Updated April 2026
How many pages will your manuscript be? Enter your word count and pick a trim size.
Page count sets your spine width, print cost, and the minimum price you need for a healthy royalty.
Within about 10%. The real page count depends on your font choice (Garamond runs tighter than Baskerville), line spacing, chapter break style, and how much front/back matter you include. This calculator uses industry-standard words-per-page estimates for each trim size and font combination.
The most reliable way to know your exact page count is to format your manuscript in your publishing tool and export a PDF. Books.by's publishing flow shows you the exact page count after upload.
| Genre | Word Count | Pages (6×9) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romance | 70,000–90,000 | 240–310 | Contemporary tends shorter, fantasy romance longer |
| Thriller / Mystery | 70,000–90,000 | 240–310 | Short chapters, fast pacing = more page breaks |
| Fantasy / Sci-Fi | 80,000–120,000 | 275–410 | Series openers often 100k+, sequels can be longer |
| Literary Fiction | 70,000–100,000 | 240–345 | Debut novels often on the shorter end |
| Memoir | 40,000–80,000 | 140–275 | Under 50k is common and fine for memoir |
| Self-Help / Business | 30,000–60,000 | 105–205 | Shorter is better — readers want actionable, not exhaustive |
| Children's Picture Book | 500–3,000 | 24–40 | Illustrations drive page count, not words |
| Poetry Collection | 5,000–15,000 | 48–100 | One poem per page is standard |
For trim size recommendations by genre, see our best book sizes guide. For formatting your manuscript for print, check the print formatting guide.
You've got pages, a spine width, and a print cost. Books.by turns those production numbers into a real bookstore selling direct to readers.
Upload your manuscript and Books.by handles print formatting, ISBN registration, retail packaging, and global Ingram print-on-demand. The page count you just calculated becomes the spine width on your cover template automatically. Pricing snaps to the print cost. Sale-ready in an afternoon.
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