Reference
Novel word count by genre
Most adult novels land between 80,000 and 100,000 words. The useful answer is narrower than that and depends on what you are writing, so here is the table, then what the numbers actually mean.
Word count by genre
| Genre | Usual range | Aim for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle grade | 30,000–55,000 | 40,000 | Upper MG runs longer than younger MG. |
| Young adult | 55,000–80,000 | 70,000 | YA fantasy is forgiven up to about 100,000. |
| Literary fiction | 70,000–100,000 | 85,000 | Rewarded for precision, not length. |
| Commercial / upmarket | 80,000–100,000 | 90,000 | The safest debut range in the room. |
| Mystery / cozy mystery | 65,000–85,000 | 75,000 | Cozies sit at the short end. |
| Thriller / suspense | 80,000–100,000 | 90,000 | Pace matters more than page count. |
| Romance | 70,000–100,000 | 85,000 | Category romance is often 50,000–60,000. |
| Science fiction | 90,000–120,000 | 100,000 | Worldbuilding buys some room. |
| Fantasy | 90,000–120,000 | 100,000 | Epic fantasy goes higher; a debut rarely should. |
| Historical fiction | 90,000–120,000 | 100,000 | Research shows; restraint reads better. |
| Horror | 70,000–90,000 | 80,000 | Dread is hard to sustain past this. |
Ranges reflect what agents and publishers commonly ask for. They are conventions, not rules — but a debut is the worst manuscript to break them with, because length is the only thing an agent can measure before reading a word.
Novella, novelette, novel
| Form | Word count |
|---|---|
| Flash fiction | under 1,000 |
| Short story | 1,000–7,500 |
| Novelette | 7,500–17,500 |
| Novella | 17,500–40,000 |
| Novel | 40,000+ |
How long should a chapter be?
Between 1,500 and 5,000 words, and about 2,500 on average. That is a weaker guideline than the genre table, because chapter length is a pacing decision rather than a market expectation. What readers actually notice is variance without purpose: a book of even 3,000-word chapters with one 9,000-word chapter in the middle feels like a stall, unless that chapter earns it.
A short chapter accelerates. A long one settles in. Use both deliberately, and check the shape of the whole book rather than judging chapters one at a time.
Daily targets that survive contact
Working backwards from the table: at 500 words a day, a 90,000-word draft takes about six months. At 1,000 it takes three. The number that matters is not your best day, it is the number you will still hit on a bad one — a target you miss twice stops being a target.
Common questions
How long is a novel?
Anything over 40,000 words counts as a novel, but the commercial expectation is 80,000 to 100,000 for most adult fiction. Under 50,000 reads as a novella to a publisher regardless of what you call it.
How long is a novella?
Roughly 17,500 to 40,000 words. Below that it is a novelette, and above it publishers will treat it as a short novel.
How long should a chapter be?
Between 1,500 and 5,000 words, with 2,500 as a common average. Chapter length matters far less than consistency: a 4,000-word chapter beside an 800-word one is only a problem if the short one is not doing something deliberate.
Does word count matter for getting published?
For a debut, yes. Agents read length as a signal of craft: a 200,000-word first fantasy novel suggests it has not been cut, and a 45,000-word thriller suggests it is unfinished. An established author has far more room.
How many words should I write a day?
The number you will still hit on a bad day. 500 words daily finishes a 90,000-word draft in six months. Writers who set 2,000 and miss it usually write less than writers who set 500 and keep it.