word count for short novels

The average word count for short novels can vary widely, but generally it can be around 10,000 to 40,000 words.

The word count of famous short novels can vary greatly. For example, 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is relatively short, usually around 2,000 words. Another well - known short novel, 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson, is about 25,000 words. And 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens is around 30,000 words. However, there are also very short masterpieces that might be just a few hundred words long.

Well, it really varies. Novels aimed at a more literary adult audience might be on the shorter side, say around 50,000 - 70,000 words. But if we're talking about commercial adult fiction, like romance or thriller novels for adults, they often range from 70,000 - 100,000 words. Longer, more complex adult novels can be 130,000 - 180,000 words or more.

To calculate the word count for short novels accurately, you can use word - processing software like Microsoft Word. Just open the document and it usually shows the word count at the bottom of the window. Another way is to copy and paste the text into an online word count tool.

A short novel typically ranges from around 20,000 to 50,000 words. But it can vary depending on different definitions and genres.

Typical fantasy novels can range from 60,000 to 100,000 words. But there are shorter ones for younger readers or as part of a series starter that might be around 30,000 - 50,000 words. Longer, more in - depth and complex fantasy works can reach 150,000 words or more. For example, 'The Lord of the Rings' is a very long and complex epic fantasy with a significant word count.

There seems to be a trend towards more flexibility in word count. In the past, publishers had stricter guidelines. Now, some genres like science fiction and horror are seeing a wider range of word counts. For example, some experimental science - fiction novels might be very short, around 30,000 words, while others are long and detailed, exceeding 150,000 words. This is because authors are more free to explore different storytelling lengths.

Typically, headings are excluded from the word count of a short story. The focus is usually on the main text. However, some contests or editors might have their own rules, so it's always best to double-check.

Some of the longest novels can have word counts in the hundreds of thousands. For example, 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy is quite long. It has around 587,287 words in its English translation. Another long one is 'Remembrance of Things Past' by Marcel Proust, which has a huge number of words as well. These long novels often explore complex themes and develop numerous characters over their extensive word counts.

The word count in major novels can vary greatly. For example, 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy is quite long, with around 587,287 words in the English translation. 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen is much shorter, having approximately 122,500 words.