In typing, how many characters do they consider a word.?

Question

I am writing a 5,000 to 7,000 word story, and I need to know when to stop. Can anyone please help me?

Answer 1

If you're using a word processing program, check under Tools and see if it has a Word Count -- that will tell you.

Answer 2

Before electronic document preparation came along, authors were also paid by the word. Since nobody would sit and count their words, the deal (as I heard it described once) was to count six character spaces as a word. The editor's staff could easily count your pages, look at one or two to decide the lines per page, and look at two or three lines to decide the characters per line - because typewriting is in a fixed-pitch font. Multiplying it all up and dividing by six gave them the word count on which you were paid.

Answer 3

Weird question.
Some people can go into real detaill about it, but I've learnt that most words with three or more letters are considered words, and not all the other stuff.

Answer 4

I thought I was taught five spaces equaled a word, but then information changes with the times.

Answer 5

I would say anything! Any word, no matter what its length! Why on earth would 'a', 'to' or 'but' be any less significant than 'conjecture', etc... But yes, of course, double check with your faculty.

Answer 6

every single, significant, meaningful character counts as a word. if you want to play it safe, ask for word-count guidelines from the people to whom you intend to submit it.

Answer 7

When you hit 5000 words you can stop!!! i believe every word is counted as a word but then again i could be wrong...it's happened before....

Answer 8

Anything under 3 letters you don't count ( I, an, a, my , etc)

Answer 9

depends on the word. to be safe do 6,000 words and stop.
God bless,
gabe