Writers, editors, and publishers live in a world of word counts. Readers usually think in terms of pages, perhaps even chapters. Is there a way to convert the word-count into the number of pages in the final print version? So, with that challenge in mind here’s an exercise in TMI:
First, the number of chapters is meaningless. A writer could author a 100,000-word book that has but a single chapter. On the other hand, one of my favorite writers, the late Robert B. Parker, wrote the Spenser books typically using chapters of only four to six pages in length. So, the number of chapters didn’t tell you much about the length of the book. But it did make it hard to put it down. I mean, come on—just one more chapter!
Pages are a better indicator of the size of the book. But you have to factor in the dimensions of the book—larger pages accommodate more words, thus shorter books. The size and font of the print used also is a factor.
Let’s look at my manuscripts for an example. I use Times New Roman font in 12-point type in the initial draft. I space the lines at 1.15. This gives me on average 500 words per page. For the curious, I do double-space the final draft that goes to agents, editors, and publishers. BUT how does the 500 pages translate into the ultimate print version of the book? My Sleeping Dogs thriller Dogs of War is 112,000 words in final form. The print version is 345 pages in length. This equates to about 325 words per page in the print version.
So, if that metric holds, the working draft of my newest book is about 77,000 words so far. That’s 237 pages in a print edition. BUT:
- I still have a lot more material to add;
- Editing will eliminate some material and add some to it;
- The book’s dimensions (usually 6”x9”), font, and print size will have an effect on the number of pages in the finished product;
- And then there is the “rule of thumb” that thrillers (other than those written by current bestselling authors who crank out 150,000- to 180,000-word tomes) should be about 90,000 words in length. For the record, I always break that rule. Look, I used to be an attorney; I’m wordy.
Consequently, if the final draft of my current manuscript miraculously turns out to be 100,000 words, the print version should be 308 pages; 120,000 words will equal about 370 pages
Like I warned you at the beginning—TMI, but now you know.