Your best word counts?

[Netardapope]

So I've finally managed to get an above average day for my writing! I've exceeded my usual word count of 2000 and have managed to write 3000 words (and counting), but this reminds me of a certain day I managed to pump out 6000 words in one day! Of course, that was only in the beginning of my novel, but it still felt awesome!

I've heard of people that pump out that amount on a consistent basis, so I won't pretend that I was special in that regard. But I think we've all had those "awesome" days for writing, usually in the first arc of the story. So I was wondering, what is the best word count you've ever had?


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[SaltyDog]

Probably 2000 or 3000. I don't know really, I write on paper and then transcribe onto the computer.

 

[Netardapope]

Probably 2000 or 3000. I don't know really, I write on paper and then transcribe onto the computer.

Really? Do you transcribe it directly or do you add words to it while typing it out? I've always found handwriting to be more immersive when it came to writing, it makes me feel like a monk scribing down a document in a monastery. The problem is that I can't see the word count, so I'm not able to see my progress, which is one of the things that motivates me.

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[DragonOfTheAerie]

4,184 words. This was not too long ago; I posted about in in Writer's Work. I've had a few 3,000 word days next to that, but a typical 'good day' for me is 2,000-2,500.

 

[Penpilot]

Roughly 8000 words, several times. When I was taking writing classes, I would write a 6k short story for class and then do another 2k or so on my novel.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

Roughly 8000 words, several times. When I was taking writing classes, I would write a 6k short story for class and then do another 2k or so on my novel.

Wow. that's pretty impressive. My friend says she's done 7,000 in a day before, though.

 

[SaltyDog]

Really? Do you transcribe it directly or do you add words to it while typing it out? I've always found handwriting to be more immersive when it came to writing, it makes me feel like a monk scribing down a document in a monastery. The problem is that I can't see the word count, so I'm not able to see my progress, which is one of the things that motivates me.

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I get a rough draft down and then edit it by writing another draft on paper. Then I take it and type it in to googledocs, and as I do that, I edit again. This time more thoroughly and in depth though. Lol it's a lot of work and a lot of paper gets wasted, but I like it.

 

[Penpilot]

Wow. that's pretty impressive. My friend says she's done 7,000 in a day before, though.

Well, I never said they were great words.

Plus I didn't do it all in one setting. I wrote some in the morning, some at noon, and some in the evening.

 

[Netardapope]

Well, I never said they were great words. [emoji14]

Plus I didn't do it all in one setting. I wrote some in the morning, some at noon, and some in the evening.

Doesn't matter, I know people that can't even manage a 1000 words in a day. Which isn't a bad thing, as everyone goes at their own pace and you can still finish a novel like that, but I think most writers would be envious of being able write so many words in a day. Regardless of time or quality.

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[DragonOfTheAerie]

I actually did 4,000 today. Whaddaya know?

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

Doesn't matter, I know people that can't even manage a 1000 words in a day. Which isn't a bad thing, as everyone goes at their own pace and you can still finish a novel like that, but I think most writers would be envious of being able write so many words in a day. Regardless of time or quality.

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Yeah. Every writer is different, and that's ok.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Not a clue, once I pass a base goal I don't pay much attention, and after a while when writing consistently I go by as much feel and hey, I added x number of pages today. I know I hit somewhere around 4000 before. But I don't shoot for high word count, If I hit 1k, whatever comes after is just there. The thing I do now is to use a baseline word count goal when getting back in the groove of writing after editing or life intervenes, and once back in the groove, I don't pay much attention again, LOL. That said, I never see putting up an 8-10k day... unless I break a leg or something. Or I learn to write while walking and doing stuff.

 

[Saigonnus]

Consistently, perhaps 2-3000 per day, but there have been days of 4-6000 here and there, when I was really jamming out the story. Wouldn't say it was very good, but still a lot of words.


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[spectre]

My best is around 10-11 but during writing sessions I average like all you guys 2k-3k

 

[Chessie]

My best word count happened when I was visiting my folks down in Georgia for a few weeks. We are not from Georgia, and it was too hot/too humid/too many snakes to be outside and all I did was write. One day I did 6k, another 8k, but the ultimate was 10k all in the same week. I didn't write the day after that because my brain was fried!

 

[Chessie]

Not a clue, once I pass a base goal I don't pay much attention, and after a while when writing consistently I go by as much feel and hey, I added x number of pages today. I know I hit somewhere around 4000 before. But I don't shoot for high word count, If I hit 1k, whatever comes after is just there. The thing I do now is to use a baseline word count goal when getting back in the groove of writing after editing or life intervenes, and once back in the groove, I don't pay much attention again, LOL. That said, I never see putting up an 8-10k day... unless I break a leg or something. Or I learn to write while walking and doing stuff.

This! I took this past summer off writing completely to spend time with my kid but I was pulling 2k days regularly. Ever since he's gone back to school in August, I've struggled to make it up to 1k daily. Atm I'm doing 1200 as my goal. Reason being is I work more efficiently in smaller chunks and I throw less out when I do (says the gal who just cut 3 chapters from her ms this morning argh).

 

[ThinkerX]

Normal for me is 500 - 800 words. (one session, usually)

Good is about 1000 - 1200 words. (two sessions)

Fast is 1500 - 1600 words. (multiple sessions.)

Best ever is about 3200 words.

However, I pay more attention to quality (major grammar bugs and plot points) than is recommended for first draft work. Plus, I'm writing out 'mental movie clips.'

 

[spectre]

What's a good word count for a chapter? Books come in so many shapes and sizes I can't tell how many pages I'm writing.

 

[Netardapope]

What's a good word count for a chapter? Books come in so many shapes and sizes I can't tell how many pages I'm writing.

Word count varies. I've read chapters that are under 1000 words. Probably even less than that.

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[DragonOfTheAerie]

What's a good word count for a chapter? Books come in so many shapes and sizes I can't tell how many pages I'm writing.

Some authors write long chapters, some write short. It depends on the writer and the story. I'd say put divisions between chapters wherever they seem to fit.

My chapters tend slightly toward the shorter end, i think. The last two chapters i wrote on my current work in progress have been 2,091 and 1,185 words.

There are about 200 words per page in any given print book, so you could try counting from that in books you own.