Whether you’re an author, student, or content writer, you’ve faced the conundrum that is a set word count. It can be daunting because you don’t know if you even know that many words.
You do, but the biggest challenge is organizing these words, so they make sense and making sure you hit the word count. But why do you even need a set limit of words? Doesn’t it make sense to write with no limits? Here are a few reasons why word counts matter.
1. Readers Expect a Certain Amount of Words
For most authors, selling many books is the goal. But to achieve high levels of success, readers need to be attracted to your work.
Besides the plot and characters, word count is also essential to a book’s success. Depending on the genre, readers will expect a certain word count. For example, if you were writing a true crime book, a reader would expect it to be longer than a fantasy book because of the story’s intricacies.
The last thing you would want is for someone to pick up your book and get turned off by the lack of content regarding the genre. So as you’re writing your esteemed novel, use The Word Counter to ensure you’re on track for hitting the established word count.
2. Enhances Your Written Communication
You may find it challenging to wrap things up whenever you’re working on a task that doesn’t have a word count. The prompt gave you free rein to test your creative limits, which is great.
But if someone were to read your work, they may have trouble understanding your points.
Having a word count forces you to enhance your communication skills. You only have a certain amount of words to get your point across clearly and concisely. It eliminates the fluff and helps the reader understand your message without reading the content multiple times.
3. Quantity Is Important as Quality
You’ll often hear the phrase “quality over quantity” when it comes to most things. However, when it comes to writing, that phrase only depends on the type of content you’re working on.
For example, say you were writing SEO articles. There’s a benefit in having articles with longer word counts because it helps Google figure out what your content is about. Furthermore, you’ll have the ability to rank for more keywords instead of a shorter piece.
Now it doesn’t mean everything you write needs to be lengthy because quality is also an essential factor. If you were writing a lengthy email, a person might not want to read after the second paragraph. However, sometimes longer content is better, and the average reader will appreciate the effort put into the work.
What to Do If You’re Having Trouble Reaching the Word Count
There will always be times when specific topics have word count minimums that are impossible to reach. Most subjects don’t need a detailed explanation which is why you’re having trouble hitting the target.
However, there are a few things you can do to help expand your content to reach the required amount, such as:
1. Using More Examples
Examples are beneficial because they can provide more insight into complex topics. They also add more girth to writing if you were having trouble with the word count.
For example (pun intended), let’s say you discussed NBA players and said that LeBron James is better than Michael Jordan. Although it can be significantly debated, it would be better for your content if you had stats to back up that claim.
So if you’ve fallen short, read over your work and look for parts where you added no examples. Add them in those places to help readers understand your writing more.
2. Doing More Research
Another component that can help your writing is research. You might have researched the important concepts relating to your content. But you’re still finding it difficult to reach the word count for some reason.
Try doing some in-depth research to help you expand the scope of your work. There may be underlying concepts that you haven’t written about that could contribute to the overall piece.
Furthermore, it allows you to view various perspectives on the topic and give your opinion on whether you agree or disagree. Not only will it enhance your writing, but it will also add a significant amount to the word count.
Word Counts Will Always Matter
Having a word count can seem daunting at first. However, it’s there to guide you and help you write the best content possible.
It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring author, student writing an essay, or content writer; word counts will help enhance your writing skills. And if you’re having trouble hitting the target, use some of the methods above to help give your work some lift.
