Figuring Out Middle Grade
Book Length
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
One of our Good Story Learning members asked about the standard middle grade book length in today’s market. Word count can be such an inflammatory topic, especially since some writers shrug off guidelines and prefer freewriting and not following some arbitrary-seeming rules. But in the children’s book industry (both traditional and self-published), book length matters. So if you’re unsure about middle grade book length, read on to find out!
Unpacking the Issues Behind MIddle Grade Book Length
Middle grade books are for independent readers ages nine (at the younger end) to thirteen. This informs middle grade book length, as these manuscripts need to be approachable to readers in this age group, who are all learning to read independently at different rates and ability levels. And in publishing, especially children’s book publishing, which is very concerned with its various age bands, it’s wise to stick to standard middle grade book length for your genre (or at least break the rules mindfully).
Word count factors into an editor or agent's decision-making process, though middle grade book length is not necessarily answerable with a hard-and-fast number. Given an impressive enough premise, many agents and publishers are open to reading longer manuscripts than the norm. However, reality dictates that you want to thread the needle of standard middle grade novel length. So how long are middle grade novels?
Younger side of middle grade (readers aged nine and ten): 35,000 to 50,000 words
Middle grade book length (ages eleven): around 50,000 words
Older middle grade (readers aged twelve and thirteen) and for genres like fantasy, sci-fi, and historical: between 60,000 and 80,000 words
Keeping Middle Grade Book Length In Context
You’ll notice that I gave some age ranges instead of firm numbers, above. This is a broad generalization, especially since readers of different ages read at different speeds and proficiency levels as they acquire mastery. Some nine-year-olds will be reading books on the longer side of middle grade, and some thirteen-year-olds will still be working on the shorter books as they reinforce their skills.
It does, however, behoove you to stick close to the above ranges for middle grade book length. The publishing industry is more receptive to standard word counts, rather than outliers, as the accepted ranges exist for a reason.
A lot of agents and publishing house editors can be hesitant to tackle manuscripts with a high word count, considering their overflowing inboxes and the fact that such extensive drafts often lack refinement. It’s an issue of economics, too. A manuscript eventually becomes a printed and bound book. These pages cost money to produce, warehouse, and ship along distribution networks. In order to know whether they should acquire a book or not, editors create a Profit and Loss Statement. Your middle grade book length factors into this calculation.
Writers working in the fantasy, paranormal, historical, and science fiction spaces should know that middle grade book length tends to be more generous. These types of stories usually require more worldbuilding, which means more detail, which means more words.
However, be careful not to get carried away. Too many irrelevant details can make your middle grade book length balloon. If an agent takes a look at the writing sample and realizes that there's paragraph after paragraph of thick description with no dialogue or scene breaks, they might see some red flags about you not navigating your balance of action and information correctly.
What’s the upper limit of how long should middle grade books be? Writing a children's book that surpasses the 100,000-word mark requires skill and dedication, and you have to realize that you are taking a risk. The art of self-editing, revision, and making sacrifices is a necessary skill to master. Many debut authors haven’t really taken the time or care to streamline their work, and it often shows in their middle grade book length.
The best determining factor for middle grade book length is what’s necessary to tell the story. This should be your primary concern. Writers need to justify whenever they exceed the typical agent and publisher guidelines. There are plenty of nuances to be explored within this spectrum, but it’s good to have a general sense of what’s appropriate for middle grade book length.
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