• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Bookshelf
    • Audio
    • Complete List of Chautona’s Books
    • The Rockland Chronicles
      • The Vintage Wren
      • The Aggie Series
      • The Hartfield Mysteries
      • Sight Unseen Series
        • Sight Unseen Series Archives
      • The Agency Files
      • Christmas Fiction
    • Legacy of the Vines
    • Meddlin’ Madeline
      • Madeline Blog Archive
    • Ballads from the Hearth
      • Ballads from the Hearth Blog Archive
    • Legends of the Vengeance
    • Journey of Dreams
    • Wynnewood
    • Webster’s Bakery
    • The Not-So-Fairy Tales
    • Heart of Warwickshire
  • Start HERE
    • If You Like…
    • Characters
    • Suggested Reading Order
    • Free Books
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Podcast
    • Podcast Guest Information
    • Podcast Interview FAQ
  • Merch Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • Bonus
  • New & Coming
Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

Why “All You Need” Is Brilliant & Annoying

by Chautona Havig · 4 Comments

It may drive you nuts, but the best answer to the word count question really is, "As many as it takes." Still, it's brilliant and annoying. via @chautonahavig

It’s one of the most annoying answers in writing. The question?

How many words should my book be?

Answer: as many as it takes to tell the story.

Commence head banging now.

The problem is that this is the right answer. It’s brilliant. And it’s annoying.

There are those who say, “Word count is just a sum of the words on the page. You should be concerned with the difference they make in the story.” Okay, no one says exactly that. That’s my take on the general idea, and I have to admit, I feel rather clever right now.

Those people are right, you know. As far as story goes, word count is just what ends up at the bottom of the screen when you stop typing. That’s it.

Why "All You Need" Is Brilliant & Annoying

Note: links in this post may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commision at no extra expense to you.

So why care about something so annoying as word count?

Well, I’m going to give you my reasons anyway. These are why word count is always on my mind, why I keep track in a journal, why I post on charts, and why I have tracker bars on my website.

This is how I take those annoying word count things and let them work their brilliant magic.

You see, at the beginning of my writing journey, I “pantsed” (for more about “pantsing” see THIS post) my word count just as much as I did my writing. I let the story take me where it wanted. And you know what? It worked for me. I needed that time of free-form expression. It taught me much. So at the end of a book, there might be 40K words—or 90K. The funny thing is, I had a goal in mind from the very first book I wrote.

90,000 words. Why 90 and not 80 or 120? I’ll tell you. It’s because I once read Dee Henderson say that was her target word count. I liked the length of her books—not too short, not all dragged out. Baby bear’s books—just right.

Why did I have that goal? For several reasons:

Why "All You Need" Is Brilliant & AnnoyingFirst:

Because the number of words determines what your story is. Is it a short story? A Novella? A Novel? According to Writer’s Digest, short stories can go up as far as 30K words (I say 20k max). novellas to 50K. novels to 300K! (Hint: the most rejections traditional houses send out are for too long, but the biggest cause for ALL rejections is too long or short).

Over the past ten years especially, those word counts have dropped significantly, however.  Part of this I attribute to certain novella collections by a popular Christian fiction publisher. Theirs max out at around twenty-thousand words because when you put five to eight authors in one collection, you’re talking a hefty book–especially in print!)  Dave Chesson from Kindlepreneur talks about the newer word count lengths and what they mean for writers in THIS article.

What does this mean in general, though? It means that word counts do matter—if not to a publisher (who is only trying to find what a reader will pay for), then to a reader (who wants to know approximately how long it will take him to finish your epic 405K word saga.

Why "All You Need" Is Brilliant & AnnoyingSecond:

Because you need a destination. Look, you can over or underestimate just how many words you need. But without an estimate, it becomes too easy to fill the pages with interesting bits that have only the most tenuous link to the overarching tale.

Look, some stories lend themselves to those kinds of details and rabbit trails, but the reader of those genres/styles expect that. When a mystery lover picks up a 150K “cozy” mystery, she knows it’s not just a mystery. It has to be more than that because a 150K mystery when the average mystery is 65K. That’s over double! Instead, it’s probably an exploration of human character as well as the actual “who/whatdunnit.” Actually, my Madeline series is like that.

Third:

Because if you’re writing epic fantasy and can’t get past thirty-thousand words, are you fully exploring your story? Will the reader get a sense of the world you’ve created? Is there enough action? Tension? Is there only action and tension with no personal growth and relational development? Yeah. That might be part of the problem, don’t you think? Basically, it’s because word count is a GPS for your destination. If your goal is a short story and you have fifty-thousand words, you need to let it reroute you back to your original destination, or you need to reevaluate where you’re going. You might be looking at a novella or a novel.

And that first book that I “pantsed” the word count on? Yeah, it ended up at 60K words. Far short of the 90K I wanted. Oh, and those 60K words comprised what ended up being two full books and a third of another—each of which was 120k words or more in the end. Ahem.

So in the great debate, “Does word count matter?”

