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Suggestions for improvements and additions to the site.
This feature was accepted 8/27/2019: Will add to RTE
This feature was completed 8/29/2019: This is now included in the RTE

Single Page Word Count?

5 years ago

I thought it might be helpful to have each page display a word count at the bottom while it is open (similar to programs like microsoft word). I have no idea if anyone else would find this useful for regulating page length and the pace of their stories. I also do not know how hard this is to add to the editor.

Single Page Word Count?

5 years ago

I will second this, as being conscious of word counts is always a useful feature for any writer.

Functionally, I don't know how this work for heavily scripted storygames; if my understanding is correct, the script itself is counted as part of the overall length of the story.

But for those us who are just writing stories, not scripts, a running word count can be a helpful feature -- especially for writers who aspire to break into the print publishing business someday. A lot of the gigs one can get writing for magazines and whatnot usually come with strict word limits, meaning a writer has to become adept at making a point in a small amount of space. Or sometimes with books there is a minimum threshold for the word count.

So if we have writers here who are conscious of how much they might be rambling on (or might not be saying enough) that's not a bad thing.

Single Page Word Count?

5 years ago
Have you considered just writing in Word or something and then pasting it over? That's something a lot of us do anyway just so that we have backups (backing up anything you wouldn't want to lose is just Writing 101...) and it removes the possibility that server hiccups or dropped connections can wipe a page in progress.

As for the suggestion itself, 3J would have to say if it's feasible or not, but I know right now nothing else on the site just updates itself on the fly like that. Wouldn't that mean each page open in the editor (and sometimes it's a lot) would have to be communicating with the server constantly instead of only when things are saved? Maybe tracking word counts wouldn't have any effect at all, but a lot of members here are on strict data limits or slow connections. I know when I run out of high speed, CYS becomes literally the only site on the entire internet I can even get to load.

Single Page Word Count?

5 years ago

I’m thinking the way to solve this is to add a word counter to the RTE! I’d need to make sure but I’m relatively certain that one exists.

Single Page Word Count?

5 years ago

If it makes things too difficult it is certainly not necessary. I have been using word as Mizal suggested, and that works. 

If a constant word count is not possible, some options are having the spell checker count words, having a word count display only when you save a page, or adding a “count words” button that runs a program similar to spell check. The issue with these types of fixes is that it may just be easier to copy paste everything into word. That option only isn’t good  when I am typing on my phone (already a terrible idea). My phone does not have access to word, and it is difficult to copy paste an entire page into a word counter program online off of my phone.

Single Page Word Count?

5 years ago
Are you insane? Don't write on your phone.

Single Page Word Count?

5 years ago

I am insane. It can’t be helped. I try to avoid it, but I like to have the option to write anywhere.