Know the length of your writing
A word count helps you plan and edit work with a fixed length, from a short product description to a longer report. Paste a draft above to see its word and character totals immediately. The paragraph count can also reveal a wall of text that would read better as shorter sections.
Use the character count when a field has a strict limit, such as a page title or short profile. Use the word count for assignments, briefs, and articles. A target is useful, but it does not say whether a sentence is clear; read the finished copy aloud before publishing.
How the counts work
Words are groups of letters or numbers separated by spaces or punctuation. The character total includes spaces and line breaks. Paragraphs are separated by a blank line, while sentences are estimated from periods, question marks, and exclamation marks. Abbreviations and unusual punctuation can affect sentence totals, so treat that figure as a guide.
When to check
Check once while drafting to see how much room is left, then again after editing. If the text is over the limit, remove repeated ideas before cutting examples that help readers understand the point.