Words Per Day Calculator
Your daily word goal to finish on time
A book gets written one daily target at a time. This tool turns your total word goal and your deadline into a words-per-day number, or turns a daily habit into a finish date, so you can see whether your plan is realistic before you start.
How many words should I write per day?
It depends entirely on your deadline and your life. A common sustainable target for someone writing around a job is 500 to 1,000 words a day, which finishes an 80,000-word novel in about three to five months. Full-time writers often aim higher, but consistency matters far more than any single day's count.
Is a daily word count a good goal?
For many writers, yes, because it is concrete and it accumulates. A modest daily target you actually hit beats an ambitious one you abandon. Some writers prefer a time goal, such as an hour a day, which removes the pressure to perform on days when the words come slowly.
What if I miss days?
Plan for it. Build rest days into your schedule so a missed day does not feel like failure, and use the calculator to see how a realistic five-days-a-week pace changes your finish date. A plan that assumes you are human is a plan you will keep.
Frequently asked questions
How many words a day to write a book?
A sustainable target around a job is 500 to 1,000 words a day, finishing an 80,000-word novel in three to five months.
How long does it take to write a novel?
At 1,000 words a day, an 80,000-word novel takes about 80 writing days, or roughly four months at five days a week.
Is a daily word goal better than a time goal?
Both work. Word goals are concrete and accumulate; time goals remove pressure on slow days. Choose what you will actually keep.
Is this free?
Yes, and it runs entirely in your browser.