How Long Are Typical Book Extracts Provided By Authors?

I’ve noticed that book extracts can vary quite a bit depending on the author and publisher. From my experience, most authors share snippets ranging from 1 to 3 chapters, especially for novels. These extracts are usually around 10 to 30 pages long, giving readers a solid taste of the writing style and plot without spoiling too much. For shorter works like novellas or children’s books, the extracts might be shorter, maybe 5 to 15 pages. I’ve also seen some authors share standalone scenes or prologues as teasers, which can be as short as a few pages. It really depends on the marketing strategy—some want to hook readers with a big chunk, while others prefer smaller, more frequent teasers.

Book extracts are such a fascinating part of the publishing world, and their length often reflects the genre and target audience. For mainstream fiction, I’ve seen extracts typically span 20 to 50 pages, which is enough to introduce the main characters and set up the central conflict. Literary fiction might go even deeper, sometimes offering 50+ pages to showcase the prose and themes. On the other hand, thrillers or YA novels often keep it tight, around 10 to 20 pages, to maintain momentum and leave readers craving more.

Non-fiction works, like memoirs or self-help books, usually provide a chapter or two, often 15 to 30 pages, focusing on the core idea or a compelling anecdote. Graphic novels and manga, though, are a different beast—their extracts might be just a few pages or a single chapter, heavily reliant on visuals. Publishers also play a huge role; some insist on longer extracts to justify pre-orders, while indie authors might experiment with shorter, more frequent previews. It’s a balancing act between giving enough to intrigue and holding back to avoid spoilers.

I’ve seen a wide range of lengths. Most authors seem to settle on 1 to 2 chapters, which can be anywhere from 5 to 25 pages depending on the book’s pacing. For example, fantasy novels often have longer extracts—sometimes 30 pages or more—because they need to establish the world and lore. Contemporary romance, though, might just share a juicy scene or two, around 10 pages, to highlight the chemistry between characters.

I’ve also noticed that extracts for serialized works, like web novels or episodic fiction, tend to be shorter, often just a single chapter or even a partial chapter. This makes sense since they’re designed to keep readers coming back for more. Meanwhile, classic literature reprints might include substantial extracts, like 50 pages, to remind readers why these works endure. The length really hinges on what the author and publisher think will best captivate potential readers.