How many words in a novel? Book lengths by genre
How many words in a novel, memoir or business book? Typical word counts by genre, what UK agents and publishers expect, and why length matters.
Most adult novels run between 70,000 and 100,000 words. Below 50,000 words, a book is usually called a novella. Above 120,000, agents and publishers start to worry about printing costs and reader commitment, unless you are writing fantasy.
Typical word counts by genre
These are the ranges most UK agents and publishers expect from a debut. Established authors have more freedom.
| Genre | Typical word count |
|---|---|
| Literary fiction | 70,000 to 100,000 |
| Crime and thriller | 70,000 to 90,000 |
| Romance | 50,000 to 90,000 |
| Historical fiction | 80,000 to 110,000 |
| Fantasy and science fiction | 90,000 to 120,000 |
| Young adult | 60,000 to 80,000 |
| Middle grade (ages 8 to 12) | 30,000 to 50,000 |
| Memoir | 60,000 to 90,000 |
| Business book | 40,000 to 60,000 |
| Self-help | 40,000 to 70,000 |
| Picture book | under 1,000 |
Why length matters
For traditional publishing, length signals that a writer understands their genre. A debut thriller of 160,000 words suggests it needs heavy editing. A literary novel of 45,000 words may be too slight to justify a hardback price.
For self-publishing, length affects printing cost and price. A longer paperback costs more to print, which squeezes your royalty or pushes up the cover price.
For readers, length is a promise. Crime readers expect pace. Fantasy readers expect immersion. Business readers expect to finish on a train journey or two.
How long does it take to write?
At 1,000 polished words a day, five days a week, a 80,000-word novel takes about four months to draft, before rewriting and editing. Most writers manage far less while working full time, which is why first novels often take years.
With a professional fiction ghostwriter, a full-length novel usually takes four to eight months, including outlining, drafting and revisions.
What about pages?
A typical paperback page holds about 250 to 300 words, so an 80,000-word novel runs to roughly 270 to 320 pages, depending on trim size, font and layout.
Should you hit an exact number?
No. Word counts are guides, not rules. A story should be as long as it needs to be and no longer. But if your draft is far outside the range for your genre, it is worth asking why. Too long often means subplots or scenes that do not earn their place. Too short often means scenes that are summarised rather than shown.