My answer is, “Yes. But as a guide to making your book the best it can be. After that, it’s just a number. But it’s one that baffles and intrigues readers and writers alike. I can’t tell you how many times people have asked me, “How many words is a good number for…?” Or, “How do you decide how many words will be in your novel?”

I also can’t tell you how often I want to say, “Well… as many as it needs.” Actually, I usually do say that and then qualify it so they won’t want to shoot me. That’s when I say, “But my goal is usually 90,000. If I make it to that number, great. If I finish before I get there, and if the whole story has been told… YAY! I’m done. If I hit 90K and it’s not done? When I look at what I’ve written and I can’t cut it without ruining the story? Then I accept that it’s a longer story, and I leave it.

It works for me.

Why? Because, well… Like I said above…

Why "All You Need" Is Brilliant & Annoying

Share
Pin
Post
Email
54Shares
Share
Pin
Post
Email
54Shares

Filed Under: General Information, Writing

Previous Post: « How the Most Annoying Pet Peeves Inspire the Best Stories
Next Post: What 4 All-American Things Do I Absolutely Hate? »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Or, you can subscribe without commenting.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. Emma says

    June 6, 2017 at 12:53 pm

    That question makes me think of the answer I often get when I ask what I should cook for dinner. The answer I most hate getting? “Food.” So helpful.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      June 6, 2017 at 5:36 pm

      RIGHT? And if you ask them to be specific, they say, “Good food.” Well, gee!

      Reply
  2. Rebecca Pittman says

    June 5, 2017 at 8:02 am

    Brilliant! Where was this blog six months ago when I spent hours searching for how long my book should be? Lol. I like your qualifier. But in my situation, my story is continued in multiple books (was planning a trilogy but…) That’s always a thought if someone’s story runs waaay long. See if they can break it into other books (like you did with Aggie!)

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      June 5, 2017 at 11:36 am

      Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllll LOL! When all else fails, cut the fluff or expand the series (if there is no fluff).

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

The Because Fiction Podcast

The Because Fiction Podcast
The Because Fiction Podcast

Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 438: A Chat with Margaret Philbrick
byChautona Havig

 Oh, wow.  When I read the synopsis for House of Honor by Margaret Ann Philbrick, I knew this was going to be a fabulous book.  Forget all the endorsements and starred reviews, listen in to hear just how awesome this book is!  

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

When Margaret described the story within House of Honor, I not only learned a lot of art history, but I got a taste of Italy (sadly, without pasta and gelato… sniff). I can’t wait to see what she coes up with next.

 House of Honor by Margaret Ann Philbrick

Two Italian sons, one woman, linked by a masterpiece painting, are put to a test of loyalty and honor.

At the heart of this gripping tale is Orazio Bordoni, the wayward son of a construction magnate, living a reckless life like that of his artistic hero Caravaggio. He finds himself befriended by Nicolo Giotto, the devoted son of a powerful Sicilian mafia clan, who wants to uphold the honor of his family.

As the dark underbelly of the art world and the Vatican expose their true character, Orazio finds himself in a world where his loyalty is tested, honor is at stake, and the boundaries between life, love, and art blur. He and Nicolo discover just how far they’re willing to push those boundaries, even if it means sacrificing everything.

House of Honor is a pivotal story that weaves the threads of history, the ruthless allure of the mafia, the enigmatic power of the Vatican, and the timeless brilliance of Caravaggio.

Learn more about Margaret on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

  • Apple
  • Castbox
  • Google Play
  • Libsyn
  • RSS
  • Spotify
  • Amazon
  • and more!
Episode 438: A Chat with Margaret Philbrick
Episode 438: A Chat with Margaret Philbrick
June 14, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 437: A Chat with Kristen Hogrefe Parnell
June 9, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 436: A Chat with Suzanne Woods Fisher
June 7, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 435: A Chat with Rachel Keith
June 3, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 434: A Chat with Lynn U. Watson
May 31, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 433: A Chat with Megan Soja
May 26, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 432: A Chat with Crystal Caudill
May 24, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 431: A Chat with Heidi Gray McGill
May 19, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 430: A Chat with Amanda Cabot
May 17, 2025
Chautona Havig
Episode 429: A Chat with J. A. Webb
May 12, 2025
Chautona Havig
Search Results placeholder

Love Audio Books?

audio book ad

Featured Books

Be My Inspiration

Be My Inspiration

Pointed Suspicion

Pointed Suspicion

Courting Miss Darling

Courting Miss Darling

Upcoming Posts

Sorry - nothing planned yet!

Or just subscribe to the newsletter

Recent Blog Posts

  • So, There Was That Time I Forgot What I Knew…
  • “Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say” Ain’t No Lie
  • Why Romance Is a Hairy Proposition (or is that proposal?)

I buy my stickers here! (affiliate)

Custom Stickers, Die Cut Stickers, Bumper Stickers - Sticker Mule
Keith can’t help but wonder: will his first assi Keith can’t help but wonder: will his first assignment with The Agency be his last?

