How this calculator works
The goal is spread across the calendar days between the start and end dates, including both ends, which gives the daily target. Progress so far is the current word count divided by the goal. The average pace is the current count divided by the days elapsed, including today, so a writer who has not written yet today will look slower than they really are. The words still needed each day divide the remaining words by the writing days left, counting today if the end date has not passed. The projected finish date assumes the current average continues, and the writing time is the remaining words divided by the typing speed. All of it is bookkeeping: the calculator does not know about editing, rest days or the days when the words will not come.
Formula
total days = end date - start date + 1. days elapsed = today - start date + 1, limited to the total. days left = total days - days elapsed. average per day = words so far / days elapsed. words per day needed = words left / (days left + 1). progress = words so far / goal. projected finish = today + ceiling(words left / average). writing time = words left / words per minute.
Worked example
A 50,000 word goal from November 1 to November 30 is 30 days, or 1,667 words a day. On November 15 with 20,000 words written, 15 days have elapsed, so the average is 1,333 words a day and the writer is 5,000 words behind pace. 30,000 words remain and there are 15 days after today, so the required pace is 30,000 / 16 = 1,875 words a day. At 40 words a minute the remaining writing is 750 minutes, or 12.5 hours.
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Frequently asked questions
Does NaNoWriMo still use 50,000 words?
The classic goal is 50,000 words in November, which averages 1,667 words a day. The organisation has changed its programmes and name over the years, so check the current site for the current rules. The calculator lets you set any goal and any date range, so it works for a different month or a personal challenge.
Should I count editing in my word count?
NaNoWriMo counts words written, not words kept. Editing during the month usually slows the count. Most participants write first and edit later, which is why the daily target is a writing pace rather than a finished-manuscript pace.
Why is my average lower than my daily target even when I write every day?
The average includes days with no writing, and it includes today before today's session. The required-per-day figure is the one to watch: it spreads the remaining words over the days that are left, so it rises as the deadline gets closer.
What writing speed should I enter?
Use a comfortable sustained rate, not a sprint. Forty words a minute is a common typing speed for prose, but drafting involves thinking and rewriting sentences, so the effective rate is often lower. Measure a few sessions and enter the real figure.