The Writer’s Word Count Cheat Sheet.
How many words do you actually need? A complete reference covering word counts, page counts, reading times, and speaking times for every common writing format.
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Blog & web content.
| Format | Words | Pages (single) | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short blog post | 300–600 | 1–2 pages | 1–2 min |
| Standard blog post | 800–1,200 | 3–4 pages | 3–5 min |
| Long-form article | 1,500–2,500 | 5–10 pages | 6–10 min |
| Pillar / ultimate guide | 3,000–5,000 | 12–20 pages | 12–20 min |
| Landing page | 300–800 | 1–3 pages | 1–3 min |
| Product description | 100–300 | < 1 page | < 1 min |
| Newsletter email | 200–500 | 1–2 pages | 1–2 min |
Academic & education.
| Format | Words | Pages (double) | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short essay | 250–500 | 1–2 pages | 1–2 min |
| College essay (Common App) | 250–650 | 1–2.5 pages | 1–3 min |
| UC personal insight | 350 max | 1.5 pages | 1.5 min |
| Research paper (undergrad) | 2,000–5,000 | 8–20 pages | 8–20 min |
| Literature review | 3,000–6,000 | 12–24 pages | 12–24 min |
| Master's thesis | 15,000–50,000 | 60–200 pages | 1–3 hours |
| PhD dissertation | 50,000–100,000 | 200–400 pages | 3–7 hours |
| Abstract | 150–300 | < 1 page | < 1 min |
Professional & business.
| Format | Words | Pages | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover letter | 250–400 | 1 page | 1–2 min |
| Resume | 400–800 | 1–2 pages | 2–4 min |
| Executive summary | 200–500 | 1–2 pages | 1–2 min |
| Business proposal | 2,000–5,000 | 8–20 pages | 8–20 min |
| White paper | 3,000–6,000 | 12–24 pages | 12–24 min |
| Case study | 1,500–3,000 | 6–12 pages | 6–12 min |
| Press release | 300–500 | 1–2 pages | 1–2 min |
| One-pager | 250–500 | 1 page | 1–2 min |
Creative writing.
| Format | Words | Pages | Reading time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flash fiction | 100–1,000 | < 1–4 pages | < 1–4 min |
| Short story | 1,000–7,500 | 4–30 pages | 4–30 min |
| Novelette | 7,500–17,500 | 30–70 pages | 30–70 min |
| Novella | 17,500–40,000 | 70–160 pages | 1–3 hours |
| Novel | 50,000–110,000 | 200–440 pages | 3–8 hours |
| Epic novel | 110,000+ | 440+ pages | 8+ hours |
| Screenplay | 7,000–10,000 | 90–120 pages | (≈ 1 page/min on screen) |
Speeches & presentations.
Conversational pace is roughly 150 words per minute; a measured presentation pace is around 130 wpm. Adjust for pauses, laughter, and slide transitions.
| Length | Word count | Pages (single) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 minute | 130–150 words | 0.5–0.6 pages |
| 5 minutes | 650–750 words | 2.5–3 pages |
| 10 minutes | 1,300–1,500 words | 5–6 pages |
| 20 minutes (TED) | 2,600–3,000 words | 10–12 pages |
| 30 minutes (conference) | 3,900–4,500 words | 15–18 pages |
| 60 minutes (keynote) | 7,800–9,000 words | 30–36 pages |
Quick conversions.
- Words → pages: divide by 250 (single-spaced) or 125 (double-spaced).
- Words → reading time: divide by 225 (average adult reading pace, in minutes).
- Words → speaking time: divide by 150 (conversational pace, in minutes).
- Pages → words: multiply by 250 (single) or 125 (double).
- Minutes of reading → words: multiply by 225.
- Minutes of speaking → words: multiply by 150.
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Frequently asked.
Short answers to the counts writers ask us most.
How many words is one page?
About 250 words single-spaced or 125 words double-spaced, assuming 12pt Times New Roman and 1-inch margins. The exact count varies with font choice and formatting.
How many pages is 1,000 words?
About 4 pages single-spaced or 8 pages double-spaced. This is the length of a standard blog post or a short academic essay.
How long does it take to read 1,000 words?
About 4–5 minutes at average adult reading speed (225 words per minute). Speed readers may finish in 2–3 minutes.
How many words is a 5-minute speech?
About 650–750 words at conversational pace (150 WPM). For a presentation with slides and pauses, aim closer to 500–650 words.
What's the ideal word count for a blog post?
For SEO, 1,500–2,500 words tends to perform best in Google. But the real answer is: as many words as the topic needs. A 600-word post that fully answers a question beats a 2,000-word post padded with fluff.
How do I count words in my document?
Use WordInstant's free Word Counter tool at wordinstant.com/word-counter. Paste your text and get instant counts for words, characters, sentences, paragraphs, reading time, and speaking time — all in your browser, no signup.