Both authors and readers think about how many words are in a novel. There is no specific number. This depends on your content. Readers have certain expectations for book length based on the genre. It’s best to be aware of those.
If you don’t know these expectations, you can damage your chances of attracting your audience. Editors and experts at publishing houses know the industry standards very well. These standards look at the word counts for each genre. If they come across books that don’t meet them, they’ll reject the book.
You want to avoid your book from being one of them. You make sure that you have the knowledge required about these criteria. Before you start stressing over this, don’t worry! Our experts will walk you through each of these standards in-depth as you read on.
Now, if book length matters significantly, how do we measure it? Books vary in size and spacing. So, the page count isn’t reliable. This is why we focus on the word count. You’ve used writing software, like:
- MS Word
- Grammarly
- Scrivener
- Ulysses
These have built-in word count tools. They let you set a target word count to help track daily progress.
So, let’s see how word count and page count words. After that, you’ll better understand book lengths.
How Many Words Is A Book?
The average novel word count for your first book should be between:
- 80000 and 100000 words
These numbers aren’t perfect. Some experts say the lowest word count for a book is forty thousand words. Others will say that it’s fifty thousand. This can be confusing for authors. You need to be careful of one thing: these standards are set by genre.
If your novel is fictional, don’t go above a hundred and ten thousand words. There are exceptions. But they’re uncommon. Try to keep your book as short as possible.
110,000 words sounds like a lot of words. You might not have the time to write this much. You might want to fasten the writing process. For this, you can use expert services.
How Many Words Are In The Average Book?
You know that word count depends on the genre. You might be thinking about the average word count for a novel based on specific genres. Here’s how we can break this down:
- Thriller
- Science Fiction
- Romance
- Historical Fiction
- Nonfiction
Let’s explore these:
1. Thriller
Thriller novels are supposed to enchant readers. A good suspenseful thriller keeps the story moving. You can’t have breaks. So, keep your novel at seventy thousand to ninety thousand words. This way, you’ll meet the standard.
2. Science Fiction
Science fiction is all about world-building. It takes longer because you need to create an entirely new environment. So, you need to write more words. The length of a fantasy book is:
90,000 to 120,000 words
3. Romance
Romantic stories are short and sweet. Readers don’t like it when the romance is stretched out. A good romance novel word count is fifty thousand words. If you want to add more, you can take it to a hundred thousand words.
4. Historical Fiction
Historical fiction needs to be fact-checked. You have to explain things in detail because of historical context. This also needs a higher word count. So, these types of novels go up to 100,000 words.
5. Nonfiction
Nonfiction is an umbrella term. It has a lot of sub-genres. These can be divided into more categories. There is no fixed word count for nonfiction books. You can search for books similar to yours to see their length.
You need to remember that these are estimated words for each genre. You don’t have to precisely follow them. Your story’s length depends on how you want to write it. You can use this to have an idea of the words you have to write.
How Many Words In A Novel?
How many words is in the average book?
There are varying answers:
- The average word count is 70,000 to 100,000
- Aim for at least 50,000 words to meet the minimum length for a novel
- The max word count is 100,000 to 140,000
How Long Does It Take To Read 500 Words?
You can read 500 words in one hour. This is when you’re reading at three hundred words per minute (wpm). But this isn’t a definite number. Some people read faster. Your individual reading speed can affect this.
Adults can read at three hundred words per minute. However, this changes because of:
- The type of book they’re reading
- Their purpose in reading
If they enjoy the text, they will read it quickly. If they’re reading something technical, it will take longer.
How Many Words Per Page In A Book?
So, how many pages are in a novel? There’s no definite value. The page count of a book depends on the words on every page. This can’t be standardized. There’s no “average book length” of a published novel. The page size, margins, breaks, and font of every novel are different.
How Many Words Are On A Page In A Book?
The number of words on a page can differ. Here’s what you need to understand:
- Single-spaced manuscript, 12-point font = 500 words per page (can vary based on the structure of the book)
Now, you want to know how many pages your book will have. That’s possible. You can divide your goal word count by 500. This is the average number of words on one page. This will give you a basic idea of the manuscript’s thickness.
How Long Does It Take To Read A 300 Page Book?
You can read 300 pages in eight hours. This is if we assume the reading speed is 300 wpm. Some people can finish 300 words faster, while others may take longer because they have a lesser reading speed.
Why Is Word Count So Important?
Many new authors concern themselves with the question, “How many words are in a book?” Why is that? Why does word count matter?
While there are no specific rules for word count, some criteria must be fulfilled to ensure that your book is a success. This is mostly true if you’re going for traditional publishing as a first-time author. You need to keep track of how many words the first draft of your manuscript has.
