A novel is usually anything over 40,000 words, and most novels published for adults run between 70,000 and 100,000. That is the short answer. The longer one depends on what kind of book you are writing, who it is for, and whether it is your first.
The figures on this page are the rough ranges that agents, publishers and competitions most often quote. They are guides, not rules: plenty of good books sit outside them. But a first novel far outside the usual range for its kind is harder to place, so they are worth knowing before you set a goal.
Short stories, novellas and novels
| Form | Typical length in words |
|---|---|
| Flash fiction | Up to 1,000 |
| Short story | 1,000 to 7,500 |
| Novelette | 7,500 to 17,500 |
| Novella | 17,500 to 40,000 |
| Novel | Over 40,000 |
The boundaries most often used come from awards for science fiction and fantasy, and many magazines and competitions follow them. Others set their own limits, often 2,000 to 5,000 words for a short story, so always check the rules of the one you are entering.
Novels by genre
These are the ranges most often given for a first novel for adults. Established writers have more room.
| Genre | Typical length in words |
|---|---|
| Literary fiction | 70,000 to 100,000 |
| Crime, mystery and thrillers | 70,000 to 90,000 |
| Romance | 50,000 to 90,000 |
| Historical fiction | 80,000 to 110,000 |
| Science fiction and fantasy | 90,000 to 120,000 |
| Horror | 70,000 to 90,000 |
| Memoir | 70,000 to 90,000 |
Fantasy and science fiction run longer because the writer builds a world as well as telling a story. Romance has the widest range, because short romances published in series sit alongside long ones that stand alone.
Books for children and young people
| Kind of book | Typical length in words |
|---|---|
| Picture books | Under 1,000, often far fewer |
| First chapter books | 4,000 to 15,000 |
| Middle grade, for ages 8 to 12 | 30,000 to 55,000 |
| Young adult, for teenagers | 50,000 to 80,000 |
Why length matters
- Cost. A longer book costs more to edit, print and ship, so a publisher takes a bigger risk on a long first novel.
- Readers. Readers of each genre expect a certain kind of book. A 40,000-word fantasy can feel thin, and a 150,000-word thriller slow.
- Shape. Length is often a sign of something else. A draft far over the range may have scenes that can go. One far under may need its story to grow.
None of this should stop a first draft. Write the story, then see how long it is. Cutting a long draft is usually easier than stretching a short one.
How many pages is that?
A typical paperback has between 250 and 300 words on a page. So an 80,000-word novel fills roughly 270 to 320 pages, and a 50,000-word novel 170 to 200. The guide How many pages is 1,000 words? has a full table, with the time each length takes to read.
How long does it take to write?
It depends on how much you write each day. At 500 words a day, an 80,000-word draft takes 160 days, a little over five months. At 1,000 words a day it takes 80 days. Writing every day matters more than writing a lot, which is the idea behind a daily goal and a streak. See How many words should you write a day?.
Setting a word goal in Retroprose
Give your book a goal and watch it fill. In Retroprose:
- A word goal for each document. Press Ctrl+F8 (or Tools, Word goal) and type the goal, such as 80,000 for a novel in one document, or 4,000 for a chapter. A small bar and a percentage sit at the top of the screen, filling as you write, and the status line tells you when you reach it.
- An honest count. The count is the words in the document now, footnotes included. Markdown marks and link addresses do not count, and deleting words takes the count back down.
- A word count at any time. Tools, Word count gives the words in the document, and in the words you have chosen.
- A daily goal on your account page counts every word you type, in any document, with a streak of the days you reach it.
- Your words across every document are on the Writing stats screen Zip disk and hard disk editions, with the words you write each day and the hours you write them.
You can set a word goal now in the demo, with no account.