Query Letter Word Count by Genre: What Literary Agents Really Think

Your manuscript is finished. Your query letter is polished. You’re ready to hit send.

But is your word count right?

During our #YourQueries Live event with literary agent Noelle Falcis Math from Transatlantic Literary Agency, one query after another faced the same issue: word count problems.

Too long. Too short. Wrong for the genre.

And here’s what shocked us: word count matters more than most writers realize.

“Once the word count starts to get a little bit up there, their interests may wane,” Noelle explained while reviewing queries. For one literary fiction debut at 110K words, her reaction was immediate: “I probably would want to see this sitting closer to anywhere from that 80 to 95K range.”

Same book. Same story. Different word count = different agent interest.

Let’s break down exactly what agents want to see for every major genre.

Why Word Count Matters to Literary Agents

Before we dive into the numbers, you need to understand why agents care so much about word count.

It’s not arbitrary. It’s not gatekeeping.

It comes down to three things:

1. Market Realities

Publishers have clear expectations for debut authors in each genre. A 150K literary fiction debut is nearly impossible to sell, no matter how brilliant the writing.

2. Production Costs

Longer books cost more to produce, print, and ship. Publishers take bigger risks on longer debut novels. Plus, the cost of paper has been up since 2020.

3. Reader Expectations

Genre readers have expectations. Romance readers expect 70-90K. Epic fantasy readers expect 100-120K. Defying these expectations without a compelling reason makes your book harder to market.

As Noelle put it: “This is not true for every agent, but I do know that once the word count starts to get a little bit up there, their interests may wane.”

Word Count by Genre: The Complete Guide

Here are the target word counts by genre based on Noelle’s guidance and current industry standards:

Picture Books

Target: Varies dramatically (often 500-1,000 words)

Noelle’s advice: “I think a lot of folks could sometimes be surprised how little word count actually is for picture books.”

Always include your word count in picture book queries—it’s essential information. Also, be specific about your age range. Saying “ages 1-6” is too broad; narrow it to something like “ages 3-5” or “ages 4-7.”

Middle Grade (MG)

Target: 40,000-60,000 words

Contemporary MG sits on the lower end (40-50K), while MG fantasy or adventure can reach 60K.

During the masterclass, Noelle reviewed a middle grade contemporary at 48K and called it a “really great query”—the word count was perfect for the genre.

Red flag: MG over 65K starts raising questions about whether it’s actually middle grade or young YA.

However, you get a bit more leeway in speculative genres, because you’ll have to spend time worldbuilding.

Young Adult (YA)

Target: 60,000-80,000 words

Contemporary YA should aim for 60-75K, while YA fantasy can stretch to 80K or slightly above.

One crucial note from the masterclass: always indicate your protagonist’s age in YA queries. A 14-year-old protagonist suggests different content than an 18-year-old, and agents need that context.

“That makes a huge difference in terms of how do we read into the romance, or how do we read into the relationships that are taking place,” Noelle explained.

Red flag: YA over 90K needs a compelling reason (complex fantasy worldbuilding, dual timeline, etc.).

Adult Literary Fiction

Target: 80,000-95,000 words for debuts

This was the biggest surprise from the masterclass. When reviewing a literary fiction query at 110K, Noelle was clear:

“This is not true for every agent, but I do know that once the word count starts to get a little bit up there, their interests may wane. If this was literary fiction and it was a debut novel, I probably would want to see this sitting closer, anywhere from that 80 to 95K range.”

Established authors can go longer. Debut authors should stay in this range.

Red flag: Literary fiction debuts over 100K will face significant market resistance.

Commercial Fiction

Target: 80,000-100,000 words

Commercial fiction can run slightly longer than literary fiction, but debuts should still aim for the lower end of this range.

Mystery/Thriller

Target: 80,000-90,000 words

Pacing matters in these genres. Longer manuscripts can feel bloated; shorter ones might lack the complexity readers expect.

One mystery query reviewed during the masterclass came in at 89K—right in the sweet spot. Noelle noted it was “performing exactly as it should” for the genre.

Science Fiction

Target: 90,000-110,000 words

Sci-fi gets more room for worldbuilding. But even here, there are limits for debuts.

“I don’t mind reviewing work that’s over 100K if it was inside the sci-fi category or the fantasy category or history, since those are places where a lot of work can be on the longer end,” Noelle explained.

Key word: can be. Not must be.

Fantasy (Including Epic Fantasy)

Target: 90,000-120,000 words

Fantasy readers expect big books. But that doesn’t mean your query gets a free pass on length.

During the masterclass, Noelle reviewed a 93K historical romantasy and noted the genre “runs long,” but still emphasized that even in fantasy, the synopsis must be tight.

Red flag: Fantasy over 130K needs to be extraordinary to overcome the production cost concerns.

That said, Jessica’s seen deals for fantasy authors that requested a word count of 150,000–HOWEVER, this was not a debut author, but one with a proven track record.

