How to Track Your Daily Writing Output Across Multiple Platforms

Writers often work across several places in one day: a draft in Google Docs, a post in WordPress, emails, social posts and comments. Tracking your total output shows your real pace, helps you set achievable goals and keeps you motivated.

Where to find word counts

• Google Docs: Tools → Word count, or Ctrl + Shift + C. Tick "Display word count while typing" to keep it on screen.
• Microsoft Word: the word count shows in the status bar at the bottom; select text to count just that part.
• WordPress: the editor's details panel shows words, characters and reading time.
• Notion: the page menu shows a word count.
• Anywhere else on the web: Word Counter counts words and characters in any text you select on a page, with reading time. See counting selected text on a page.

For text you've pasted in, the word counter tool works in the browser.

A simple tracking log

Use a spreadsheet with one row per writing session:

• Date
• Project or piece
• Platform
• Words at start and end
• Minutes spent

Subtract the start count from the end count for words written. Add a column for words per hour to see when you write fastest.

Count new words, not totals

Note the count before you start each session. Otherwise you're tracking the document's size, which falls when you edit and cut, even though editing is real work. Some writers log editing time separately so it isn't lost.

Quick capture during the day

If a spreadsheet feels like too much, keep a running note. Sticky Notes Anywhere keeps notes in a browser panel, so you can jot "Docs +650, blog +400" as you go and add it up at the end of the day.

Setting goals

• Track for two weeks before setting a goal, so it's based on your real pace.
• Set a daily minimum you can hit on a bad day, not your best day.
• For a big project, divide the target by the days available. A 50,000-word draft in 30 days is about 1,667 words a day.

What to look for

After a month, check which times of day, places and platforms give your best sessions, and plan more of those. See browser writing tools and word count benchmarks.