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When it comes to self publishing, determining the ideal length of a book is crucial, as it directly impacts reader engagement and marketability. Many students and aspiring authors often ask about the minimum or maximum word count, wondering if they can get by with a 50,000-word book or if a 150,000-word book is too long. While there are no strict rules, each genre has its own standards, usually ranging between 75,000-95,000 words.
Literary agents and publishers follow specific guidelines, and an unusually short or excessively long book might struggle to generate interest. Before finalizing your manuscript, it’s essential to do a search on what works best for your genre to ensure your publishing journey is smooth. The reasoning behind these recommendations is sound, as they help maintain a compelling narrative without unnecessary filler or overwhelming complexity.
Understanding Word Count Challenges
God knows I struggled to accept this frustrating reality when my own book didn’t fit within the acceptable range. During my journey to get my novel published, I obsessively searched every site about word count, hoping for some kind of reprieve. Back then, Amazon allowed users to see the word counts of other books, and I would endlessly search for shorter ones, convincing myself that my 60,000-word book was sufficient.
It wasn’t. Damn. It all felt so arbitrary, but years later, after yet another military move forced me to leave my teaching role at Rutgers, I started working with clients privately. The moment I began editing full-length books, everything suddenly made sense.
Word count can be a major red flag in publishing. The extremes are easy to spot—if a 12,000-word submission lands on my desk, I direct the writer to someone who edits short stories. On the other hand, if an aspiring author brings in a 400,000-word book, we need to have a serious discussion about the reality of binding, editing, and marketing a 1,600-page debut novel.
These wildly off manuscripts rarely make it past an agent or editor, often facing immediate rejection or complete ignorance. But what about the gray area? A mainstream fiction piece at 55,000 words or 115,000 words might not seem like an issue, yet with enough experience, I could often sense something off before even diving in. Shorter books frequently lacked proper development and failed to deliver a truly satisfying story arc.
From my perspective as an editor, it was part of my job to help clients revise their books to reach their full potential. But an agent doesn’t offer that kind of leeway. Many writers forget that agents invest years into an author’s book and only earn when the book sells well. Naturally, they prioritize manuscripts that are already near publishable quality—why wouldn’t they, when they receive countless pitches daily? With experience gained from reviewing thousands of manuscripts, agents know that writers with unusually low or high word counts often lack the expertise to craft a fully developed, satisfying story.
Don’t Worry If Your Book’s Word Count Is too Long or Too Short
Every writer struggles with word count at some point—some write short and need to flesh out their ideas, while others write long and must edit down and tighten their drafts. This is completely normal, and no one nails the first draft perfectly. The key is to celebrate your finished draft and then focus on improving it. Many bestselling authors, like Kristin Hannah, whose novel The Nightingale is 167,000 words, took years in publishing before gaining the experience to break the norms.
Typically, historical fiction stays within 100,000-120,000 words, and even seasoned writers like Kim Fay faced publishers rejecting her 50,000-word book, Love and Saffron: A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love, before it found a home at Penguin Random House. Similarly, Susan Minot’s Rapture, a 35,000-word novella, is rare in traditional publishing unless the debut author has an established name, like those who have written for The New Yorker. While exceptions exist, they are as rare as winning the Powerball, so rather than relying on rule-breaking, embrace revision and shape your book into a truly publishable work.
When Should You Start Worrying About Word Count?
In self-publishing, your first draft will likely be too long or too short, filled with plot holes, flat dialogue, or a predictable structure, and that’s perfectly normal—it’s what revision is for. However, when you’re pitching to agents, small publishers, or even preparing to publish on your own, your word count becomes crucial.
Industry professionals, including editors, view extreme word count deviations as a red flag because they indicate a lack of experience in meeting market expectations. Just as you wouldn’t hire an unproven contractor for a kitchen renovation, an agent is unlikely to gamble on a manuscript that doesn’t align with industry standards. The competition is fierce, and if your book doesn’t fit within expected norms, it might not stand a chance of getting published.
Is Word Count Even Important for Self Publishing?
When it comes to self-publishing, you are the boss, meaning you can publish a book of any length, whether it’s a 12,000-word essay or a 400,000-word tome. However, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Readers have certain expectations, and if your book doesn’t meet them, it might not perform well. Beyond print costs, a book’s length directly impacts its pacing and engagement.
Think of movies—while there are great three-hour movies, they’re usually made by experienced directors with well-known stars, not by new writers, producers, or an unknown team. Even films like Titanic had scenes that felt unnecessary, such as when characters repeatedly got stuck under the water level. Similarly, an overly long book needs to be edited and fleshed out properly to ensure a tightly-written, page turner that delivers the best reading experience without dragging.
What to Do When Your Book is Too Long
Many authors sigh when they realize their book is too lengthy, considering whether to split it into multiple parts. However, simply padding or trimming a too-short or excessive manuscript isn’t always the best solution. A novel or memoir requires a thorough, satisfying story arc, where the character faces obstacles and emerges a changed person by the end.
If it’s the first book in a series, the subsequent book must still stand on its own and follow a full journey rather than feeling like a random section of an incomplete story. In non-fiction, abruptly breaking off can be just as problematic—each book must have a clear theme, approach, or method, ensuring it delivers value rather than leaving the audience waiting. Whether restructuring a series or condensing ideas, refining the topic, tweaking the middle, or ensuring a complete arc is essential before publishing.