One missing man. One new agent. One chance to keep the (uncertain) client alive
The prequel novel to The Agency Files, Induction is Keith Auger's interview and... well.. induction into The Agency. Listen FREE on YouTube to the audiobook narrated by @ChristaDelSorbo .
Listen to each chapter separately for ease of finding where you are OR the whole book in one video (after Sept 30, 2024).
Also available from most audiobook retailers!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGJaJiSo6mQ2AIQHYt1g3cWoBPneeilsa

#ChristianRomanticSuspense
#ChristFic
#Audiobooks
#ChristianAudiobooks
#FreeAudiobooks
What makes an office manager go "rogue" and get al What makes an office manager go "rogue" and get all "agent-ified?" Danger to their best agent's girlfriend, that's what. She doens't know what she's doing (the girlfriend knows more!), and she's terrified they're one blink away from certain death, but if sheer force of will can keep Erika alive, well... they've got a fighting chance.
Book 5 of the Agency file is available FREE, chapter by chapter on YouTube AND... after 2/28/25 also available in one full-length video.  Listen in individual chapters to keep easy track of where you are or in one long chunk so you don't have to keep moving to the next. Whichever works best for you!
PLEASE consider subscribing to Christa's YouTube channel. We'd both appreciate it.  https://bit.ly/ChristaDelsorbo
#ChristianAudiobooks
#Audiobooks
#FreeAudiobooks
#ChristianRomanticSuspense
The fabulous @ChristaDelSorbo has narrated many of The fabulous @ChristaDelSorbo has narrated many of my books, including The Last Gasp--a mystery set in 1920s Hollywood and with a Cinderella twist.
You can listen FREE on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@christadelsorbo/videos
Check out the other books she has on there... also free! https://www.youtube.com/@christadelsorbo/videos
OR
You can also get The Last Gasp and several of my other titles on popular retailers like Audible, Spotify, Everand, and more!
#Audiobooks
#FreeAudiobooks
#ChristianMystery
#HistoricalMystery
#FairyTaleRetelling
The fabulous @ChristaDelSorbo has narrated many of The fabulous @ChristaDelSorbo has narrated many of my books, and now she's on the first book (after the prequel, Induction) of The Agency Files.
When Erika is ripped from her bed (literally) by strangers claiming to be doing it for "her own safety," she's not convinced. Can you blame her? Listen in to learn more. One chapter a day throughout the month and the whole book will be uploaded as one video at the end. So listen FREE daily (or to each chapter so you can find your place easily), or all at once on a long car ride or decluttering binge (oh, wait. Is that just me?).
Check out the other books she has on her channel... also free! AND, please subscribe and make her day (it's a lot of work!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hnf_Ztodag&list=PLGJaJiSo6mQ2CQxqZjoGUiFK5mPPbJIbb

OR

You can also get Justified means and several of my other titles on popular retailers like Audible, Spotify, Everand, and more!
#Audiobooks
#FreeAudiobooks
#ChristianRomanticSuspense
14h
Who is he, who is after him, and why is a woman ab Who is he, who is after him, and why is a woman abducted to protect her from him?  Bioterrorism, Russian mafia, and what? Another agency?  What's going on in The Agency now?
Listen to the whole book FREE, narrated by the fabulous @ChristaDelSorbo (don't forget to subscribe!!!). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-TZlGhUFcE&list=PLGJaJiSo6mQ1Cg738W1MSQlHIuFe45v_WListen to a chapter a day OR to the whole thing at the end of the month.  The previous four Agency books are also available to listen to FREE.
#TheAgencyFiles
#ChristFic
#ChristianSuspense
#Kindleunlimitedreads
I know... I've said it before. It's why I try not I know... I've said it before. It's why I try not to promise when/what. #BecauseLife.  I can't control what's happening, but I can control not starting to release stuff only to have it stall again.  I am determined that when I start sending out episodes again (they are being written every chance I need a break from other things), they won't ever stop until the story is done.  I just need a huge lead and it's not big enough. Sorry.
If you have a question you want me to answer, leave it in the comments OR... zip me an email at chautona@chautona.com.  I'll try to work them in (and will probably combine those that are really similar.
#AuthorLife
#WriterLife
#AuthorsOfInstagram
#CharacterDevelopment
#AmWriting
#TheVintageWren
#SerialNovels
#365THOUSANDDaysOfGreen (or so it seems)
Austria, 1939. Before the "death trains," Hitler's Austria, 1939. Before the "death trains," Hitler's regime deported ten thousand children to Holland, Sweden, and even England on what was known as the Kindertransport. Two desperate mothers send their only childrent to safety on this Kindertransport, but when those children arrive, nothing is as it seems or should be.  A war-time mystery twist on "Hansel and Gretel" set just before the invasion of Poland.
Available as an audiobook FREE on Youtube, narrated by @ChristaDelSorbo
https://www.youtube.com/@christadelsorbo/videos

#FreeAudiobooks
#ChristFic
#HistoricalChristianMystery
#KindleUnlimited
  • Home
  • Bookshelf
  • New & Coming
  • Blog
  • News!
  • Disclosure & Policies
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · Chautona Havig · All Rights Reserved · Coding by Gretchen Louise

Don't go before you grab your FREE short story collection!