Should you worry about word count?

Your word count should reflect your story. A longer story or shorter story is not better, just like a tall person isn't better than a short one. Your goal is to find the right size novel for the story you're writing. If you need more words to tell the story, take them.

Is it OK to be under word count?

You've got the people who always go over the word count, and the people who can't get anywhere near it. Many universities apply a kind of 'penalty' if either of these happens. A pretty common one is your mark will be reduced by 10% if you're 10% over or under the word limit.

Is word count really that important?

They matter if you've been asked to write a piece of a maximum number of words. word count matters depending on your audience and the topic you are trying to put across. your readers don't have the whole day of reading your article, therefore, it should not be too long or too short.

How far off word count is acceptable?

Assignment length requirements are usually given in terms of numbers of words. Unless the lecturer tells you that these limits are strict, it is normally acceptable to be 10% above or below this word limit (so, for example, a 2000 word assignment should be between 1800 and 2200 words).

How do I stop worrying about word count?

How to Reduce your Word Count

What should my daily word count be?

500-1000 words a day is perfectly reasonable. I do on average 2,500–and that is after twenty years of practice, not to mention being able to do this full time. If you can do 500 words a day five days a week, that's a novel every year. Don't feel this is a bad rate.

How to increase your word count?

Read over your paper and look for any statements that seem long-winded or unclear. Break apart long sentences or statements into multiple sentences. Then, clarify your ideas in each sentence to help increase your word count. Add follow up statements so your ideas are specific and well rounded in the paper.

Do professors actually check word count?

If they give you an assignment asking you to complete it within a specific range of the word count, then of course you need to complete it. As far as your professors are concerned, they will check the word count of your assignment. They need to see if you have done the work properly or not.

Do professors care about word count?

The strictness of a professors when they give a word count requirement for an assignment depends on the professors. I actually had one that took points off of my paper (only a few) because it was too long. The better professors will provide a maximum and minimum word count.

Do you fail if you go over word count?

In short, should the work be over the word count, how far it goes is taken into consideration and brings the overall mark down. For those assignments which are pass/fail, going over the word count can result in a fail grade.

Do colleges care about word count?

Do not go over the maximum word count. If there isn't a preferred word count, submit an essay that's under 650 words, according to the college application platform Common App, which works with over 900 colleges in the US [1]. Admissions officers are looking for well-written essays that follow directions.

What is a realistic word count per day?

Don't expect anastronomical dailyword count

In fact, we suggest you aim for a thousand words each day – after we have agreed your story plan and made sure you're well prepared. Otherwise, British novelist Graham Greene found he could knock out a novel every 9 months this way at 500 a day.

Does Google care about word count?

But Google simply does not care if you rank or not, and word count is not a requirement for Google. Google's ranking algorithm applies a different set of signals depending on the search engine query: If it is informational or transactional, or where in the country, time of day or your search history, etc.

How strict are universities on word count?

Your professor is being too strict. I've been to three universities - all of them had a 10% rule...you can be 10% under or 10% over without penalty (so between 180 - 220 words). Any more than that over or under you will lose marks. Maybe she got confused over her own requirement.

Does word count matter in an essay?

Essays are given specified word counts for a reason. They prevent us from going too far in our research, thereby losing a sustained argument, and they prevent us from keeping our scope too narrow. However, cutting word counts is not always easy, especially in a piece of writing you have written yourself.

Is it OK to exceed word limit in essay?

That being said, there can be some leeway. For the vast majority of programs, it's generally acceptable to exceed the word limit by 5%. There are, of course, a few exceptions: Caveat #1: If a school gives you a range (e.g., 250-750 words), you should ideally stay within that range.

How important is word count in university essays?

It's crucial when planning and writing your assignment that you're clear on whether it has a wordcount or a word limit. A word limit usually means that you will lose marks if you go over that number of words. So it's important that you're aware of that and work to keep your submission within that limit.

Why do teachers give word counts?

Word limits can keep writing pieces short, or they can force the student to create more thorough ideas. This technique is often used in today's classrooms, but not much is known about how it affects the student. Motivation to complete the task may be affected by the expectation placed on the student.

Do professors actually read 10 page papers?

Yes, professors will actually read your research paper but they might be reading too fast to catch minor mistakes as they will be looking for major points of discussion only. Professors have an expectation when they assign a paper and they know exactly what they are looking for when they are grading.

Is 300 words enough for a college essay?

How many words should a college essay be? Personal statements are generally 500-650 words. For example, the Common Application, which can be used to apply to more than 800 colleges, requires an essay ranging from 250-650 words.

Is 2000 words a lot for an essay?

Consider what is most important – no doubt if you spoke about everything covered on the reading list you would have far more words than the average essay word count (which is usually advised around 1,500-2,000 words - it does depend on your tutor.)

Should I use all words in college essay?

Some essays are 35 words, others 650 words. Some are 100 characters, others two pages. But for each of these essays, irrespective of the word count, there is one guiding principle that college applicants should follow: stick to the word count — don't write more, don't write less.

How much does Stephen King read a day?

King, on the other hand, has said in multiple interviews over the years that he reads roughly three hours a night and gets through somewhere between 75 to 100 books a year. Mostly fiction. And that he reads for pleasure, not to deconstruct the books or study them.

What is considered a high word count?

If you're writing your first novel, the general rule of thumb for novel writing is a word count in the 80,000 to 100,000 range. While anything over 40,000 words can fall into the novel category, 50,000 is considered the minimum novel length. Anything over 110,000 words is considered too long for a fiction novel.

Is 1000 words a day realistic?

Writing 1,000 words usually gives you enough content to publish a blog post. It's a starting point, but your career can transform when you write at that frequency every day. One thousand words per day add up to 30,000 words per month or 365,000 words per year. These word counts provide more possibilities.