Book calculators
Five free calculators that answer the questions every writer asks in numbers: how many pages a word count makes, how long it takes to read, how many hours of audiobook it becomes, how many days it takes to write, and whether it is a novella, a novel or something else. Each page states its assumptions and shows the reference table.
The calculators
- Words → printed pages
Words to Pages calculator
50,000 words is about 150–200 printed pages, depending on trim and type size. Convert any word count to book pages for 5×8, 5.5×8.5, 6×9 or manuscript.
- Words → hours and minutes
Reading Time calculator
50,000 words takes about 3½ hours to read at the average adult pace of 238 words a minute. Reading time for any word count at slow, average or fast speed.
- Words → finished hours
Audiobook Length calculator
50,000 words is about 5 h 23 min of finished audio at the standard 155 words a minute (ACX's 9,300 an hour). Convert any word count to audiobook hours.
- Target → writing days and a finish date
Writing Time calculator
At 1,000 words a day, 50,000 words takes 50 days; at the NaNoWriMo pace of 1,667 a day, 30 days. Enter your target and daily pace to get a finish date.
- Word count → category, genre fit, chapters
Novel Length calculator
A novel is 40,000+ words, a novella 17,500–39,999 (SFWA); most adult novels run 70,000–100,000. Typical ranges by genre, chapter counts and a calculator.
Where the numbers come from
Page counts use stated words-per-page bases for each trim size — about 300–330 words a page for a 6 × 9 paperback in 11-point type, 250 for a double-spaced manuscript — and are shown as a range, because dialogue, chapter openings and front matter move the real count. Reading speeds come from Brysbaert's 2019 meta-analysis of reading rate (about 238 words a minute for adult silent reading). Audiobook hours use the ACX planning figure of 9,300 words per finished hour. Length categories are the SFWA's Nebula definitions, and genre ranges are the common industry expectations, labelled as such.
When Bindery typesets a book it counts the real pages and sizes the spine from that count — the estimate here is for planning; the typeset count is what the printer sees.
Ready to make the book?
Bindery writes, typesets and prints it. Free to start. No credit card.
Writing Guides →
The craft library: how to write, outline and structure books in every genre — 60 in-depth guides.
Book Tools →
Turn podcasts, interviews, blogs and documents into real books — or translate the one you have.
Book Formats →
Lie-flat cookbooks, hardcover memoirs, photo books, planners — with real print specs.