How to count the words in a document
Write by Zaweba shows the word count, character count and reading time in the status bar as you type, and Tools, then Word count gives the full details.
Just look at the bottom of the window. Write by Zaweba keeps a running word count, character count and reading time in the status bar, updated as you type. For the full breakdown, choose Tools, then Word count, which gives the details in one place.
Why a word count matters
Word limits are everywhere. Essays and dissertations have them, so do job applications, competition entries, grant forms, magazine pieces and the boxes on many online forms. Go over and you may lose marks or be cut. Fall well short and the piece can look thin. Knowing where you stand while you write saves a painful edit at the end.
Character counts matter too. Some forms and online boxes limit characters rather than words, and a summary or headline might need to fit a set length.
Reading the status bar
The status bar sits along the bottom of the Write window. It shows three figures: words, characters and an estimate of reading time. They change as you write, so you can glance down after each paragraph without stopping to run anything.
Reading time is a helpful way to judge talks and speeches. If you are writing a five minute talk, write until the reading time says about five minutes, then read it aloud to check your own pace.
Getting the full details
Choose Tools, then Word count when you need a number to report. The dialog gives the details of the document's count, which is the figure to copy onto a cover sheet or submission form.
Different programs and different institutions count slightly differently. Some include footnotes, some do not. Some count a hyphenated word as one, others as two. If your limit is strict, check your course or publisher's rules on what counts, and leave yourself a small margin.
Keeping to a limit as you write
A running count changes how you write. Rather than writing freely and cutting a third at the end, you can plan the length of each section. Give an introduction about a tenth of the limit, the main sections most of the rest, and a short conclusion, and watch the count as you go.
When you do need to cut, look first for repeated points, long introductions to each paragraph and phrases like "it is important to note that", which say nothing. If you have connected your own AI account, the AI menu's Rewrite has a Shorter option you can try on a paragraph, but always read the result and keep what is right for you.
Quiet writing with the count in view
Focus mode, on F11, shows just the pages, full screen, with typewriter scrolling so the line you are writing stays in the same place. It is a good way to get a first draft down. Step back out of it when you want to check the count in the status bar, then carry on.
Counting in files from elsewhere
The count works the same for any document Write opens: .docx, .odt, .rtf, Markdown or plain text. Open a piece someone else has written to check whether it fits a limit before you submit it for them, or open an old essay to see how long it really was.
Word count is a small feature, but it is the one many people look at most. In Write by Zaweba it is simply always there.
