The recommended word count for crime novels is different from other genres. For crime novels, that 70,000 - 100,000 word range is common. Science - fiction novels can be all over the place in terms of length. Some short - form sci - fi can be as short as 30,000 - 40,000 words, while epic space operas can be well over 200,000 words. Literary fiction can also vary widely, but it often has a bit more leeway in terms of length compared to crime novels. It can be shorter if it's a very focused character study or much longer if it's a multi - generational saga.
Compared to some genres like short stories which are usually much shorter, often less than 10,000 words, crime novels are generally longer. While romance novels can have a wide range similar to crime novels, say from 50,000 - 100,000 words on average. Science - fiction and fantasy novels can be even longer on average, sometimes exceeding 100,000 words more often due to world - building requirements.
Compared to children's novels, adult novels generally have a higher word count. Children's novels are often shorter, usually around 20,000 - 50,000 words, while adult novels can be much longer as mentioned before. In contrast to young adult novels, which typically range from 50,000 - 80,000 words, adult novels often exceed this range, especially in more complex literary works.
Compared to adult literary fiction, popular YA novels tend to be shorter on average. While adult literary novels can often exceed 100,000 words and sometimes go up to 200,000 or more, YA novels usually stay within a more accessible range for younger readers. In contrast to children's books, YA novels are generally longer. Children's books might be as short as 1,000 - 5,000 words for picture books and up to 30,000 - 40,000 words for middle - grade novels. YA novels, as mentioned before, often range from 40,000 - 120,000 words.
Compared to some genres, the word count of a fantasy novel can be on the higher side. For example, a typical romance novel might be around 50,000 - 80,000 words, while a fantasy novel usually needs more words to build its elaborate worlds and complex magic systems. Mystery novels also tend to be shorter, often in the 60,000 - 90,000 word range. However, literary fiction can vary greatly in word count, but many are not as long as epic fantasy novels which can go well over 150,000 words.
Adult fiction word counts can be quite different from other genres. For example, children's books are usually much shorter, often under 30,000 words. Young adult fiction can range from 50,000 - 80,000 words, which is generally shorter than a lot of adult fiction novels that can go well over 80,000 words. Non - fiction books also vary widely, but some technical non - fiction might be shorter than adult fiction on average as they focus on specific concepts and can be more concise.
Paranormal romance novels generally have a wider range of word counts compared to some other romance genres. For instance, contemporary romance often has a more defined range, typically around 50,000 - 80,000 words. Paranormal romance can be shorter if it's a quick, action - packed story with a simple romance arc, say around 40,000 - 60,000 words. But it can also be much longer, especially if there's a complex supernatural world to build and multiple plotlines to resolve, reaching over 100,000 words.
Compared to some genres like poetry, mystery novels generally have a much higher word count per page. Poetry often has short lines and a lot of white space, so the word count per page can be very low. Mystery novels, on the other hand, usually aim to tell a complex story, so they need more words per page. However, compared to some epic fantasy novels that may have detailed world - building descriptions, mystery novels might have a relatively lower word count per page as they focus more on the plot and characters rather than elaborate settings.
Compared to adult fantasy novels, YA fantasy novels tend to be shorter. Adult fantasy often has more complex plots and deeper world - building, which can lead to longer word counts, sometimes exceeding 100,000 or even 150,000 words. In contrast, YA fantasy novels, with an average of around 60,000 - 90,000 words, are more concise. Meanwhile, when compared to children's books, YA fantasy novels are longer as children's books are usually much shorter, often under 30,000 words.
Compared to adult novels, young adult novels tend to have a lower average word count. Adult novels can often go well over 100,000 words. Young adult novels usually stay in the 50,000 - 80,000 range as mentioned before. Children's books, on the other hand, have a much lower average word count, often less than 20,000 words.
The average word count for science fiction novels can be similar to that of other genres like fantasy. They both often have complex worlds and plots, so they can range from 80,000 - 120,000 words. However, compared to romance novels, which are usually shorter, averaging around 50,000 - 80,000 words, science fiction novels tend to be longer on average. Mystery novels also vary, but are often in the 70,000 - 90,000 word range, so science fiction novels can be longer in comparison.