50K is the official word count for the Nanowrimo challenge. Though it sits 10K words above the generally agreed upon minimum novel length, it’s hard to think of many novels between 100 and 200 pages. If your plan is to write a complete novel in 50K words, the scarcity of examples may be an issue, as it helps to see just how those precious words and pages can best be budgeted. Luckily, there are some great novels and novellas out there that teeter the edge of the Nanowrimo goal.
Whether your story will reach 50K words is not super important; what’s important is that you write the story you want to tell in the best way possible. Here are the word counts of 23 great books that are all less than 50K words.
Double Indemnity – James M. Cain – 30,072 words
Bestamericanpoetry.com
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald – 47,094 words
Barnesandnoble.com
Sula – Toni Morrison – 46,582 words
Dogobooks.com
Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption – Stephen King – ~38,000 words (128 pages)
Isfdb.com
Elevation – Stephen King – ~27,300 words (160 pages)
Reddit.com
Animal Farm – George Orwell – 29,966 words
Litreactor.com
The Island of Doctor Moreau – H. G. Wells – 43,183 words
Prosecraft.io
The Time Machine – H. G. Wells – ~24,000 words (82 pages)
Wikipedia.org
Wide Sargasso Sea – Jean Rhys – ~49,000 words (196 pages)
Google Play Books
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl – 30,664 words
Wordcounters.com
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams – 46,333 words
Barnesandnoble.com
Eaters of the Dead – Michael Crichton – 49,284 words
Novelwordcount.wordpress.com
Passing – Nella Larsen – ~47,840 words (122 pages)
Howlongtoread.com
The Return of the Soldier – Rebecca West – ~33,488 words (112 pages)
Howlongtoread.com
Peter Pan – J. M. Barrie – 47,821 words
Dogobooks.com
A Study in Scarlet – Arthur Conan Doyle – 43,622 words
Wordcounttool.com
Infinity Blade: Awakening – Brandon Sanderson – 39,040 words
Reddit.com
Infinity Blade: Redemption – Brandon Sanderson – 37,681 words
Reddit.com
Sunreach: A Skyward Novella – Brandon Sanderson – 48,622 words
Coppermind.net
Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury – 46,118 words
Barnesandnoble.com
A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens – 28,448 words
Arbookfind.com
Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk – 49,962 words
Barnesandnoble.com
The Giver – Louis Lowery – 43,617 words
Wikiwrimo.org
