The word counter that coaches your writing, not just counts it.
Live word and character counts. Reading time. Keyword density. Flesch grade level. Filler words and repetition — highlighted as you type. Nothing leaves your browser.
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See how different writing measures
Click any sample to load it into the editor. Compare grade level, density, and pacing across writing styles.
Word count benchmarks
How long should it actually be?
The real word-count targets editors and platforms expect, with reading times you can quote in pitches.
| Format | Typical words | Reading time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tweet / X post | 40-50 | 10 sec | 280 chars hard limit |
| LinkedIn post | 150-300 | 1 min | Long-form gets more reach |
| Email newsletter | 250-500 | 1-2 min | Scannable beats long |
| Blog post (standard) | 800-1,500 | 3-6 min | SEO sweet spot |
| Long-form blog | 1,500-3,000 | 6-13 min | Best for ranking on competitive terms |
| Pillar / cornerstone post | 3,000-5,000+ | 13-21 min | Comprehensive guide format |
| College essay | 500-1,000 | 2-4 min | Common app: 250-650 max |
| Academic paper | 3,000-8,000 | 13-34 min | Per section, not total |
| Conference talk | 2,250-3,000 | 15-20 min spoken | At 150 wpm speaking rate |
| Novella | 17,500-40,000 | 1-3 hr | Between short story and novel |
| Novel | 70,000-120,000 | 5-8 hr | Genre fiction standard |
What sets it apart
Five things most counters miss
Built for writers who care about more than a number.
Plain-English coach
Filler words, repetition, and run-on sentences highlighted right in your text. Toggle each one on or off.
Auto-save, no cloud
Close the tab. Come back tomorrow. Your draft restores from local browser storage — never uploaded.
Sample text gallery
Load a Lincoln speech, a Hemingway paragraph, or a tech blog. See how their writing measures, compare to yours.
Goal mode & progress ring
Set a word target. Watch a calm ring fill as you write. Better than guessing whether you're halfway.
Why word count matters
Wisdom from people who actually write
Three small ideas to remember while you're staring at the cursor.
If you can't write your idea on the back of a business card, you don't have a clear idea.
Easy reading is damn hard writing. Cut your first draft by half, then cut it again.
A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences.
FAQ
Writing questions,
answered.
Everything writers, students, and bloggers ask about word counts and the metrics behind them.
Ask a questiondon't or it's count as one word. Numbers count as words. Emojis do not. This matches how Microsoft Word and Google Docs count, so the numbers transfer cleanly between tools.
localStorage — a private storage space tied to this site that only your browser can read. Nothing is uploaded. Clear your browser data and the draft is gone. If you write on multiple devices, your draft will only restore on the device you wrote it on.