Word Count Counting

MightyScribbler · Jan 23, 2007

I've heard two schools of thought concerning the word count you put at the top of your query/manuscript.

1. Round to the nearest hundred

vs.

2. Round to the nearest thousand

vs.

3. Don't round, put the exact word count (I believe this is the least popular, although if they ask for an electronic submission and use the word count feature themselves would they be annoyed at the discrepancy).

Thoughts?

greglondon · Jan 23, 2007

Word count for paper is a reflection of the number of pages it will take to publish the work. 12 point courier font, 60 characters per line, 25 lines per page. Take the number of pages and multiply by 250. round to the nearest thousand.

The exact number of words, i.e. the word count reported by something like Microsoft Words, is irrelevant.

ETA: That's for a novel. if its a short, use the MS word count and round to the nearest hundred.

Gillhoughly · Jan 23, 2007

In these days of word processing software, just put in the number you get when you ask for a word count.

The exact number is best for short stories where you get paid by the word.

You can be less exact with novel works, but I always put in the accurate number because I LIKE my word counting feature.

Shiny.

farfromfearless · Jan 23, 2007

I went through this anxiety recently - check the threads on manuscript formatting, there are some excellent guidelines in there. Making your words count is more important than counting your words.

scribbler1382 · Jan 23, 2007

For short stories, round to the nearest hundred. For novels, round to the nearest thousand. For tomes...seek professional help.

PeeDee · Jan 23, 2007

I round to the nearest number that DOESN'T make me look like an anal-retentive bean counter.

These days, word count in MS word or what-have you is just fine for me.

(the 250 method just hurt my head anyway, so I don't mind)

johnzakour · Jan 23, 2007

Let Bill Gates and Word count your words for you.

PeeDee · Jan 23, 2007

He counts my money,

He counts my words,

He counts my Solitair victories (which you could handle in binary)

Bill Gates counts my life. Hmph.

vrabinec · Jan 23, 2007

I'm surprised this question would come up. I would have thought 99% of writers use Microsoft Word which has the word count feature in "tools". (click on "tools" on your tool bar when you're in the document and the second item down should say "word count") There are a couple "book writing" software packages out there, but all of the ones I've seen demonstrations on have a word count feature too. The only people I could see having trouble getting an accurate word count are those who are writing theirs by hand and then converting it to something else later.

PeeDee · Jan 23, 2007

vrabinec said:
I'm surprised this question would come up. I would have thought 99% of writers use Microsoft Word which has the word count feature in "tools". (click on "tools" on your tool bar when you're in the document and the second item down should say "word count") There are a couple "book writing" software packages out there, but all of the ones I've seen demonstrations on have a word count feature too. The only people I could see having trouble getting an accurate word count are those who are writing theirs by hand and then converting it to something else later.

the reason it comes up is that, up until relatively recently, computer word counting software weren't generally liked, appreciated, or suggested for use. The old type-writing 250 Method was still preferred.

These-a days, most people use just the word processor...But not everyone, not all the time. So it's a valid question.

MightyScribbler · Jan 24, 2007

Thanks all for your input. But, it wasn't really the counting method I was asking about, it's more about what you should put in the query or at the top of the MS for word count. I originally put an exact word count (i.e., 112,432 words), but then was told to either round to the nearest hundred (i.e., 112,400) or round to the nearest thousand (i.e.,112,000) when including it in the query or MS title page. I'm not so much worried about how to obtain a word count. I just was curious about what I should put when I mention the word count in the query or title page of the MS.

johnzakour · Jan 24, 2007

MightyScribbler said:
Thanks all for your input. But, it wasn't really the counting method I was asking about, it's more about what you should put in the query or at the top of the MS for word count. I originally put an exact word count (i.e., 112,432 words), but then was told to either round to the nearest hundred (i.e., 112,400) or round to the nearest thousand (i.e.,112,000) when including it in the query or MS title page. I'm not so much worried about how to obtain a word count. I just was curious about what I should put when I mention the word count in the query or title page of the MS.

Round to the neatest looking number. In the above case I would say 112K words.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 24, 2007

Words

The truth is, short story or novel, the publisher is going to count the words the way they want the words counted, no matter what you do. Just get it close, and let it go at that.

Julie Worth · Jan 24, 2007

The word approximately is very bad in fiction, but wonderful in queries. Round it to the nearest thousand.

ORION · Jan 24, 2007

I rounded to the nearest 1000 when I queried.
Throughout the tweaking my agent and I did and the rounds of editing my Putnam editor and I have completed no one ever brought up word count even once.
Now that my novel is at the copyediting stage - no one STILL has brought it up. The catalogue copy lists only pages and those are from when my book was originally submitted.
So it may be a moot point.
Nearest thousand for novels makes sense to me.

Word Count Counting

MightyScribbler

greglondon

Planet Wookie techno geek

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

farfromfearless

scribbler1382

Write For You, Edit For The Reader

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

vrabinec

Dipwad

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

MightyScribbler

johnzakour

Dangerous with a Keyboard

Jamesaritchie

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

ORION

Sailed away years ago