I’m a writer blog

Guidelines for writing Poems, Stories and Tales

First draft Word count.

around 50,000 wordsaround 50,000 words (more if you’re writing in a genre such as fantasy), which will eventually give you a final manuscript of around 90,000 words (again, more in some genres).

How long is a first draft supposed to be?

The key to writing a successful first draft is speed, not talent. That’s why you shouldn’t spend more than half an hour on your first draft. Honestly, it shouldn’t even take that long, but thirty minutes is a safe number when you’re just getting started.

What is a good word count for a first novel?

80,000 to 100,000

How Long Should a Novel Be? If you’re writing your first novel, the general rule of thumb for novel writing is a word count in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. While anything over 40,000 words can fall into the novel category, 50,000 is considered the minimum novel length.

Are first drafts usually short?

Now , to answer your question, yes for some people, 1st drafts are much shorter than the final works. This advice flies against the accepted dogma/canon, that says you have to write a long 1st draft and then cut it down.

How long should a first draft of an essay be?

Your first draft should be more like an outline — the bare bones of structure, your key ideas and main references in order. This is likely to be maybe one-quarter of your final word count.

Is 32 too old for the draft?

All males between the ages of 21 and 35 are ordered to register for the draft and the first national lottery is held.

How long is a first rough draft?

How long should a rough draft be? A rough draft should be about as long as the final version. Many writers tend to overwrite their first drafts.

Is 5000 words enough for a book?

5,000 you’re probably fine, but give it a little thought. 10,000 above or below, you probably need to do some work. 15,000 above or below the norm for your genre, you’re definitely too long or short. I recommend revising.

Is 20 000 words enough for a book?

Word counts for novellas



A novella typically starts at about 20,000 words and tops out at 50,000, which is the minimum length for a short novel.

Is 25k words a book?

I am often asked questions like: Are 25,000 words enough for a book? 25,000 words might be enough for shorter books like a novella or short story collection. If you’re to publish a longer work, a 90,000-word novel is standard in the fiction world, and 50,000 is average for nonfiction.

How many pages is a first draft?

The first draft is tough because this is where most of the writing takes place; in fact, the first draft is where so many drop out. In the first draft, you start with nothing – sometimes not even a title – and end up with a 200- or 300-page (maybe even more) draft.

How detailed should a first draft be?

Aim to produce a first draft that reflects your main ideas without explaining them in minute detail. There is no point adding too much detail in the first draft as you may change your mind about what you want to say.

How long should a draft paper be?

There are no specific guidelines for how many words on your draft or what word count. Just write everything, finish it and then start the editing (I’d better wait overnight). See if all the parts fit in the essay and if not, get them out.