Word count to pages
How many pages is 40,000 words?
40,000 words is about 160 double-spaced manuscript pages, 80 single-spaced pages or 134 pages in a 6" x 9" paperback.
Pages in a 6" x 9" paperback
134
At about 300 words a page
Double-spaced manuscript
160
Industry standard: 250 words a page
Manuscript, double-spaced
12pt, 1-inch margins · ~250 words a page
160 pages
Single-spaced document
12pt, Word or Google Docs · ~500 words a page
80 pages
Paperback 5" x 8"
Typical trade layout · ~250 words a page
160 pages
Paperback 5.5" x 8.5"
Typical trade layout · ~275 words a page
146 pages
Paperback 6" x 9"
Common nonfiction size · ~300 words a page
134 pages
Reading time
2 h 48 min
Audiobook length
4 h 18 min
40,000 words is a typical length for a business or self-help book.
Pages
40,000 words in pages
Page counts for the common formats. Paperback numbers assume a typical trade layout; your designer's font and margins decide the final count.
| Format | Words a page | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| Manuscript, double-spaced (12pt, 1-inch margins) | 250 | 160 |
| Single-spaced document (12pt, Word or Google Docs) | 500 | 80 |
| Paperback 5" x 8" (Typical trade layout) | 250 | 160 |
| Paperback 5.5" x 8.5" (Typical trade layout) | 275 | 146 |
| Paperback 6" x 9" (Common nonfiction size) | 300 | 134 |
Time
How long is 40,000 words to read?
Average adult speeds from a review of 190 reading studies, plus the audiobook rate ACX uses.
| Activity | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Silent reading, nonfiction | 238 words a minute | 2 h 48 min |
| Silent reading, fiction | 260 words a minute | 2 h 34 min |
| Reading aloud or a speech | 183 words a minute | 3 h 39 min |
| Finished audiobook | 9,300 words an hour | 4 h 18 min |
More options, or paste your own text, in the reading time calculator.
Book length
What is a 40,000-word manuscript?
At this length it matches the typical range for: novel, middle grade and business or self-help book.
- Novel: 40,000+ words
- Middle grade: 20,000 to 55,000 words
- Business or self-help book: 40,000 to 60,000 words
Writing it takes about 80 days at 500 words a day, or 40 at 1,000. Typical lengths for every genre are in how many words in a book.
Other word counts
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