Romantasy (Romance + Fantasy)

Target: 90,000-110,000 words

The hot genre of recent years combines romance and fantasy, typically landing in this range. Historical romantasy can run slightly longer due to worldbuilding needs.

Contemporary Romance

Target: 70,000-90,000 words

Romance has some of the tightest word count expectations. Too short feels underdeveloped; too long can drag.

Historical Romance

Target: 80,000-100,000 words

The historical setting requires more setup, allowing for slightly longer word counts than contemporary romance.

Memoir

Target: 70,000-90,000 words

Experimental memoir, which Noelle specializes in, has more flexibility. Traditional memoir should aim for the middle of this range.

“Memoir is sort of perennially difficult,” Noelle noted, making it even more important to hit the expected word count range.

Red flag: Memoir over 100K better have an extraordinary hook or platform.

Narrative Nonfiction

Target: 70,000-90,000 words

Similar to memoir, with some flexibility based on subject matter. Heavily researched historical nonfiction can go slightly longer.

What If Your Word Count Is Outside the Range?

Let’s say you’ve written a 115K literary fiction debut. What do you do?

You have three options:

Option 1: Edit It Down (Recommended)

This is almost always the right answer. Noelle was consistent: length concerns make agents “wane” in interest.

During the masterclass, Jessica Sinsheimer added context: “Don’t invest in page 253, invest in pages 1 through 10, 1 through 50, or 1 through 100.”

If you’re over word count, focus on tightening the first act. That’s where most agents make their decision anyway.

Option 2: Have an Exceptional Hook

“There’s always room for awesome,” Jessica noted. If your voice is undeniable and your story is completely fresh, some agents will overlook word count.

But be honest with yourself: is your book truly exceptional, or do you just think it is?

Option 3: Address It in the Query

If you have a legitimate reason for the length (dual timeline, ensemble cast, historical epic), briefly acknowledge it:

“This 115K dual-timeline epic follows two protagonists across three continents and 50 years.”

But don’t over-explain or apologize.

Option 4: Break it into multiple books, but give each one a satisfying, “standalone novel with series potential” ending.

Word Count Red Flags in Queries

During the masterclass, these word count issues came up repeatedly:

Including Page Count

Don’t list both page count and word count. Just give the word count.

“If you tell us the word count, we don’t really need to know the page count,” Noelle explained, “particularly because the page count could change when the manuscript shifts into book form.”

Round Numbers

85,432 words feels more accurate than 85,000 words. Don’t round excessively—agents can tell.

Missing Word Count Entirely

Always include word count for fiction. It’s essential information.

Word Count in the Wrong Place

Put it in your book details section, not buried in your bio or omitted entirely.

For more on proper query structure, including where word count fits in, check out our guide on how to write query letter stakes.

Genre Crossovers and Special Cases

What if your book crosses genres? Use the most restrictive word count guideline.

Writing literary science fiction? Aim for 90-95K, not 110K.

Writing commercial fantasy? You can stretch to 110K, but 95K is safer.

Noelle’s philosophy: “Give yourself space to do more coverage here, and then go back and condense where it makes sense.”

In other words: every word should earn its place.

The Exceptions (And When They Matter)

Are there books that succeed despite wrong word counts? Of course.

Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss clocks in at 250K+ words. Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch is 200K+.

But here’s what writers forget: those authors weren’t debuts when those books came out. Rothfuss had industry connections. Tartt had already won a Pulitzer.

You’re playing a different game.

“Talent is rare in the query pile,” Jessica reminded us during the masterclass. But even talent needs to fit market realities.

Testing Your Word Count: The Honest Questions

Ask yourself:

1. Could my story be told in fewer words? If yes, cut it.

2. Am I including scenes that don’t advance the plot or deepen character? If yes, cut them.

3. Is every subplot essential? If not, streamline.

4. Would an agent read this entire manuscript before page 50? Remember: 95% of rejections happen before page 10.

5. Am I more in love with my words than my story? The hardest question, but the most important.

Word Count Success Stories

Two queries stood out for perfect word counts:

Middle Grade Contemporary at 48K: “Really great query,” Noelle said. The word count was ideal for the genre and age group.

Mystery at 89K: “Performing exactly as it should” for the genre. Right in the sweet spot for pacing and market expectations.

Both got positive responses partly because their word counts signaled professional understanding of the market.

Your Next Steps

1. Check your genre’s target range using this guide

2. Compare your word count to the target

3. If you’re over, edit ruthlessly (focus on the first 50 pages first)

4. If you’re under, make sure you’ve fully developed your story

5. Include word count in your query letter’s book details section

Remember: word count is just one element of a strong query. Make sure your stakes are clear (see our guide on writing query letter stakes), and query at the right time (check out when to query literary agents for timing strategy).

Is your manuscript in the right word count range for your genre? Let us know!