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Novel word count by genre: is yours the right length?
Enter your word count and genre to see where your manuscript sits against the ranges agents cite, how far you are from the target, and the full table for every genre.
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Where your book sits
On the short side, probably fine
On the short side, probably fine
Fantasy: this is under the target but inside the range most agents accept. If the story feels complete, you can query at this length.
- Target range
- 100,000 to 115,000 words
- Accepted range
- 90,000 to 124,000 words
- To reach the target
- Add about 5,000 words
About 380 manuscript pages, at 250 words a page.
Word count by genre
| Genre | Target range | Accepted range |
|---|---|---|
| Literary fiction | 80,000 to 89,999 words | 70,000 to 109,999 words |
| Commercial or upmarket fiction | 80,000 to 89,999 words | 70,000 to 109,999 words |
| Romance | 80,000 to 89,999 words | 70,000 to 109,999 words |
| Mystery | 80,000 to 89,999 words | 70,000 to 109,999 words |
| Thriller | 80,000 to 89,999 words | 70,000 to 109,999 words |
| Horror | 80,000 to 89,999 words | 70,000 to 109,999 words |
| Science fiction | 100,000 to 115,000 words | 90,000 to 124,000 words |
| Fantasy | 100,000 to 115,000 words | 90,000 to 124,000 words |
| Young adult | 55,000 to 79,999 words | 47,000 to 89,999 words |
| Middle grade | 20,000 to 55,000 words | 20,000 to 55,000 words |
| Memoir | 80,000 to 89,999 words | 70,000 to 99,999 words |
Ranges from Chuck Sambuchino, Writer's Digest (2016), checked October 15, 2026. Agents and publishers vary, and their own guidelines come first. Read the source
Novel word count by genre at a glance
Agents usually look for 80,000 to 89,999 words in an adult novel. Science fiction and fantasy run longer, young adult and middle grade run shorter, and memoir sits with adult fiction. The table above gives the target and the accepted range for each genre.
The numbers come from Chuck Sambuchino's guide for Writer's Digest (2016), one of the most cited references on the subject. An agent's own guidelines always come first.
Why agents care about word count
Word count is one of the first numbers an agent reads in a query letter. A manuscript far outside its genre's range tells them the book will be expensive to produce or hard to sell, before they have read a page.
Length also says something about editing. A very long draft often still has scenes that repeat each other, or two books' worth of story. A very short one may be missing a subplot or the depth readers of the genre expect.
Debut authors and established authors
The ranges matter most for a first book. An established author with loyal readers can publish a 150,000-word fantasy. A debut at that length is a much harder sell, and few agents make the exception.
If your book is far outside the range, the safest move is to revise toward it before you query, not to hope the story is strong enough to override it.
How to cut 10,000 to 20,000 words
Cut from the top down: whole scenes first, then paragraphs, then lines. Trimming sentences alone rarely saves more than a few thousand words.
- List every scene with its purpose. Cut or merge any scene that does not change the situation.
- Merge characters who do the same job in the story.
- Start chapters later and end them earlier.
- Cut backstory and explanation the reader can work out alone.
- Trim repeated beats, like a third argument that makes the same point as the first two.
- Last, tighten sentences: filler words, stacked adjectives, extra dialogue tags.
If your novel is too short
Before you pad, check whether the story is missing something readers of the genre expect.
- A subplot that tests the main character from a different direction.
- Room for the turning points, which often need more space than the first draft gave them.
- Setting and texture, especially in fantasy, science fiction and historical fiction.
- The aftermath of big moments, where characters react and decide what to do next.
How to check your word count
- Microsoft Word: the word count shows in the status bar at the bottom. Click it for details.
- Google Docs: open Tools, then Word count, or press Ctrl+Shift+C (Cmd+Shift+C on a Mac).
- Scrivener: open the Project menu, then Statistics (Project Statistics in some versions).
- In a query letter, round to the nearest thousand: 87,450 words becomes 87,000.
Run it on the whole manuscript
These tools read a sample. StoryWith AI reads the whole book: structure, pacing, continuity, and a readiness score with every issue linked to its passage. Start free, then upgrade when you're ready to analyze the whole book.
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- Book Synopsis TemplateA one-page synopsis in five parts, with a word budget for each and a full example that gives away the ending.
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- Story Bible TemplateOne document for every character, place, rule and date in your book, with notes for a series.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many words is a novel?
For an adult novel, agents usually look for 80,000 to 89,999 words, and about 70,000 to 109,999 is generally acceptable, depending on the genre.
How long should a fantasy novel be?
For a debut, 100,000 to 115,000 words is the usual target, with 90,000 to 124,000 accepted. Science fiction is the same.
How long is a young adult novel?
55,000 to 79,999 words is the typical range. The 80,000s can work with a good reason, and fantasy and science fiction YA often run longer.
How long is a middle grade novel?
20,000 to 55,000 words. Upper middle grade sits at the long end, around 40,000 to 55,000.
How long should a romance or a thriller be?
Both sit with adult fiction: 80,000 to 89,999 words is the target, and 70,000 to 109,999 is usually accepted.
Is 120,000 words too long for a debut?
For most genres, yes: it is above the range agents accept for a first novel. For science fiction and fantasy it is on the long side but still inside the accepted range, which runs to about 124,000.
Where do these numbers come from?
From Chuck Sambuchino's guide for Writer's Digest (2016). Ranges shift a little from agent to agent, so read each agent's guidelines before you query.