Word count and character count

Use this to hit a contest limit or the length of a serial installment. The character and word counts of the page you're on are always below the editor, and the agent counts anything longer, such as several chapters together.

In the editor

On screens larger than a phone, the bottom row of the editor shows both numbers on the right as characters (words). For example, 3520 (812) means 3,520 characters and 812 words. Hover over the numbers to see Characters (Words). It counts the whole page however long it gets, and the numbers change as you type or delete. Phone screens don't show this row. Turning on Hide toolbar hides the bottom row along with the toolbar (View modes).

How it counts

• Characters include spaces. The line breaks between paragraphs are not counted.
• Each letter, punctuation mark, and emoji counts as one character.
• Words are the pieces of text separated by spaces.

Ask the agent

For a count the editor doesn't show, ask in chat — “how many characters is chapter 3?”, “how long are chapters 1 to 5 together?”, “is this page over 5,000 characters?” The agent counts the characters, words, sentences, and paragraphs of a page, part of a page, or a run of chapters (page_length). When the range spans several pages, you get each page's numbers along with the total. The agent counts characters with spaces included, just like the editor.

Can I see a character count without spaces?

TypeTak counts characters one way, with spaces included, and has no separate count without spaces. If a contest or platform asks for characters excluding spaces, expect that number to be lower than the one in the editor.

Can I have a draft written to a set length?

Yes. Say the length you want when you ask for a draft, and it goes into the Draft plan the agent shows you, where you can still change it before writing starts. If you don't give a length, the draft follows the reference length in the manuscript's Writing Style. See Outline & drafting for the full flow.