One way is to consider the story you want to tell. If it has a simple plot with few sub - plots and not much world - building, it could be shorter, maybe around 50,000 words. But if it has a complex world, multiple characters' arcs, and a convoluted plot, it might need to be closer to 80,000 words. Also, think about your target audience. Young adults often prefer books that they can finish in a reasonable amount of time. So, not too long that it drags on.
Look at popular YA fantasy novels. See how long they are. Most of the successful ones fall within a certain range, usually 50,000 - 80,000 words.
To determine a good length for a YA fantasy novel, start with your story elements. If you have a lot of world - building, like creating a whole new magic system and different cultures, you'll need more words. Maybe 70,000 - 80,000 words. If your focus is more on character relationships and a relatively simple fantasy backdrop, 50,000 - 60,000 words could work. Also, consider the pacing. A fast - paced story might be shorter as there's less time for detailed descriptions, while a more leisurely paced one might need more length to build up the atmosphere and details.
One way to determine a good length for a novel is to look at the genre. As I mentioned before, different genres have different typical lengths. Another factor is the complexity of the story. If you have a simple story with a few main characters and a straightforward plot, it might be better to keep it shorter. Also, consider your target audience. If they are busy people who like quick reads, a shorter novel could be a good choice. You can also study successful novels in your genre and see what their lengths are.
To determine the length of an average fantasy novel, you can start by sampling different books from well - known fantasy authors. Notice the number of pages and estimate the word count based on the average number of words per page in a typical book. Also, literary agents and editors in the fantasy genre can give you a good idea as they deal with such works regularly.
You can also analyze data from publishers. They usually have an idea of what the market prefers in terms of length. If most of the successful fantasy books they publish are in the 80,000 - 120,000 word range, that can give an indication of the average length. Additionally, considering the requirements of different platforms like e - book readers and print books can also help. E - books might be more flexible in length, but print books have physical limitations. For instance, a very long fantasy novel might be split into multiple volumes in print, which can also affect how we perceive the average length.
One way to determine a good length for a short story is by considering the complexity of your plot. If you have a simple plot with just one or two main characters and a single conflict, a shorter length, say 1000 - 1500 words, might be sufficient. On the other hand, if your plot has multiple sub - plots and a larger cast of characters, you may need more words, perhaps 2500 - 3500 words.
One simple way is to use a word processing software. Open the novel file in software like Microsoft Word. Then, use the word count feature which usually shows both the number of words and characters. This gives you the word length of the entire novel.
You can count the number of words in your manuscript. Most word - processing software has a word - count feature.
One way is to look at similar successful novels in your genre. If most popular novels in your genre are around a certain word count, that can be a good guideline. For example, if you're writing a thriller and most best - selling thrillers are about 90,000 words, you might aim for that.
Look at the genre. As I said before, different genres have different norms. For example, YA novels tend to be on the shorter side, around 50,000 - 80,000 words. Also, consider your story's complexity. If it has a simple plot and few characters, it may not need to be very long.
The themes of the YA novel play a big role. A great YA novel often has themes that resonate with young adults, like self - discovery, first love, and dealing with family issues. For instance, in 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', the themes of friendship, mental health, and growing up are explored in a very relatable way, which makes it a strong contender for a great YA novel. Also, the quality of the writing matters. Vivid descriptions, engaging dialogue, and well - developed characters all contribute to making a YA novel one of the best.
One way is to look at best - selling YA fantasy novels. Most of them tend to fall within a certain word count range, usually around 60,000 - 90,000 words. So that gives you an idea of the average.