Are there any general guidelines for the publishers' preferred word count for a novel?

Typically, publishers often prefer novels to be around 80,000 - 100,000 words. This range seems to be a sweet spot as it's long enough to develop complex characters and plots but not so long that it becomes daunting for readers or overly expensive to produce.

Yes, there are some unwritten guidelines. As I mentioned before, it usually falls within a certain range. But it's not set in stone. They want stories that are long enough to tell a complete and engaging story. So, it's not like they'll accept a 100 - word piece as a short story regularly. However, if it's an extremely powerful micro - story, they might consider it. But generally, it's in the ballpark of what we've discussed earlier in terms of word count.

Typically, for a very short fantasy short story, it could be as few as 500 - 1,000 words. This allows for a quick and concise narrative that can still convey a unique fantasy concept, like a brief encounter with a magical creature. A more common length is around 1,500 - 3,000 words. In this range, there's enough space to develop a simple plot, introduce a couple of characters, and build a small but engaging fantasy world. Some markets may accept fantasy short stories up to 5,000 words, which gives more room for complex sub - plots and in - depth character development.

In general, a novel has more than 40,000 words. This allows for in-depth storytelling, character growth, and exploration of various ideas and settings.

Another aspect is the flow of the excerpt. Try to start and end at natural breaks in the text. This could be the end of a chapter, a scene, or a thought. For example, if you start an excerpt in the middle of a long description, it might be confusing. Also, consider the language of the excerpt. Choose passages with vivid and engaging language. In a novel like 'To Kill a Mockingbird', Scout's descriptions of Maycomb are full of colorful language that would make great excerpts.

It varies. Some agents and publishers prefer manuscripts in the range of 70,000 to 100,000 words for adult fiction, but it really depends on the genre and the specific requirements of each.

Typically, a children's mystery novel can range from about 20,000 to 50,000 words. For younger children, it might be on the lower end, around 20,000 - 30,000 words, as they have shorter attention spans. Middle - grade mystery novels often fall in the 30,000 - 50,000 word range. However, this is not a strict rule, and some very successful children's mystery books might be shorter or longer depending on the complexity of the plot, the number of characters, and the writing style.

It helps in categorizing the novel. For example, short stories are usually much shorter in word count compared to novels. Knowing the word count can give an idea of the scale of the work.

The language used in your story is also important. It should be clear, respectful and free of offensive words. Also, if it's for a specific audience like children or a professional group, adjust the content and language accordingly.

You can use word processing software like Microsoft Word. Just open the novel file in it and it usually shows the word count at the bottom of the window.