GITNUX MARKETDATA REPORT 2024

Short Story Length Statistics

Short stories are typically under 7,500 words in length but can vary depending on the publication and genre.

Last Updated: June 17, 2024

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In the following post, we explore the diverse landscape of short story lengths, from the succinct to the sprawling, backed by a series of intriguing statistics. Ranging from renowned authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Ernest Hemingway to notable publications and iconic tales, these numerical insights shed light on the varied nature of this literary form.

Statistic 1

"The typical length of a short story is between 1,000 and 20,000 words,"

Statistic 2

"The long short story typically ranges from 7,000 to 20,000,"

Statistic 3

"The average word count of an Edgar Allan Poe’s short story is 4,716 words,"

Statistic 4

"Ernest Hemingway’s short stories average 3,830 words,"

Statistic 5

"On average, short stories published in literary magazines are around 3,000 words,"

Statistic 6

"Short stories published in The New Yorker average around 5,000 words,"

Statistic 7

""The Dead", one of the longest short stories by James Joyce, is more than 15,000 words long,"

Statistic 8

"Short stories for children are usually about 500 words long,"

Statistic 9

""The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis, another story sometimes considered a short story, is 36,363 words long,"

Statistic 10

"The shortest story ever written, according to popular legend, is "For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn.", at just six words, attributed to Ernest Hemingway,"

Statistic 11

"On average, it takes 4-6 submissions before a short story is accepted by a publication,"

Statistic 12

"Readers spend an average of 15 minutes reading short stories on the digital platform Medium,"

Statistic 13

""Brokeback Mountain" by Annie Proulx, which won the O. Henry Prize for Short Fiction in 1998, is approximately 9,135 words long,"

The statistics presented reveal a wide range of word lengths for short stories across different authors, publications, and genres. Short stories can vary significantly in length, from the succinct six-word story attributed to Ernest Hemingway to longer works exceeding 15,000 words like James Joyce’s “The Dead.” It is evident that there is no strict rule for short story length, with different authors and publications showcasing diverse word counts. The data also highlights the average word lengths of renowned authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and Ernest Hemingway, providing insight into their preferred storytelling styles. Additionally, statistics on reader engagement and publication acceptance rates shed light on the practical aspects of short story writing and consumption in the literary world.