Summary of "Novel Word Count Guide (YA, Fantasy, Thriller, Romance & more)"
Summary of “Novel Word Count Guide (YA, Fantasy, Thriller, Romance & more)”
Main Ideas and Concepts
Importance of Word Count for Debut Authors
Word count is a critical factor for debut authors seeking traditional publishing. Industry conventions exist for different genres and categories, and deviating from these norms usually leads to rejection by agents.
Difference Between Debut and Established Authors
Established authors (e.g., George R.R. Martin) can write longer books because their sales justify the higher printing costs and shelf space. Debut authors rarely get exceptions and must adhere to standard word count ranges.
Why Word Count Matters
- Printing costs increase exponentially after about 400 pages (~100,000 words).
- Longer books take up more bookstore shelf space, limiting the number of copies stocked.
- Debut authors represent a higher risk to publishers and bookstores, so shorter, more marketable books are preferred.
- Many genres demand fast pacing and tight storytelling, which shorter word counts support.
Common Misconceptions
- Comparing debut novels to famous classics or bestselling outliers is misleading because publishing norms have changed drastically.
- Readers in genres like thriller, romance, and children’s literature expect shorter, tighter books.
- References to long books like Harry Potter’s later volumes ignore that early books in the series were much shorter.
Minimum Word Counts and Definitions
- Short stories, novellas, and novels differ primarily by length.
- Novels generally start at 40,000–50,000 words, but 50,000 is often too short for many genres.
- Works under 30,000 words are usually novellas or short stories, not novels.
Maximum Word Counts and Red Flags
- For debut authors, 100,000 words is the ideal maximum; 120,000 words is a high ceiling with risk.
- Word counts above 120,000 often trigger red flags indicating poor editing, filler content, or lack of genre knowledge.
- Very low word counts can also be problematic, suggesting insufficient story complexity.
Genre-Specific Word Count Guidelines
The video presents two lists: Nathan Bransford’s general word count targets and the speaker’s more detailed breakdown for middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) fiction.
Nathan Bransford’s Word Count Targets
- Chapter books/lower MG: 5,000 – 20,000 words
- Fantasy: 80,000 – 120,000 words
- General fiction: 75,000 – 200,000 words
- Historical fiction: 80,000 – 120,000 words
- Literary fiction: 50,000 – 220,000 words
- MG: 30,000 – 60,000 words
- Mystery: 75,000 – 90,000 words
- Novella: 20,000 – 40,000 words
- Romance: 50,000 – 90,000 words
- Sci-fi: 90,000 – 120,000 words
- Thrillers: 80,000 – 100,000 words
- YA: 60,000 – 80,000 words
Speaker’s Detailed MG and YA Breakdown
- MG realistic: 30,000 – 50,000 words
- MG speculative (sci-fi/fantasy): 40,000 – 60,000 words
- YA contemporary: 60,000 – 80,000 words
- YA speculative: 70,000 – 100,000 words (up to 120,000 with risk)
- YA thrillers: 70,000 – 90,000 words
Examples of Debut Published Books and Their Word Counts
- Speaker’s own YA sci-fi debut: ~99,800 words (published at 95,000)
- YA thriller debut: 77,000 words (published at 83,000)
- YA fantasy Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan: 97,000 words
- Adult fantasy Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence: 81,000 words
- Adult fantasy The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden: 103,000 words
- Adult romance Beach Read: 96,000 words
- Adult romance The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: 99,000 words
- Adult thriller Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney: 83,000 words
- Adult thriller The Escape Room by Megan Goldin: 93,000 words
- YA thriller One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus: 93,000 words
Final Advice
- Aim for 70,000 to 100,000 words for your debut novel.
- Research your genre and category conventions carefully.
- Edit ruthlessly to meet word count expectations; you can always add content later if you sell.
- Write a strong query letter and first pages to prove your writing quality.
- Don’t rely on exceptions; most debut authors must follow these guidelines to succeed.
Methodology / Instructions for Aspiring Authors
- Understand the difference between debut and established author word count expectations.
- Avoid comparing your debut to famous or classic long novels.
- Know your genre’s word count norms and target them closely.
- Minimum novel length is roughly 40,000–50,000 words, but varies by genre.
- Maximum word count for debut is usually 100,000 words; 120,000 is a risky upper limit.
- Edit thoroughly to remove filler and tighten pacing, especially if your manuscript is over the ideal word count.
- Prepare a strong query letter and sample pages to demonstrate your writing quality.
- Use resources like Nathan Bransford’s list, Jennifer Lofrin’s guide (linked in video), and readinglength.com for reference.
- Be cautious about exceptions; proving you are an exception requires exceptional writing and query skills.
- Remember physical publishing constraints: printing costs and bookstore shelf space impact word count preferences.
Speakers / Sources Featured
- Alexa Dunn (main speaker and author of the video)
- Nathan Bransford (source of general word count list)
- Jennifer Lofrin (author of a 2011 word count guide referenced)
- Various authors mentioned for debut book examples:
- Emily Duncan (Wicked Saints)
- Mark Lawrence (Prince of Thorns)
- Katherine Arden (The Bear and the Nightingale)
- Sally Thorne (The Hating Game)
- Alice Feeney (Sometimes I Lie)
- Megan Goldin (The Escape Room)
- Karen McManus (One of Us Is Lying)
Category
Educational
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