How many words should my novel have>

nooooo not between 20K and 40K.

between 40 and 80, usually.

I think it depends on what you are writing. Like most YA books in the fantasy/sci-fi genre tend to have...I'd estimate about 40,000 to 80,000 words. They're usually longer. Other YA novels like romance or coimg of age or a comedy would probably be....20,00 to 30,00 words. I think it depends on the genre though.

But once you edit, your word count will be a lot smaller then when you started out. So, I wouldn't stress it. Write your novel!

20-30 is too short. that's a novella.

Yeah. True. I think 40,000 to 80,000 is a good word count. But like I said, I think it depends. Some YA novels are only a hundred and so pages. I wouldn't call them novellas, but I'm pretty sure they have fewer then 80,000 words. I would say 35,000 to 45,000 at the most.

I say, write the novel to its finished, edit it until you think it's the best it can be and then see where you're at. My YA ms is currently 86.5k and I know it's going to fluctuate after various rounds of edits (scenes have to be added and taken out). If you're interested, its hhistorical fiction.

selenawemiss said:

I'm writing a young adult novel and I've been getting stressed out about getting to 80,000 words. I have 38,299 words in it so far (Still working on one chapter and I still have to edit). I have been taking a break from writing in a while to calm down but it's not working. I'm asking this because a web site said that a YA novel normally runs between 20,000 and 40,000 I believe. (It's my first BTW)

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They may have been talking about middle grade, which can run shorter.

A book is as long as it needs to be. No point stressing about word count before you get to the end.

Says me, stressing about her 102k which has no chance of coming in under 120k now.

scarletpeaches said:

A book is as long as it needs to be.

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Amen. Don't stress about the word count, it doesn't really mean anything. Just write your book and stop when it wants to end.

I am so happy to see this thread! My YA novel is 65k and I was really worried it was too short. Whew! Because I love it the way it is and I do not want to pad the story, it has a very brisk feel to it so the pages practically turn themselves.

ETA: The only problem is betas get really sucked into it and forget to critique it.

icerose said:

ETA: The only problem is betas get really sucked into it and forget to critique it.

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You call that A PROBLEM? Lol.

I have the opposite problem. My story is too long, at 95,000. I'm really trying to cut it to 80k because I think that's more acceptable.

Red.Ink.Rain said:

You call that A PROBLEM? Lol.

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Well the problem is I've burned through three betas with hardly anything changing and I just don't trust that my novel is "there" because well, I don't trust myself.

Hm...well, I'm a painfully cruel editor. If you still want a beta in a few weeks (I REALLY have to finish my WIP first) I can give it a look-see.

Red.Ink.Rain said:

Hm...well, I'm a painfully cruel editor. If you still want a beta in a few weeks (I REALLY have to finish my WIP first) I can give it a look-see.

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Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for. Let me know when you're done.

icerose said:

Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for. Let me know when you're done.

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'Kay. I've already got another two beta projects lined up, but since it's coming up on the end of the year I should have more time. If I haven't messaged you in two weeks or so, PM me just to check in.

FWIW, I was once told by a reputable agency that 65K was the outer limit for contemporary, straight YA (as opposed to SF/fantasy), with 39K to 49K being more in the norm. BUT, that's not to say I disagree with anyone; just passing along what I was told. Maybe that's the outer limit that this particular agent would accept, I don't know, but since she was the one in charge of pitching to editors, it seemed like a good idea to listen. *Caveat - that was for a first novel.

The folks who've said virtually any length is fine as long as it's a great book are ultimately right, I believe. A great book, short or long, will dash any purpose of fretting over word count, I'd think.

$0.02

I'm going to agreee with the others. It can be as long as it needs to be^_^.



~Sam

I aiming at the upper age end of YA. I worried about it being too long. Currently getting one last cut, not by me. I know it won't be under 126,000. Long for Fantasy YA but I'm happy with the 'long as it needs to be' thing. After I've been turned down by every agent in existance, then I'll think about slicing it in two.

Well this thread has reassured me quite a bit. I was aiming at 90k having been told that's a good length but feel like I could be half way through my story at 30k.

I'm reassured also, mine is 52K and as I browse Borders all the books in YA seemed a lot longer. I'll try to stop stressing about it now.

selenawemiss said:

I'm writing a young adult novel and I've been getting stressed out about getting to 80,000 words. I have 38,299 words in it so far (Still working on one chapter and I still have to edit). I have been taking a break from writing in a while to calm down but it's not working. I'm asking this because a web site said that a YA novel normally runs between 20,000 and 40,000 I believe. (It's my first BTW)

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So you're writing a novel huh?
Are you using Microsoft Word? That's where I'm typing my future novel, although I am having a few troubles with the plotting and stuff. Mine is called Fading Night, about two teenagers that turn ugly (like zombie ugly) at night, but at the sun light's touch become beautiful teenagers again. Then stuff happens...

What's your story about?

I'm coming in late on this, but - as long as it needs to be. And no, I’m not being flippant. I’ve seen people succeed with 45,000 word novels and 130,000 word novels. Just do what’s right for you and your story, and make each word count.

As everyone else has said, it can be as long as you need it to be.
I'm writing a YA fantasy novel, 48084 words into it. It's about 200 book pages so far.

Whoop!