Word Count?

[Babeslady]

Boring question but one which I would like to get some feedback on.

How do you decide how many words you have written. Until now I had merely used the counter convieniently provided by MS Word. After a little googling I discover that there are a myriad of different ways to determine word count.

Is there a standard?

 

[sr71plt]

Yes there's a standard. Use the count MS Word gives you.

 

[oggbashan]

Yes there's a standard. Use the count MS Word gives you.

Unless you are writing my speciality - 50 word stories. Check those manually as well because MS Word counts the title, and sometimes doesn't accept hyphenated words as a count of one.

 

[sr71plt]

Unless you are writing my speciality - 50 word stories. Check those manually as well because MS Word counts the title, and sometimes doesn't accept hyphenated words as a count of one.

That doesn't change that the standard count is that provided MS Word. The recipient side will assume you used that in enough cases for it to exist as the standard count.

 

[damppanties]

Unless you are writing my speciality - 50 word stories. Check those manually as well because MS Word counts the title, and sometimes doesn't accept hyphenated words as a count of one.

You can also select text to know the word count. For example, selecting just a paragraph on page two would give you a word count for just that para. So with your 50 word stories, just select the text of the story, not the title.

And I would argue that hyphenated words are not always one word (they wouldn't work without the hyphen, therefore hyphenating two different words counts as two words). Obviously, this is a kind of generalization and not true in every case.

 

[sr71plt]

You can also select text to know the word count. For example, selecting just a paragraph on page two would give you a word count for just that para. So with your 50 word stories, just select the text of the story, not the title.

And I would argue that hyphenated words are not always one word (they wouldn't work without the hyphen, therefore hyphenating two different words counts as two words). Obviously, this is a kind of generalization and not true in every case.

Yes, you can do that. Then you are second guessing the standard, however. Those dealing with word counts (e.g., publishers and contest officials) are attuned to just a file count being taken--and they discount for titles and other extraneous words).

Ask an e-publisher what count they take in listing e-books--file or actual body text. (The ones I work with use file.)

This seems a case of trying to make what was made simple complicated.

(By the way, I've never seen a case of MS Word count that didn't count a hyphenated word--all hyphenated words--as one word. And I've had many an experience of trying to shave a word count down to a contest maximum.)

 

[damppanties]

Yes, you can do that. Then you are second guessing the standard, however. Those dealing with word counts (e.g., publishers and contest officials) are attuned to just a file count being taken--and they discount for titles and other extraneous words).

Ask an e-publisher what count they take in listing e-books--file or actual body text. (The ones I work with use file.)

This seems a case of trying to make what was made simple complicated.

My response was specifically to Og's issue, not the thread starter's. I didn't say anything about it being standard.

You're right about the standard being the MS Word word count, one that publishers accept.

Anywho, carry on.

 

[mynameisben]

Unless you are writing my speciality - 50 word stories. Check those manually as well because MS Word counts the title, and sometimes doesn't accept hyphenated words as a count of one.

Hmmm...

His I-want-to-peel-off-your-panties-and-lick-your-sweet-nectar grin told her I-want-your-hard-cock-thrusting-deep-inside-of-me-right-now eyes everything she needed to know.

So, that's a twelve-word story by your count. Right?

 

[sr71plt]

Hmmm...

His I-want-to-peel-off-your-panties-and-lick-your-sweet-nectar grin told her I-want-your-hard-cock-thrusting-deep-inside-of-me-right-now eyes everything she needed to know.

So, that's a twelve-word story by your count. Right?

Yes, assuming you aren't counting the "Hmmm..."

 

[mynameisben]

Yes, assuming you aren't counting the "Hmmm..."

Sure it counts. That's my story title.

 

[sr71plt]

Sure it counts. That's my story title.

Well, then, if you punctuate it correctly (which you didn't), it adds four words. (honest)

 

[oggbashan]

Hmmm...

His I-want-to-peel-off-your-panties-and-lick-your-sweet-nectar grin told her I-want-your-hard-cock-thrusting-deep-inside-of-me-right-now eyes everything she needed to know.

So, that's a twelve-word story by your count. Right?

Only in German.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Only in German.

I think that in German it would be

His Iyourpantiestopeeloffandyoursweetnectartolickwant grin…

 

[Handley_Page]

Boring question but one which I would like to get some feedback on.

How do you decide how many words you have written. Until now I had merely used the counter convieniently provided by MS Word. After a little googling I discover that there are a myriad of different ways to determine word count.

Is there a standard?

The old-fashioned way was quite simple.
count the number of words on any ten lines.
Now divide the number by 10 (to give you an average number of words perline.
Now
Multiply the number by the total number of lines.

It gives a pretty fair average.

 

[sr71plt]

Yeah, a fair average. Why would you avoid being exact at the click of a button, though?

Always wonder why folks need to make life so hard for themselves--and, in this case, provide a number the receiver won't understand.

There is a function where a formula like this is still used, though. Since not all words are equal length, this sort of method (called "casting off") is still used in book production to project the number of pages a book will be (given the chosen font, font size, and other design specifics).