Manuscript Word Count
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Word Count
Reading Time
Page Estimates by Trim Size
| Trim Size | Est. Pages | Printing Cost* | Spine Width |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5″ × 8″ | 0 | — | — |
| 5.25″ × 8″ | 0 | — | — |
| 5.5″ × 8.5″ | 0 | — | — |
| 6″ × 9″ | 0 | — | — |
| 8.5″ × 11″ | 0 | — | — |
*Printing costs estimated for cream paper, B&W, paperback via KDP.
Genre Comparison
See where your word count falls relative to typical genre ranges.
These are estimates, not page counts.
The table above divides your word count by an average words-per-page number. But real page count depends on decisions you haven't made yet:
The same 80,000 words can produce materially different page counts. That changes manufacturing cost, spine width, cover geometry, gutter needs, and how the book feels in the reader’s hand. You will not know the production number until the book is actually typeset.
Cambric shows you the real page count.
Import your .docx, choose a template, pick your trim size — and see the actual typeset page count. Not a formula. Not a words-per-page estimate. Your real manuscript, with your real font, margins, and chapter openings, rendered into actual pages you can preview before uploading to KDP or IngramSpark.
Word counts by genre
| Genre | Typical Range | Sweet Spot |
|---|---|---|
| Romance | 60,000–80,000 | 65,000–75,000 |
| Mystery/Thriller | 70,000–90,000 | 75,000–85,000 |
| Fantasy | 90,000–150,000 | 95,000–110,000 |
| Sci-Fi | 90,000–120,000 | 90,000–100,000 |
| Literary Fiction | 70,000–100,000 | 75,000–90,000 |
| Memoir | 60,000–90,000 | 70,000–80,000 |
| Nonfiction | 40,000–80,000 | 50,000–70,000 |
| YA | 55,000–80,000 | 60,000–70,000 |
| Middle Grade | 25,000–50,000 | 30,000–40,000 |
| Picture Book | 500–1,000 | 500–800 |
Turn word count into a production decision
Word count is stable enough for editorial planning. Page count is a design output. Keep those numbers separate until the manuscript is actually typeset.
During drafting
Use the count to track structural balance: chapter length, point-of-view distribution, or the size of a revision. Do not add filler to reach a generic genre range. Reader promise and pacing matter more than matching the middle of a table.
Before formatting
Compare two plausible trim sizes and set a preliminary budget. Include front matter, back matter, images, worksheets, and chapter-start whitespace; those elements consume pages even when they add few words.
After typesetting
Stop using the estimate. The exported print PDF supplies the production count. Freeze that interior before calculating the spine or commissioning the final cover, and regenerate the cover template after any reflow.
Why two tools can report different word counts
Programs make different choices about hyphenated terms, em-dash joins, numbers, footnotes, hidden text, and headers. Use one counting method consistently for progress. When an editor, agent, or publisher requests a count, report the number from the agreed manuscript file rather than trying to make every app match.
Keep going
KDP Book Calculator
Calculate page count, printing cost, and royalty from your word count and book specs.
Open calculator →Spine Width Calculator
Enter page count and paper type — get exact spine width for your cover template.
Open calculator →Book Font Preview
See how fonts affect page count and readability in your book interior.
Open tool →Frequently Asked Questions
How many words are in a typical novel?
How many pages is 80,000 words?
How long does it take to read a 300-page book?
What's the ideal word count for my genre?
How do publishers count words?
Word count ≠ page count.
Cambric shows you the real number.
Import your manuscript, choose your template and trim size, and see the exact typeset page count — with your fonts, margins, and chapter openings. What you see is what prints.
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