[IMPORTANT] Word count questions, rules (cheating) questions, and Technical Help

If you're having technical trouble with your word count, let's use this thread to ask. PLease note that technical help questions regarding the word count tool need to be posted in the Tech Help Forum - there's a few threads already in progress that can help you.

If you're wondering if what you have written is valid according to the rules, please post in the Rules and Regs forum.

If you are using OpenOffice to write your novel, please be aware that there is a bug with its word count tool that causes highly inflated word counts. You can find details here on how to correct this issue.


ACCESS TO WORD COUNT VALIDATION TOOLS DEPENDS ON YOUR TIME ZONE SETTINGS. This means that you have to have your time zone set properly in your profile. Make sure your time zone is set properly, or you may find you've been locked out if you wait until the last minute.

Test your word processor's count against ours by running your novel through the official word count validator. Every word counter counts differently, but the one that counts is NaNo's. You will be able to validate an over-50k winning novel between November 25th and November 30th, local time, but the validator can be used at any time before then to test your count. Don't wait until the last minute; stories abound of heartbroken folks validating in the 11th hour only to find out they are short 1k or more.

>http://LINK%20NEEDED

Quality link.

Link in first posting for "official word count validator" doesn't work....

I'll be reaching 50k in November. And it'll be quite a goddamn thing when I throw my hat into this ring. Profound shit inbound.

Anyone know if the google doc word count tool is buggy or if it'd match up to the validator?

Last year, I did my NaNovel in Microsoft Office Word (2007 edition) and the wordcount tool said I had a different WC than the actual validator on here said. Anyone know if THAT tool is buggy?

Nano's word count validator apparently counts spaces, while most other word counters count words.

For instance, this:

store,calmingly

would count as one word to nanowrimo, but might be counted as two words on other programs.

So what your saying is we need to make sure to add our spaces?

Some word counters count differently. Microsoft word tends to be a bit off as do several others. Just make sure you validate early so if you're a few words short you've got time to write them.

how does nano count it? i thought you just typed in the numbers, can you type in the words and it will count that for you?

I think I read somewhere that the 50,000 word count translates to 175 pages. I am wondering what the criteria is for this?

I tested a sample page and I got an estimate of 600 words a page. This is a very low estimate but at this rate I calculate around 85 pages to easily make the 50,000. Am I missing something or is it possible to meet the 50,000 in about 85 pages?

so i'm new to this...

when i write my pages/chapters/whatever for each day in November, do i have to paste them somewhere on the site here, or just enter the number of words i've typed into a field somewhere that will track my word counts for the whole month?

Has anyone used WriteWay? What is the easiest way to copy and paste from there?