🎙 Episode 13: How Long Should My Book Be?
Host: Renée Lautermilch, Chief Editor at Smart Publishing
Presented by: Smart Publishing
Referenced Resource: The One-Hour Author: A Simple Guide to Writing and Publishing on a Busy Schedule
🎧 Episode Summary:
In this solo episode, Renée tackles one of the most common questions aspiring authors ask: “How long should my book be?” Spoiler alert: there’s no magic number—just a few smart guidelines depending on your goals, publishing path, and reader experience.
She breaks down:
Why traditional publishers impose word count requirements (hint: ROI).
The real reason books often feel padded with fluff.
What really matters in the indie/self-publishing world.
How to think in pages (not words), especially for trim size, spine width, and formatting.
This episode is a must-listen if you’re stressing over length instead of focusing on quality and clarity.
đź’ˇ Key Takeaways:
Forget Word Count: Focus on delivering value and clarity. Let your content dictate the length—not arbitrary numbers.
100 Pages is a Sweet Spot: Aim for at least ~100 formatted pages to achieve a readable spine and “real book” feel (translates to ~60–65 Word doc pages for a 6x9 trim).
Recording > Typing: Recording your content for transcription can be faster than writing—40 minutes of audio can yield 12–13 Word pages.
Boost Page Count the Right Way: Add diagrams, charts, journaling prompts, reflection questions, or workbook sections—but only if they improve the reader experience.
Amazon KDP Requirements: Minimum is 76 pages, but anything under 97 pages may have a very thin or unreadable spine.
✍️ Episode Quote:
“Your book should be as long as it needs to be—to provide value, clarity, and a great reader experience. That’s it.”
đź“š Resources Mentioned:
Smart Publishing – End-to-end book coaching, editing, and publishing support
The One-Hour Author on Amazon – Renée’s bestselling guide for busy aspiring authors
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