# How long is my book? A reference card

From "How many words are in a novel?" by the Feldar team:
https://feldar.com/guides/how-many-words-in-a-novel

Free to use, copy and change. Figures checked November 6, 2026.
Ranges are what agents and editors say they expect for a debut,
not rules. Sources are listed at the end.


## My book

Genre:
Target range for the genre (from the table below):
Target I am aiming for:
Words so far:
Words to go:
Words a day:
Days to finish (words to go / words a day):


## Story categories (SFWA Nebula rules)

Short story:  under 7,500 words
Novelette:    7,500 to 17,499 words
Novella:      17,500 to 39,999 words
Novel:        40,000 words or more


## Typical debut lengths by genre

Literary fiction:        80,000 to 95,000
Commercial fiction:      80,000 to 100,000
Mystery and thriller:    80,000 to 90,000
Contemporary romance:    70,000 to 90,000
Historical romance:      80,000 to 100,000
Series romance:          50,000 to 75,000 (each Harlequin line sets its own)
Fantasy:                 90,000 to 120,000
Science fiction:         90,000 to 110,000
Romantasy:               90,000 to 110,000
Horror:                  80,000 to 89,999
Young adult:             60,000 to 80,000
Middle grade:            40,000 to 60,000
Western:                 50,000 to 80,000


## Words to pages and hours

Manuscript pages:  words / 250
Paperback pages:   words / 350 to words / 250
Reading time:      words / 260 minutes
Audiobook:         words / 155 minutes

   Words    Manuscript   Paperback     Reading    Audiobook
  50,000       200        143 to 200   3 h 12 m    5 h 23 m
  80,000       320        229 to 320   5 h 8 m     8 h 36 m
 100,000       400        286 to 400   6 h 25 m   10 h 45 m
 120,000       480        343 to 480   7 h 42 m   12 h 54 m


## Planning to length

Target words / chapters = words a chapter
Words a chapter / scenes a chapter = words a scene

Example: 85,000 words in 28 chapters is about 3,000 words a chapter;
three scenes a chapter is about 1,000 words a scene.


## Sources

SFWA Nebula Awards rules: https://nebulas.sfwa.org/about-the-nebulas/nebula-rules/
The Manuscript Academy, with agent Noelle Falcis Math (2026):
https://manuscriptacademy.com/word-count-by-genre-literary-agents-2026
Writer's Digest, Chuck Sambuchino:
https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/word-count-for-novels-and-childrens-books-the-definitive-post
Write for Harlequin: https://www.writeforharlequin.com/what-is-harlequin-series/