One of the most common questions aspiring writers ask is: "How long should my novel be?" The answer depends heavily on your genre. Literary agents and publishers have clear expectations about word count, and submitting a manuscript that falls significantly outside the expected range can hurt your chances of getting published.
Here is a comprehensive guide to average novel word counts by genre, based on current publishing industry standards.
| Genre | Word Count Range | Sweet Spot |
|---|---|---|
| Literary Fiction | 80,000 - 100,000 | ~90,000 |
| Commercial/Mainstream Fiction | 80,000 - 100,000 | ~85,000 |
| Mystery/Crime | 70,000 - 90,000 | ~80,000 |
| Thriller/Suspense | 70,000 - 100,000 | ~85,000 |
| Romance | 70,000 - 100,000 | ~80,000 |
| Historical Fiction | 80,000 - 120,000 | ~95,000 |
| Science Fiction | 90,000 - 120,000 | ~100,000 |
| Fantasy | 90,000 - 150,000 | ~105,000 |
| Epic/High Fantasy | 100,000 - 180,000 | ~120,000 |
| Horror | 70,000 - 100,000 | ~80,000 |
| Young Adult (YA) | 50,000 - 80,000 | ~65,000 |
| Middle Grade | 20,000 - 55,000 | ~40,000 |
| Chapter Books (ages 6-9) | 5,000 - 15,000 | ~10,000 |
| Picture Books | 500 - 1,000 | ~700 |
| Memoir/Narrative Non-Fiction | 70,000 - 100,000 | ~85,000 |
| Self-Help | 40,000 - 70,000 | ~55,000 |
Fantasy and science fiction consistently have the highest word counts because of worldbuilding. When an author creates an entirely new world — with its own geography, politics, magic systems, and cultures — the story needs more space to establish the setting without overwhelming the reader. Readers of these genres expect and enjoy detailed worldbuilding.
Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings runs about 383,000 words. Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind is approximately 259,000 words. These are well above the "average" for the genre, but established authors have more flexibility than debut writers.
Mystery and thriller novels tend to be shorter because pacing is critical. Readers expect these books to move quickly, and every scene must contribute to the central mystery or escalating tension. Padding a thriller with unnecessary description kills the momentum. James Patterson's novels often fall in the 60,000-70,000 word range, and Lee Child's Jack Reacher books typically run 80,000-100,000 words.
Romance word counts have a wide range because the genre has many subgenres with different conventions. Category romance (Harlequin/Mills & Boon) runs as short as 50,000-55,000 words. Contemporary romance typically falls between 70,000 and 90,000 words. Historical romance tends to be longer at 80,000-100,000 words because of the period detail required.
YA novels target readers aged 12-18, and publishers prefer shorter, more accessible lengths. The 50,000-80,000 word range keeps books affordable (important for the school and library market) and prevents younger readers from being intimidated by page count. Notable exceptions exist — J.K. Rowling's later Harry Potter books far exceeded YA norms, but her established readership made this viable.
If you are writing your first novel and hoping to find a literary agent, word count matters more than you might think. Here are the practical guidelines:
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Debut literary fiction | Stay under 100,000 words. Agents are wary of long debut novels because they are expensive to produce. |
| Debut fantasy | Stay under 120,000 words. Even though the genre allows longer books, debut authors need to prove they can tell a tight story. |
| Under 50,000 words | This is novella territory. Most publishers do not accept novellas from debut authors unless submitted to specific imprints. |
| Over 120,000 words | Consider cutting. Very few agents will request a 150,000-word debut manuscript outside of fantasy. |
| Book | Genre | Word Count |
|---|---|---|
| The Great Gatsby | Literary Fiction | ~47,094 |
| To Kill a Mockingbird | Literary Fiction | ~100,388 |
| The Hunger Games | YA Sci-Fi | ~99,750 |
| Gone Girl | Thriller | ~145,719 |
| The Da Vinci Code | Thriller | ~138,952 |
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | Middle Grade/Fantasy | ~77,325 |
| The Hobbit | Fantasy | ~95,356 |
| Dune | Sci-Fi | ~187,240 |
| Pride and Prejudice | Romance/Literary | ~122,189 |
| The Girl on the Train | Thriller | ~98,780 |
Notice how many bestsellers fall outside their genre's "typical" range. Gone Girl and The Da Vinci Code are both significantly longer than the average thriller. The Great Gatsby is well below the standard for literary fiction. These exceptions prove that a compelling story can succeed at any length — but for debut authors, staying within the expected range eliminates one potential barrier.
If your manuscript is too short, resist the urge to pad it. Instead, consider adding subplot development, deeper character backstories, or additional scenes that raise the stakes. If your manuscript is too long, look for scenes that do not advance the plot or reveal character, cut redundant dialogue, and tighten your prose by eliminating unnecessary adverbs and adjectives.
A good rule of thumb: most chapters run 2,000-5,000 words, and most novels have 15-30 chapters. If your chapters are consistently under 2,000 words, your story might feel rushed. If they consistently exceed 6,000 words, you might be including too much in each scene.
Track your manuscript's word count as you write.
Try WordMeter's Free Word Counter →