Standard Manuscript Format & Word Count Standards
Industry word count benchmarks for fantasy, sci-fi, romance, thrillers, and YA. Standard manuscript formatting rules (12pt font, margins, spacing) and publishing expectations.
One of the most common questions debut novelists ask is: "How long should my book be?" Writing too short or too long for your genre can cause immediate rejection by literary agents and traditional publishers.
Word Count Benchmarks by Genre
- Epic Fantasy & Sci-Fi: 90,000 – 120,000 words (debuts rarely exceed 125,000 words due to print costs).
- Mystery, Thriller & Crime: 70,000 – 90,000 words.
- Contemporary & Historical Romance: 65,000 – 85,000 words.
- Young Adult (YA): 55,000 – 75,000 words.
- Middle Grade (MG): 30,000 – 50,000 words.
- General Literary Fiction: 75,000 – 95,000 words.
Standard Manuscript Format Rules
When submitting to agents or publishers, use standard manuscript formatting: 1-inch margins on all sides, standard legible font (Times New Roman or Courier 12pt), double line spacing, and a clean title page with contact details and word count rounded to the nearest thousand.