Book manuscript length « Political Science Rumors

Book manuscript length

Brody

How long are these? I'm having trouble getting up to 80,000 words.

8 years ago # QUOTE 3 YEA 0 NAY !
Melvyn

Very short ones are closer to 50,000. At 80,000, you're more in the territory of average length. My first two were 65,000, and the third was 85,000. In each case, that's text only, with references excluded. They became books between 180 and 215 pages.

8 years ago # QUOTE 5 YEA 1 NAY !
Caleigh

Many presses are pretty restrictive, especially when it comes to first books. They often want no more than 80,000 words (inclusive of all notes, references, appendices, biliographies, etc., as well as the main text). With subsequent books, presses tend to be more permissive, at least on length.

8 years ago # QUOTE 4 YEA 0 NAY !
Brody

Thanks for the responses. That's very helpful.

Caleigh:
Many presses are pretty restrictive, especially when it comes to first books. They often want no more than 80,000 words (inclusive of all notes, references, appendices, biliographies, etc., as well as the main text). With subsequent books, presses tend to be more permissive, at least on length.

8 years ago # QUOTE 3 YEA 0 NAY !