There were some comments raised that my manuscript may be too long, since it comes in at about 96k words and may be ONE reason my queries are rejected. IT MADE ME THINK! I had spoken with some agents prior regarding word count, and from several sources I had heard at least 75k words. So I did a little more digging, and I post this just for your information.
Keep in mind, THEY ARE JUST GUIDELINES!! There are exceptions to the rules, but if you keep getting rejected, it may be one of the reasons.
This is taken from litreactor.com in a Q&A session with a literary agent.
Adult Fiction:
Anything above 70k but less than 115k (science fiction and fantasy tend to run up around 100k-115k words). The sweet spot for adult is about 90k.
Middle Grade:
With fun, lighthearted, simple middle grade you’ll want to stay around the 20k-30k word count range. The average middle grade is 30k-40k. Upper middle grade can hit in the 50k word count range (possibly longer, if it's something really special).
Young Adult:
Young adult fiction allows for a lot of flexibility in word count. And as you’ve probably guessed… it is sitting pretty right in between middle grade and adult. YA manuscripts can have a word count anywhere from 55k to 90k.
Picture Books:
Picture books are generally less than 1000 words. About 500-700 words is perfect.
Also remember (because there are a bunch of new novel imprints opening their doors), a novella is 40k or less.
Pro tip: Try not to completely tether yourself to word counts. Let your writing take you where you need to go. But use good intuition and follow some of the rules.
I hope that clears up some questions! For me personally, since I am coming in at 96k for YA, I may be pushing the range a bit, so I'll see if there's something else I can take out to put it closer to 90k.
Let me know if you've heard differently! Thanks!
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