MyOutliner

Section 4 of 13

Word Count & Chapter Planning

Let's give your book a rough size and shape. Rough is the key word — everything here is a starting point you can change at any time.

How long is a romance novel?

Most full-length romance novels land between 70,000 and 90,000 words, with 80,000 being a comfortable middle. Shorter category romances run 50,000–60,000, and some subgenres run longer. There is no prize for hitting an exact number — pick a goal that fits the story you imagine, and adjust as you go.

Just the number — for example: 80000

In words — for example: 2500. Leave blank if you have no idea; the calculator below will show you options.

For example: "somewhere between 25 and 35".

Might this story include a prologue?
Whose head will the reader be in?
Will chapters alternate between characters?
Do you lean toward shorter or longer chapters?

The chapter calculator

Divide your word-count goal by an average chapter length and you get a rough chapter count. Here's how your goal breaks down at different chapter sizes:

Click "Start with this" above, or type any number you like — your call, always.

Please read this part: this number is only a starting point. Chapters do not need to be the same length — each one should be as long as its purpose and pacing need. Your final count may change during outlining or drafting, and that's normal. Never stretch or cut a chapter just to hit a math target.
← Section 3 Save & continue to Section 5 →