A typical novel is 70,000-90,000 words (50,000-120,000 word range). Complete guide to novel word counts with Australian academic standards and tips.
Published: April 2026 | Last Updated: April 2026
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A typical novel is 70,000-90,000 words. The full range is 50,000-120,000 words depending on type, purpose, and requirements.
A standard novel is 70,000-90,000 words. Genre affects expectations: romance novels average 70,000-100,000 words, thrillers 70,000-90,000, fantasy/sci-fi 90,000-120,000+, and literary fiction 70,000-100,000. Young adult novels tend to be shorter at 50,000-80,000 words.
Use our free word counter tool to paste your novel text and instantly see your word count, character count, paragraph count, and estimated page count. It's the fastest way to ensure you're within your target range.
Paste your text into our free word counter tool to instantly count words, characters, sentences, paragraphs and pages.
Open Word CounterHow many words should a novel be?
A typical novel is 70,000-90,000 words. The acceptable range is 50,000-120,000 words, depending on the specific requirements, type, and purpose.
How many pages is a novel?
At the typical length of 70,000-90,000 words, a novel is approximately 560-720 pages double-spaced (12pt Times New Roman, standard margins).