Nonfiction word count - Am I in trouble? - Writers Forum

nethawk · 01-03-2006, 04:27 AM

I've got just over 57,000 words in my completed manuscript, and according to some books I've read the standard minimum is 60,000. I really don't want to add more to it since I've toiled over the years to bring it to as clear and brief format as possible on the extremely complexe subject I'm writing on (Human origins and Egypt's Great Pyramid). I've got over 25 detailed illustrations to go with it and I'm open to incorporating sidebars if needed. Any insights?

Dookie · 01-03-2006, 06:17 AM

I thought the average book was 100,000 words. Interesting, can anyone provide the real average amount?

Ben · 01-03-2006, 06:22 AM

If the 'standard minimum' is 60,000 words, I don't think it will matter too much if you're a few thousand below. If you don't want to add any more, then don't.

Dookie · 01-03-2006, 06:34 AM

Ah, your highlight of the word minimum has answered my question too.

mammamaia · 01-03-2006, 05:16 PM

the 'standard minimum' [which varies from source to source, btw, and is not etched in stone] applies to novels, not non-fiction... a non-fiction book can be as long or as short as it needs to be... as long as you've covered your subject adequately, that under-60k word count is nothing to lose sleep about...

that said, a too-slim book well may be harder to sell to publishers than a too-thick one... especially on a subject such as yours, which usually is dealt with in books of a more 'standard' size... i suggest you do some research in your nearest library or book store to check the average size of similar books...