Fiction Genres and Expected Word Count Ranges

These ranges show what agents and editors usually expect for adult fiction submissions, though they might vary slightly depending on the market or subgenre. For children’s or young adult genres, ranges differ, and we’ve marked those where applicable. These ranges serve as your guide—stick close to your genre to meet agent expectations, but don’t worry about a few thousand words if your story requires it.

1. Literary Fiction

– Range: 80,000–120,000 words

– Notes: Emphasizes character and prose; shorter works (70,000–80,000 words) can be suitable for debut novels, while epics may reach 150,000 words.

2. Commercial Fiction

– Range: 90,000–110,000 words

– Notes: Widely accessible; includes women’s fiction or general market novels, with flexibility depending on plot complexity.

3. Mystery

– Range: 70,000–90,000 words

– Notes: Cozy mysteries typically range from 70,000 to 80,000 words, while police procedurals or thrillers can extend up to 100,000.

4. Thriller

– Range: 90,000–100,000 words

– Notes: Fast-paced stories in legal or espionage subgenres can reach 120,000 words, but brevity remains essential for maintaining tension.

5. Crime Fiction

– Range: 80,000–100,000 words

– Notes: Overlaps with mystery/thriller; noir or epic crime sagas may extend to 110,000.

6. Romance

– Range: 70,000–100,000 words

– Notes: Category romance (e.g., Harlequin) targets 50,000–70,000 words; single-title romances typically reach 90,000–100,000 words.

7. Historical Fiction

– Range: 90,000–120,000 words

– Notes: Detailed settings justify higher counts; debut novels may aim for 100,000 to prevent overwhelm.

8. Fantasy

– Range: 90,000–120,000 words

– Notes: Epic fantasy (e.g., *Game of Thrones*) can go over 150,000 words, but first books usually stay under 120,000.

9. Science Fiction

– Range: 90,000–120,000 words

– Notes: Space operas or hard SF may extend to 150,000 words, but debuts are often more concise at 100,000.

10. Horror

– Range: 80,000–100,000 words

– Notes: Supernatural or psychological horror can extend to 120,000 words, but brevity improves suspense.

11. Young Adult (YA)

– Range: 50,000–80,000 words

– Notes: Upper YA or fantasy subgenres can reach 90,000 words; middle-grade (ages 8–12) typically ranges from 20,000 to 40,000 words.

12. Middle Grade (MG)

– Range: 20,000–40,000 words

– Notes: Chapter books (6–9) are 5,000–10,000 words; MG fantasy can reach 50,000 words.

13. Children’s Picture Books

– Range: 300–800 words

– Notes: The text is brief and targeted at ages 2–7, with illustrations conveying much of the story.

14. Erotic Fiction

– Range: 70,000–100,000 words

– Notes: Similar to romance but with explicit content; shorter novellas (40,000–60,000 words) are common.

15. Western

– Range: 70,000–90,000 words

– Notes: Traditional Westerns remain lean; modern blends can reach 100,000.

Additional Considerations

– Debut Novels: Agents often prefer shorter word counts (e.g., 80,000–90,000) for first-time authors to minimize risk, with exceptions for genre epics.

– Upper Limits: Manuscripts exceeding 120,000 words for adult or 90,000 words for YA may not be reviewed unless justified by genre or quality.

– Flexibility: Self-publishing allows for more options, but traditional publishing follows these standards for marketability.