How to use our Word Counter
Start by entering text into the text-box above. The word count above the text-box will automatically display the count as you type!
If you want to copy the text in the text-box, simply hit the green "Copy Text" button.
Additional metrics include words per sentence, syllables per word, words per paragraph, letters per word, unique words, pages (based on an average page count of 250 words) and a character count.
The Importance of Word Count in Writing
Writing in any genre or format comes with considerations that can add or detract from its effectiveness.
One of those considerations that's not given much thought in many formats is word count. Among the many reasons it's often overlooked is that it can be troublesome to meet a specified count, both having too many words or having enough words.
Here, we'll explain why word count is important in many writing pursuits. We'll discuss problems you may encounter in meeting a specific word count, offer some helpful suggestions and point out possible pitfalls.
Last, but far from least, we'll take a look at how your writing tools and word counters may help you keep track.
Why Word Count Matters
If you're working as a content writer, you're probably used to seeing a word count specified with most jobs you're assigned or might apply for. It's often expressed as a range, to give the writer some "wiggle room", but the requirement may also be specific. Either way, you'll need to meet that requirement if you want to be paid for the project.
If you're not "working for hire", it may surprise you to know that word count can also have a profound effect on what you write for yourself, from articles to promote your business, to academic papers, to short stories, novels and even poetry.
Let's look, first, at some of the reasons for word count requirements that tend to be common across different formats.
SEO: If you're not familiar with Search Engine Optimization, you probably haven't been writing for the digital marketing industry.
Search engines like Google, Yahoo, and a myriad of others became one of the cornerstones of the industry long ago, for one simple reason: They enabled internet users to find your articles, based on things like keyword placement and density, titles, headings and – you guessed it: word count.
Interestingly enough, SEO concepts are based on some of the most basic reasons why word count is important, so rather than go into a detailed explanation, let's look at those reasons.
Reader attention span: Whether you're writing to entertain, inform, sell, or "all of the above", you have a limited time to capture and hold the attention of your audience. Among other things, this is one of the reasons books are written in chapters.
Space requirements: When writing for shared publications, digital or analog, you'll often have a word limit to allow for other stories, articles, etc.
Micro-fiction: For an author of fictional stories, this genre is a fun challenge. It involves telling a complete story in a very limited number of words.
Efficiency: Though somewhat based on attention span, it's often necessary to condense complex ideas into fewer words. This can come into play in academic research papers and essays.
In fact, it's often exactly what an assignment is meant to teach. Expressing yourself succinctly is a valuable skill.
Contest requirements: When writing for competitions, (such as essay contests, poem contests, short story contests, etc.) word count will almost always be specified.
These are only a few examples and I'm sure you'll come up with some of your own. The important point is that an upper or lower limit on words is rarely an arbitrary requirement.
When You Have Problems
There are two basic issues that may prevent you from hitting a specific word count. Both are simple, and "curing" them may be as simple as trying some of the suggestions below.
Writer's block: It's not unusual to simply run out of things to say on a subject. When that happens, try some of these methods to "get the juices flowing again"...
- Walk away for a while. Give your mind a rest.
- Drink something. Caffeine can help clear your head, and so can plain water.
- Have a snack. Something high in protein or potassium.
- Exercise. Get a little more blood pumping to your brain.
- Read something related. This may trigger some inspiration. (Be careful not to plagiarize!)
- Sleep on it. If you're not facing a short deadline, let it wait for a day.
Getting too "wordy": Sometimes the dam breaks and before you know it, you're over the upper limit on your project. If that's the case, try some of these remedies:
- Look for redundancies. Don't say the same thing in different ways.
- Rephrase. You'll often find simpler ways to express things.
- Lose some adjectives. It's possible to be too descriptive.
- Remove "fluff". If it isn't important to the piece, get rid of it.
- Simplify, then simplify again.
A Word Counter can help
Obviously, keeping track of word count manually isn't a practical idea. Fortunately, most word processing software packages, including Microsoft Word and all of its "clones", include a word count feature. Look for this word counter under "Tools" or a similar menu selection.
In many cases, you can even keep the word count visible as you write, so Google the options available for your preferred platform. Speaking of which, Google Docs and other online word processors also offer this feature.
Keep in mind that our word counter offers extra analysis and metrics that Google Docs and Microsoft Word don't provide, like words per sentence, syllables per word, words per paragraph, letters per word and unique words.
Pay Attention to Your "Blocks" Too!
The length of sections (in the case of technical works) or paragraphs also makes a difference. These "blocks" help separate ideas, but they also control the "flow" of your piece. One or two-sentence paragraphs can be very effective and can even add impact to a statement.
If something requires a lengthy explanation, don't try to write it in a single paragraph. Find natural breaks and use connecting words and sentences to tie them together.
The overall length of a piece, of course, needs to be considered along with this. Breaking a 100-word blog post into several sections probably isn't a great idea.
That's a Wrap!
In the interest of meeting the word count for this article, I'll wrap things up with a few closing lines. I hope you've found some useful information about the importance of word count and how it applies to your own writing. Hopefully, some of the suggestions herein will help you find ways that best suit your writing style and the work you'll be doing.
Thanks for using our free Word Counter tool!
That's all there is to it! Happy word counting!