words
• Young adult: 45,000+ words, but ideally not over 80,000 words
• Middle grade: 22,000+ words, usually not more than 60,000 words
• First chapter book: from 5,000+ words up to about 20,000 words
• Early reader: 1,000+ words
• Picture book: 250–750 words
• Board book: 25–200 words

It’s important to meet your reader where they are developmentally and in terms of attention span with your novel word count and content. Remember your audience.

via GIPHY

No matter the age you’re writing for, you can benefit from some of our favorite book writing tools here at Kindlepreneur.

How long are novels by genre?

As we’ve seen, the genre of a novel can determine its length. Sci-fi novels top out at 377,000 words, while short stories live up to their name, averaging 30,000 words.

How many words is a typical novel? A typical novel is around 90,000 words. For reference, the average non-fiction book is only 50,000-75,000.

Though some authors far exceed this estimate, like J.K. Rowling or George R. R. Martin, their colossal fanbases predated their lengthiest works.

For a first book, it’s best to stay around the ideal word count for specific genres.

The books in the following graphic came from both publishing houses and self-published authors on Amazon. The data were averaged based on Amazon's Top 100 Best-selling books in each genre.

To keep the average novel word counts accurate, outlier books, box sets, anthologies, and omnibuses were removed. Blue segments represent 25% of the genre, and the orange section signifies 50% of the books in each category.

The number of words in novels from the top 15 Amazon Kindle categories, according to our extensive in-house research, were:

• Fantasy: 109,000 words on average (range 27,000-318,000)
• Historical fiction: 102,000 words on average (range 6,000 to 223,000)
• Horror: 102,000 words on average (range 19,000-377,000)
• Genre fiction: 99,000 words on average (range 6,000-221,000)
• Literary fiction: 98,000 words on average (range 58,000-163,000)
• Science fiction: 98,000 words on average (range 11,000-377,000)
• Action/adventure: 96,000 words on average (range 16,000-299,000)
• Contemporary fiction: 96,000 words on average (range 33,000-196,000)
• Women’s fiction: 94,000 words on average (range 6,000-163,000)
• Mystery/thriller/suspense: 91,000 words on average (range 14,000-196,000)
• Romance: 91,000 words on average (range 19,000-194,000)
• Crime fiction: 89,000 words on average (range 24,000-180,000)
• Religious fiction: 75,000 words on average (range 13,000-161,000)
• Erotica: 58,000 words on average (range 5,000-157,000)
• Short stories: 30,000 words on average (range 4,000-101,000)

What are the key takeaways?

Here are the key takeaways of what this data can mean for your novel length:

• While a book only needs 40,000 words to make the threshold for a novel, Best-selling authors are writing closer to 90,000 words on average. Readers might expect yours to fit that mold as well.
• Fantasy, historical fiction, and horror novels are about 15% longer than other genres.
• In one case, a fantasy book was in the top 25 best sellers with approximately 42,000 words (less than half of the average length for this category). Word count matters, but rules can still be broken!

Don’t treat these numbers like commandments, though.

Nobody from the Word Count Police is going to show up at your door because your fantasy novel is 96,000 words instead of 109,000.

But the numbers are still useful. They give you a sense of what readers in each genre are already used to. They also help you catch problems you might not notice when you’re deep in the manuscript.

If most books in your genre are landing around 90,000 words and yours is 42,000, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s bad. But it probably does mean you should ask a few questions. Is the story fully developed? Are the characters getting enough room? Are you rushing through scenes that need more weight?

Same thing in the other direction. If your debut novel is 180,000 words, maybe you really do have a big, sprawling story that needs that much space. Or maybe you have three side plots, twelve extra characters, and a few chapters that are mostly there because you had fun writing them.

That’s why I like using word count as a warning light, not a stop sign.

If you’re close to the average for your genre, great. You’re probably in the range readers expect. If you’re way under or way over, don’t panic. Just take a closer look and make sure there’s a real reason for it.

