Word Count in Google Docs

October 19, 2019

Here’s how to use word count in Google Docs

Google Docs is increasingly being used by writers who want the reassurance of Google’s instant cloud storage, immediate backup and saving capabilities and the constant improvement that Google adds to their online suite.

Google Docs also makes it super easy to collaborate with your editor, your copyeditor and your co-writers.

Note that publishers do not accept Google Docs submissions — you’ll have to export to a Word doc for submission to agents and publishers. Here’s a guide to formatting your manuscript for submissions.

Here’s a brief guide on how to access and use the Word Count feature in Google Docs.

 

Count the number of words in a long document

Tip: Use this feature for long documents, like novels or screenplays.

  1. On your computer, open a document in Google Docs.
  2. To find the count of words, characters, and pages, at the top of the page, click Toolsand thenWord count.
  3. To close the window, click Done.

Count the number of words while you type

Tip: Use this feature for shorter documents, like news articles or school essays.

  1. To find the word count while you type, check “Display word count while typing”and thenOK.
  2. In the bottom left, click on the Word count box to display:
    • Pages
    • Words
    • Characters
    • Characters without spaces
  3. To hide the word count, in the bottom left, click the Word count boxand thenHide word count.

Resources: 

➤ How Many Words Do Famous Writers Create Per Day?
➤ How Many Words Should Be In Your Book?
➤ Word Count Examples from Published Books
➤ Word Count in Microsoft Word
➤ Word Count in Google Docs
➤ Word Count in Scrivener

Keep Writing and Good Luck!