What's the deal with word counts?
Have you ever pondered whether your work-in-progress is stretching too long or coming up short? Occasionally, we receive a submission that we must turn away because the manuscript doesn't fit the expected length for its genre, being either excessively lengthy or disappointingly brief.
Steve Laube recently shared a detailed set of word count guidelines on his blog. Keep in mind that this list is NOT set in stone, but rather a flexible guide to steer your writing journey.
Children’s board books – about 100 words
Early readers (ages 5-7) – 1,000-3,500 words
Chapter books – 15,000-35,000 words
Middle grade – 30,000-45,000 words
YA fiction – 50,000-80,000 words
Adult fiction novellas – 35,000-45,000 words
Other adult fiction – 70,000-100,000 words
Sci-fi/fantasy – 80,000-100,000 words
40-day devotionals – 30,000-40,000 words
90-day devotionals – 45,000-60,000 words
365-day devotionals – 90,000-100,000 words
Bible studies – 10,000-20,000 words
Memoirs – 40,000-70,000 words
Academic/reflective – 50,000-100,000 words
Other adult nonfiction – 40,000-70,000 words
Upcoming Conferences
Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference: May 26-30
Cedar Falls Christian Writers Conference: June 12-14
St. David's Christian Writers Conference: June 18-22
Cascade Christian Writers Conference: June 22-25
Won an Award? Let us know!
Have you won an award or been a finalist in the past year? If so, email us with the award, date, and title of your book. We are keeping an up-to-date list for our Elk Lake authors.
Congratulations!
The Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference in Andalusia, Alabama, finished the week with an exciting awards ceremony. Here is a list of Elk Lake authors who were honored:
Excellence in Editing Award
2nd Place Nonfiction: Outstanding Online Presence - Psalms in Rhyme for Little Hearts, Donna Wyland
Living Water Award - Articles
1st Place: Right Timing, Sally Jo Pitts
Christian Indie Awards
2nd Place Young Adult: Fences Left Broken, Kristen Terrette
1st Place (tied) Mystery/Suspense: Sweet Deceit, Sally Jo Pitts
3rd Place General Fiction: Ride A Summer Wind, Ann Cavera
CAN Marketing Awards
2nd Place NonFiction Outstanding Online Presence: Psalms In Rhyme for Little Hearts, Donna Wyland
Featured Blogs
2020–New Books Jan-May
Despite what 2020 has thrown at us, we’ve continued to bring your words to print and to “publish the positive.” Check out the books we’ve published so far this year: January: Sweet, Sweet Spirit by Rebecca Price Janney February: Renewed Redemption by Andrew Roth, The Trojan Horse and The Wolf Pack by Ace Collins, God’s…
Read More
More 2019 Titles
If this blog feels so last year, well, it’s because it is. Here are the books that made it to print with ELPI in the last half of 2019: August: Tommi Pockets by Marsha Hubler, I Love the World: It’s People I Can’t Stand by Dave Beckwith, Talitha, the Traveling Skirt by Becky Van Vleet,…
Read More
Summer Is Sailing By: Here Are Our June and July Books
I have no clue how June and July escaped me, but they did. We published seventeen books just in those two months in addition to attending several writers’ conferences. To purchase any of these books, click on the covers or the links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. June…
Read More
Second Quarter 2019–Gone in a Flash!
We’ve had an incredibly busy second quarter here at Elk Lake. Conference season has started, so Deb has been traveling around the country teaching workshops and interviewing prospective authors. And we’ve published a whole lot of books for your summer reading pleasure. To purchase any of these books, click on the covers or the links.…
Read More
In Like a Lion–Out Like a Lamb
In like a lion, out like a lamb describes March here at Elk Lake headquarters outside Plymouth, MA. But we weren’t curled up cozy and warm by the fireplace, we were publishing books! We have another varied assortment of new books for you since our last post: two children’s books, a book about cancer, a…
Read More