Sometimes there is. Some stories need to be longer. Some work better when they’re short and sharp. And once you have an audience, you can usually get away with more because readers already trust you.

But if this is your first book, staying somewhere near the expected range makes your job easier. It gives agents, publishers, and readers one less reason to hesitate.

So use the chart as a gut check. Compare your draft to the average. Look at the full range. Then ask the only question that really matters:

Does this book feel like the right length for the story you’re telling?

How do I increase my word count?

If, after seeing all of this data, you are looking for actionable ways to increase your word count, here are some of the most effective tips:

• Send your mental editor on a short vacation. Write your whole first draft out and edit later. Not only will this increase your word count, but it will also keep you in the creative headspace instead of stopping mid-sentence from fixing a minor detail. Your book will be longer before you know it!
• Bring in a fresh face. Are there any new characters with opposing goals to your main characters that you could add to your story? What other obstacles could your hero overcome?
• Write adventures, not explanations. Are there any summaries or detailed descriptions that you “told” that you could “show” instead? Allow the reader to infer your point for themselves through action instead of spelling it out for them in a few sentences. You can learn more about outlining a story here.

As you increase your word count, let your imagination flow.

You can always go back and remove superfluous sections later.

How do I decrease my word count?

If you suddenly realize your book is twice the length you need, here are some questions and suggestions to consider:

1. Look for non-essential scenes, characters, or subplots that can be removed from your story. A great guiding question: Does this add something essential to my novel?
2. Are there characters or scenes that accomplish the same goal? Most readers don’t need you to spell things out twice.
3. Cut to the chase. Do you start your book scenes in the middle of the action, or are there long descriptions leading up to it? If you feel the need to explain every scene, try removing it and catching the character in the thick of things.
4. Cut unnecessary adverbs or adjectives, and don’t be afraid of contractions. If you find your writing is full of adverbs and adjectives, you may want to find more striking word choices. Instead of a “very graceful and pretty,” could your character be “enchanting?” Did your character “move quickly,” or did they lunge? You don’t need more words to be descriptive, just clear ones.
5. Learn your habits. Do you always preface dialogue with a lengthy description of the surrounding countryside? Do you start all your chapters with the inner monologue of each character? Noticing your natural tendencies can help you to edit yourself.

Though editing down your longer novel can feel tedious or even painful, remember the old Oscar Wilde quote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Your book will be better for this process.

If you’re looking for tools to help you edit, we’ve tested and reviewed dozens of editing, outlining, and formatting tools, so you don’t have to.

How many words per page are in a novel?

Now that you know how many words should be in your book, you’re likely wondering how many words per page are in a novel?

The formatting and page count of a book varies, but it’s common to fit 250-300 words per page in a novel. The exact number per page is determined by the dialogue, spacing, and typeface you’ve chosen.

How many words does a 300-page book have? A 300-page book contains about 100,000 words when printed. The number of pages can also vary based on the size of the font.

Formatting your book can feel overwhelming, which is why Kindlepreneur users prefer Atticus.

Want even more ideas and details? Kindlepreneur has an in-depth video on the right number of words per page for your book. Check it out below.

So, how many words should my novel be?

Using the charts above, you should now be able to pinpoint a more precise range for the length of your novel. We’ve also gotten your creative juices flowing on how to add to, or edit down, your manuscript.

If you’re searching for more inspiration to write and edit your novel, check out one of these related articles, or take a look around the Kindlepreneur blog:

• A Hands On ProWritingAid Review (After Using It For 10 Years)
• 6 Best Book Writing Software Options for Authors
• Writing a Book for Beginners: A Simple 4-Step Roadmap

It's worth noting that some books find success in multiple genres. I'd encourage you to write with your ideal readers in mind and simply enjoy any success your book happens to find in non-target genres.

With excellent writing, the right length, and an understanding of readers’ expectations, you’ll hopefully join one of these best-seller lists soon. Good luck, and happy writing!