There are three main reasons for this:
- Marketability
- Cost
- Readers’ Expectations
Let’s explore this in detail.
1. Marketability
It is a known fact in the industry that traditional publishers and agencies don’t prefer lengthy books, especially for new writers. You should keep your book at the ideal word count based on your specific genre so it’s desirable by agencies and easier to market.
2. Cost
Printing is a huge cost in book publishing. Lengthier books have more pages, which means more printing and a bigger book size.
3. Readers’ Expectations
Audiences expect a specific story length and page count, so an unknown author can draw in more readers by sticking to the desired word count range.
When Should You Think About Word Count?
You should not think about word count while you’re writing because this is the time to materialize all of your ideas in your first draft. First drafts are usually much longer than published books, so while you’re working on it, don’t give a second thought to word count.
So, when do you worry about it? When you’re ready to pitch your book idea to publishers. You need to pay attention to the number of words in your manuscript. High word count is a red flag for publishing houses. So, steer clear of higher word counts to avoid rejection. This might seem unfair. Your book is being judged before reading. But think of it this way: you’d do the same in a different scenario.
Experience is above everything in publishing. Traditional publishers look for seasoned writers. If you’re new, you won’t get away with things like overlooking standards. This is how publishing houses work. Show them that you know the unspoken rules of the industry by keeping your manuscript within the recommended word count. They’ll think that you have more experience and pick you.
That’s exactly how publishing houses work. If you show them that you know the unspoken rules of the industry by keeping your manuscript within the recommended word count, they’ll think that you have more expertise and pick you.
What If Your Book Is Too Long or Too Short?
This is a common issue for writers. But you can solve this with revisions. Writers tend to get into a trance and string out words for hours. It’s good to have all your ideas in one place. But you can’t leave it like that. This makes your first draft. You have to go back and refine it. Revisions don’t mean that your manuscript is ‘wrong.’ Editing is normal in book writing.
Don’t focus on word or page count for your first draft. You can always take out unwanted sentences when you reread your work. Think of your first draft as a blob of clay. You slowly carve it into shapes, and then you chip away the excess to reach the final masterpiece. If you want perfection, you need to edit.
Characteristics of a Quality Book
You know that word count depends on book type. You also don’t want to compromise the quality of the text. So, let’s look at the features of a good book:
- A Hook
- Solid Plot
- Language and Tone
- Relatable Characters
- A Good Ending
Let’s see what these mean.
1. A Hook
This might be a cliché. But you need to write something that people don’t want to put down. You need to add a hook that grips the reader. They should want to reread your words. You can add a plot twist or character arc that blows people’s minds.
2. Solid Plot
Readers don’t want to flip through pages and have them not make sense. You need to create a plot that flows like a river. People shouldn’t have to stop and think about what just happened. They should instantly understand your work.
You can work on this while you’re editing. If you see any plot holes, fix them.
3. Language and Tone
A good plot is important. But your book won’t sell if it’s written poorly. You need to use language that compliments the story. For example, you can’t add heavy descriptions in self-help books because the audience isn’t looking for that.
4. Relatable Characters
One thing that sells a book is relatability. Readers want to see themselves in the characters of your book. You can write about someone perfect. Add flaws and mistakes so your readers can resonate with them.
5. A Good Ending
When you wrap a present, you finish it off by tying it with a pretty bow. The bow is your ending. You can go two ways:
- Leave it open to interpretation
- Resolve everything in a neatly
You might not want to go through tedious editing and revisions. You don’t have to! You can hire someone else to do it. Many authors do this so they have more time to think about their plotline.
All you have to do is explain your ideas, and experienced professionals at companies like Maven Ghostwriters will give you a finished product that is ready for publishing.
Our team of experts will help you in:
- Writing
- Editing
- Publishing
So, you can have a book that follows your vision and makes you happy.
If you want to hire us, contact us, and good luck!
Frequently Asked Questions
How many words should a good book have?
A good book’s word count depends on the genre:
- A fiction book has 70,000 to 90,000 words
- Non-fiction books have 50,000 to 70,000 words.
But these numbers can easily change. This is based on the type of book you write. The word count will be more if you’re world-building.
How many words are in 300 pages?
A 300-page book has about 75,000 to 90,000 words. This can change because of:
- Formatting
- Font size
- Page layout
If there’s:
- Too much spacing
- Small paragraphs
- Smaller page size
The word count will reduce significantly.
Is 50,000 words okay for a book?
Yes. 50,000 words is the minimum word count of a full-length book. This word count is ideal for certain genres, like;
- Young adult fiction
- Shorter novels
