The answer to this question is often very difficult to respond to. This is because there are several factors, as we shall explore in the next section, which determines the number of words you can write in an hour.
The word “write” will be considered as the process of typing on a computer’s keyboard. Therefore, this will be the number of words you can write in an hour while typing into your computer.
We know that because we manage a team of expert article writers who deliver brilliant content. Now that that has been settled, let us know the answer to how many words can you write in an hour?
How many Words can you Write in an Hour?
To get the number of words that can be written by an average writer, some things should be considered. First, this will not be a handwritten exercise that has to be completed within an hour.
It should be a typing exercise because most, if not all, forms of formal writings are typed. This includes schools, workplaces, and so on.
The average number of words you can write in an hour is roughly between 750 and 1000 words. However, this depends on many factors such as the writer’s experience, the keyboard, posture, and mastery of the topic. While fast writers can write between 1500 and 2000 words within an hour, slow ones can barely write 500 words.
Before I became a proficient writer, at least when I was an average writer who had not acquired writing experience, my average writing speed was between 700 and 900 words per hour.
After conducting some researches while writing this article, I found that this was true for most average writers. Nonetheless, this depends on various factors.
Again, it all depends on you as the writer. Some of us are quick with their hands while typing while others are generally slower. Though this is the case, do not lose hope if you are one of those who type slower because we will still discuss how you can increase your writing speed.
How many pages can you write in an Hour?
You may have gotten me wrong when I said earlier that some people are faster than others. You shouldn’t because such disparities in writing speeds are a result of cultivating the skill.
On average, one can write around 2 to 3 pages per hour. This is an average because different people have different writing speeds, depending on a number of factors. In most cases, a fast writer can type up to 7 pages per hour. on the other hand, a slow writer can type up to from 1 page to 2 pages per page.
Before we proceed to discuss the various factors determining the number of words you can write in an hour, the most important thing I have come to learn is that writing speed is not completely a natural or innate gift. It is something that is cultivated or nurtured with time.
To know the estimated length you can type in an hour, all factors are held constant. What this means is that the factors that determine the number of words you can write in a minute are standardized to ensure that an average score will be achieved. That being said, let us discuss the factors.
Factors determining the number of words you can write in an hour
Various factors determine the number of words you can write in an hour. They include:
1. The Topic you are writing about
The topic of what you are writing about is one of the most important factors determining the number of words you can write in an hour. Even when you are a fast writer who can write 1500 to 2000 words in an hour, some topics can make you lose interest in writing your work.
If it is a must to write about a boring topic, you will realize that your writing speed will be lower than usual because you will be forcing yourself to write.
On the other hand, if the topic is interesting to you, you may find yourself writing more words within an hour even when you are a slow writer. Your brain will automatically think faster if the topic is within your interest.
Consequently, you will write more content because your mind will be constantly feeding your fingers to write more words.
2. Preparation versus Distraction
The more prepared you are to write, the more words you will write within an hour. Contrary to that, the more distracted you are, the lesser words you will write in an hour.
Take, for example, you have had an exciting afternoon with your colleagues or friends and you are supposed to write about a certain topic once you have reached home.
In such a case, you will have a hard time focusing and transitioning from the fun activities to writing. This will act as a distraction to your thought flow and writing process.
Therefore, if you want to write more words within an hour, it is important to psychologically prepare yourself before writing to avoid any distracting thoughts.
3. The use of an Outline
An outline is very important when you want to write more words within an hour. It can help you align your thoughts so that you do not waste time thinking about what you are going to write in the next paragraph or section.
Good writers ensure that they have created an outline before the actual writing so that they can complete the task faster. An outline will also ensure that your work is well organized and coherent.
4. Level of Practice
Practice makes perfect. The more you practice writing, the faster you will become. Therefore, if you wish to write more than 1500 words in an hour, you should practice writing whenever you have an opportunity. This will significantly increase your writing speed and overall skill in the process of writing.
5. Taking any Breaks?
The number of breaks while writing is among the factors determining the number of words you can write in an hour.
This is an obvious thing because the more you take breaks while writing, the fewer the number of words you will write within an hour. The opposite is true.
6. Personal confidence in writing
As we have noted, the more you practice writing, the faster you can write your work within an hour. This is mostly attributed to the confidence you will have built through practice.
You will have tackled more intricate topics with more words or tougher deadlines. Because of this, you will write more words within an hour.
7. The Writing Environment
The writing environment is a very important factor that determines the number of words you can write in an hour. Writing requires peace of mind and focus.
This requires an environment free from distractions, noise, or any other thing that can shift your focus from writing.
A quiet and conducive environment can help you write more words in an hour compared to noisy and chaotic environments.
8. Posture and Ergonomics
Finally, posture and ergonomics are very important factors that determine the number of words you can write in an hour.
A good sitting posture and ergonomics will relax and orient your body in such a way that your morale and overall productivity are increased.
While writing, it is important to sit in a good position that does not hurt your back or joints.
Such a position should ensure that your face directly faces the screen and your hands are placed directly at the keyboard position.
Poor posture and ergonomics will cause discomfort and both your productivity and morale will be lowered.
On top of that, it has long-term harmful effects on your body. Therefore, good posture and ergonomics can help you write more words within an hour.
Risks you face when you try to Write Fast
Though we have been focusing on the positive aspects of writing faster, there are negative factors or risks associated with writing fast. The first risk of trying to write fast is coming up with incoherent content.
While it is good to write fast, taking your time to write your paper or any content helps create coherent content that can be understood by your target readers. Incoherent content cannot be corrected during the editing or revising stage.
Therefore, try as much as possible to write coherent content even when you are trying to write fast.
The second risk of trying to write fast is incomplete or underdeveloped ideas. This can be attributed to not taking enough time to think about what you are writing about. However, an outline can help mitigate this risk.
The third risk of trying to write fast is making a lot of grammatical, structural, and punctuation errors. When you write faster than you think, you will fail to detect such errors while writing. However, you can always correct such errors during the editing or revision stage.
How to increase your writing speed
1. Practice every day
As aforementioned, practice makes you better in whatever you are trying to achieve. Therefore, if you practice writing every single day, you will increase your writing speed.
2. Create an outline
An outline is a plan that contains the main points that will be included in your written work. If you take some time to come up with an outline before writing, you will save a lot of time in the end because you will already know what you are writing about.
3. Conduct research
The more information you have gathered concerning your topic, the more content you will have while writing. Therefore, gather information so that when it comes to writing, you will easily have access to what is required.
4. Avoid distractions
As we noted earlier, writing requires a silent and conducive environment free from distractions. If you want to write faster, avoid distractions.
This is one of the recommendations and tips are given b experts if you want to increase your writing speed while at work. It simply helps you to concentrate and get the task done.
5. Set a challenge
This is very helpful for very slow writers. Here, you should set a challenge to surpass your current writing speed. If you beat it, set another challenge. In the process, you will be faster.
6. Use a timer
Setting a timer acts as a deadline to be overcome. You can decide to write 500 words within an hour. Once you achieve this, you can increase the number of words to be tackled within the same amount of time. This will help you become a fast writer.
8. Good posture
Good posture helps align your body into a comfortable working/writing position. It gives you the morale to write faster and think better.
Michael is a freelance writer who focuses on work and work-related content, from news, trends, and technology. He has a keen eye on the gig economy and how the world’s workforce is changing from traditional workstations to outsourced gigs.