How Many Words in a Novel The ULTIMATE Guide To Novel Length

How Many Words in a Novel The ULTIMATE Guide To Novel Length How Long Should Your Novel Be? Our Editors Have the Answers With NaNoWriMo around the corner, many authors are gearing up to weave worlds, characters, and stories into novels with their words. But†¦ how many words does a novel make? And when it comes to creating art, just how important is it to stick to the rules - such as standard word counts?Well, if your goal is to publish and sell your novel, those rules are pretty darn important. As with many publishing standards, word count guidelines exist for a number of reasons - including marketing and sales - but also to help create stories that are free from plot or pacing issues that can exhaust readers. You wouldn’t be reading this article right now if a quick scroll down showed an apparent 10,000 words, would you?Why does word count matter?â€Å"Word count limits sometimes seem as though they are stifling artistic flow, but they are usually there for a reason,† says Freelance Editor Lisa Howard.If you’re hoping to land a book deal with a traditional publisher, you d on’t want to give an editor a reason to turn your book away. That’s why Freelance Editor Jessica Hatch urges you to follow their rules. â€Å"In the New York agencies I worked for, it was rare to see a 120,000-word manuscript avoid the slush pile. This is because we were groomed to understand that, even if a long manuscript is strong from start to finish, it would take considerable work to convince an editor to buy it at auction.† To bend or not to bend the rulesWe said it already, but it's worth repeating: authors should not underestimate the value of staying within standard word counts. Editors in traditional publishing houses believe that it’s easier to market books that meet genre expectations, and if you’re hunting for a book deal or for an agent, you want to eliminate any reason for them to push your manuscript to the side.This sentiment acknowledged, these days self-publishing has given authors the ability to play around with the rules. A good example of this is is John McCrae’s (aka Wildbow’s) novel, Worm, which was published as a web serial and is 1.75 million words long. And - in the vein of four-letter titles that start with â€Å"W† - there’s Hugh Howey’s Wool, which was originally self-published as a series of e-novellas.While sticking to standard word counts is definitely important from a sales or marketing standpoint, a greater pool of publishin g options means that writers do not need to view â€Å"the rules† as entirely rigid and unbendable - especially when going against the grain ultimately serves the story. As Kelly Lydick, advises, â€Å"Adhering to standard word counts can be important - but even more important than that is the telling of a good story. Even better - a great story.†What are your thoughts on publishing standards, such as word counts? Share your thoughts in the comments below.