How many pages is 50,000 words?
50,000 words makes about 185 pages in a 6 × 9 in paperback with an 11-point font size or about 220 pages in a smaller 5 × 8 in book. As a double-spaced manuscript, it runs about 200 pages.
By the Proselis team · Updated
This estimate is for 50,000 words in a 6 × 9 in paperback with a 11-point font size and 14 chapters.
- Words per page
- ~298
- Manuscript pages
- 200
- Spine width
- 0.465 in
- Reading time
- 3 h 20 min
| Word count | 5 × 8 in | 5.5 × 8.5 in | 6 × 9 in | Manuscript |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50,000 words | 222 | 214 | 186 | 200 |
| 60,000 words | 266 | 254 | 220 | 240 |
| 70,000 words | 318 | 296 | 256 | 280 |
| 75,000 words | 340 | 324 | 274 | 300 |
| 80,000 words | 362 | 346 | 292 | 320 |
| 90,000 words | 406 | 388 | 334 | 360 |
| 100,000 words | 448 | 430 | 370 | 400 |
| 120,000 words | 554 | 530 | 442 | 480 |
These counts use the standard font size and line spacing, with one chapter for every 3,500 words. Manuscript pages are double-spaced at 250 words a page.
What kind of book is 50,000 words?
Fifty thousand words is a short novel. It suits cozy mysteries, middle-grade novels, and many romance series, and it is long enough for a first book.
How long does it take to read 50,000 words?
It takes about 3 hours 20 minutes at an average reading speed of 250 words a minute. Most readers spread a book this length over several sittings.
Questions
Is 50,000 words long enough for a novel?
Yes. It suits many genres, but it is on the short side for adult literary fiction and fantasy, where readers expect more.
How thick is a 50,000-word paperback?
At 6 × 9 in on cream paper, its 186 pages make a spine about 0.47 inches wide. White paper is slightly thinner.
How many words are on a page of a printed book?
A printed page holds about 250 to 350 words, depending on the trim size, font size, and line spacing. A 6 × 9 in page with an 11-point font size holds about 300.
Does the page count change the spine width?
Yes. On KDP, each page adds about 0.0025 inches of spine on cream paper and 0.002252 inches on white paper.
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