Length Of A Book?

[LoisKnight]

So I am writing a story for my course and it just made me wonder how many words are in a novel?

I know it will be different for each one, but how many is the average? Or is there a minimum to get published etc?

[factor-fiction]

http://litreactor.com/columns/ask-the-agent-your-novel-word-count-guide-and-more

[sandyRoe]

At about 500 words to a page 70,000 would give 140 pages.

[jourdain2]

Look up different publishers. 50-70K for Mills & Boon-type length - goodness knows how many for War & Peace! Around 120/140K is about average, I believe.

[jourdain2]

Meant to add that I stick to short stories and they can go from vignettes (around 750) to about 3,000 - but well-know authors often do more. I've only published 2 short stories, both were slightly under 3,000.
I think that internet publishing is loosening things up - I don't know how to do it, alas, so am stuck with the stamps and return envelopes!

[jourdain2]

Sorry 'well-known' authors.

[woofgang]

NaNoWriMo (google it) sets a level of 50,000 words and thats a short novel.

[Peter Pedant]

If you run out of ideas half way through

then write a novella ( its shorter )

[Peter Pedant]

War and Peace is 3000 pages

first edition in French and Russian in parts

but remember it was nt Tolstoy's first novel and b) he was pretty crazy

[jourdain2]

To Peter Pedant - bit late, but thanks for the info.!