Counters use rules
Applications disagree about hyphenated words, apostrophes, URLs, emoji, numbers, citations, and languages that do not separate words with spaces. Use one counter consistently while drafting, then check the destination platform when its own limit controls acceptance.
Reading time is an estimate
A general words-per-minute rate cannot account for technical vocabulary, diagrams, code, second-language reading, or the purpose of the reader. Treat the estimate as a comparison between drafts rather than a promise.
Edit for the person, not the number
Meeting a word count does not make a passage complete or understandable. Use descriptive headings, short purposeful paragraphs, explicit transitions, and concrete terms. Replace repeated filler only when meaning remains intact, and manually review automated case or replacement operations.
- Confirm the destination's counting rules
- Preserve essential context
- Read difficult passages aloud
- Use metrics to diagnose—not grade—clarity
Use a deliberate final review
After meeting the formal limit, review the text for a reader who has not seen the draft. Confirm that pronouns have clear references, headings describe their sections, abbreviations are introduced, and the requested action is explicit. A shorter sentence is not automatically clearer if it removes the condition that makes a statement accurate.
For high-impact instructions, test the sequence by following it exactly. A person should not need information that appears only in a later step. Preserve original terminology when replacing it would make the text diverge from a form, standard, interface label, or legal document.