Comments on: How Many Words Did I Type? http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/how-many-words-did-i-type/ The long winding road toward being a writer Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:17:34 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: mikeholm http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/how-many-words-did-i-type/#comment-92 mikeholm Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:21:08 +0000 http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-92 Tracy, thanks for the follow up. I've been using 12-point Courier New for my book manuscript since the beginning (many years ago.) I even still adhere to the 2-spaces-after-a-period rule. Unfortunately, that means that my 551-page book computes to 138,000 words, which is way too long for a debut novel. Looks like I might need to invest in a box of red pens. :) I've never been a fan of Times New Roman, but as one might expect with the proliferation of Word, it has become common (again, I'm not in the industry, but from what I've read, that's the case.) I'm with you, though. It's safer to submit in Courier New. Perhaps agents aren't as fussy about that as editors, but why chance it? Anything that is going to be read by a professional reader should be as easy on <i>their</i> eyes as possible. Tracy, thanks for the follow up. I’ve been using 12-point Courier New for my book manuscript since the beginning (many years ago.) I even still adhere to the 2-spaces-after-a-period rule. Unfortunately, that means that my 551-page book computes to 138,000 words, which is way too long for a debut novel. Looks like I might need to invest in a box of red pens. :)

I’ve never been a fan of Times New Roman, but as one might expect with the proliferation of Word, it has become common (again, I’m not in the industry, but from what I’ve read, that’s the case.) I’m with you, though. It’s safer to submit in Courier New. Perhaps agents aren’t as fussy about that as editors, but why chance it? Anything that is going to be read by a professional reader should be as easy on their eyes as possible.

]]> By: Tracy http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/how-many-words-did-i-type/#comment-91 Tracy Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:02:37 +0000 http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-91 Mike: I heard back from my agent this morning. She has been in the business for nearly 40 years, and has wide connections. She says that as far as she is aware, editors still expect to see manuscripts in Courier New, 12 point. And they do still use 250 words per page to estimate the word count of a page of Courier New text. I would suggest that even if editors are starting to accept manuscripts printed in Times Roman, authors stick with Courier New for now. Given that neither my agent nor I had heard of using proportional fonts or the 200 words a page rule, and that every author I know still submits using Courier and 250 words/page, it isn't common enough practice yet to make the change safely. An author could end up submitting to an editor who only expects Courier New. The editor may wonder if the author knows anything about the business at all, if they can't get the formatting right. That's not going to make her review of the manuscript an empathetic one. It's not worth the gamble, in my opinion. Cheers, Tracy Cooper-Posey Mike:

I heard back from my agent this morning. She has been in the business for nearly 40 years, and has wide connections.

She says that as far as she is aware, editors still expect to see manuscripts in Courier New, 12 point.

And they do still use 250 words per page to estimate the word count of a page of Courier New text.

I would suggest that even if editors are starting to accept manuscripts printed in Times Roman, authors stick with Courier New for now. Given that neither my agent nor I had heard of using proportional fonts or the 200 words a page rule, and that every author I know still submits using Courier and 250 words/page, it isn’t common enough practice yet to make the change safely.

An author could end up submitting to an editor who only expects Courier New. The editor may wonder if the author knows anything about the business at all, if they can’t get the formatting right. That’s not going to make her review of the manuscript an empathetic one. It’s not worth the gamble, in my opinion.

Cheers,

Tracy Cooper-Posey

]]> By: mikeholm http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/how-many-words-did-i-type/#comment-90 mikeholm Wed, 02 Apr 2008 17:06:00 +0000 http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-90 Tracy, I found that info in <a HREF="http://www.annemini.com/?p=687" rel="nofollow">this post</A> on Anne Mini's blog. She says: "...word count estimation is predicated upon these typefaces. The Times family is estimated at 250 words/page; Courier at 200." That seemed logical to me, because if I estimate my Courier New-formatted manuscript at 250 words per page, it comes to 138,000 words, which is almost 50% more than the Times New Roman estimate. Admittedly, Anne is the only person I've heard that from. I'll try to get verification from another source and follow up. Thanks for the question. Tracy, I found that info in this post on Anne Mini’s blog. She says:

“…word count estimation is predicated upon these typefaces. The Times family is estimated at 250 words/page; Courier at 200.”

That seemed logical to me, because if I estimate my Courier New-formatted manuscript at 250 words per page, it comes to 138,000 words, which is almost 50% more than the Times New Roman estimate.

Admittedly, Anne is the only person I’ve heard that from. I’ll try to get verification from another source and follow up.

Thanks for the question.

]]> By: Tracy http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/how-many-words-did-i-type/#comment-89 Tracy Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:10:11 +0000 http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-89 My understanding was that the standard and expected font is Courier New, 12point, and 250 words per page was the estimate for that font. Where did you hear about the 200 word average for non-proportional, Mike? I'd like to follow up on that. Thanks, Tracy Cooper-Posey My understanding was that the standard and expected font is Courier New, 12point, and 250 words per page was the estimate for that font.

Where did you hear about the 200 word average for non-proportional, Mike? I’d like to follow up on that.

Thanks,

Tracy Cooper-Posey

]]> By: mikeholm http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/how-many-words-did-i-type/#comment-88 mikeholm Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:33:32 +0000 http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-88 Hey, Don. Yes, standard manuscript format uses 8 1/2 x 11 inch pages. I've read that sometimes publishers will use a smaller typeface so they can cram more words on each page, in order to use fewer pages (which saves money.) Writers, though, should always use a 12-point font, with 1" margins. Hey, Don. Yes, standard manuscript format uses 8 1/2 x 11 inch pages. I’ve read that sometimes publishers will use a smaller typeface so they can cram more words on each page, in order to use fewer pages (which saves money.) Writers, though, should always use a 12-point font, with 1″ margins.

]]> By: Don http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/2008/04/01/how-many-words-did-i-type/#comment-83 Don Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:16:41 +0000 http://mikeholm.wordpress.com/?p=45#comment-83 Are you using 8 1/2 by 11 inch when discussing word count? I know that in a standard mass market novel, there is just under 250 words per page on average. Are you using 8 1/2 by 11 inch when discussing word count? I know that in a standard mass market novel, there is just under 250 words per page on average.

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