When it comes to writing an article or essay, many people consider 1,000 words to be just the right length to completely cover a topic.
Many fiction writers also use 1,000-word increments to mark how much they write each day.
However, how long writing 1,000 takes can vary from person to person, and it depends on a number of factors.
How long does it take to write 1,000 words?
In general, it can take anywhere from 25 minutes to about 3 hours to type out 1,000 words. What subject you’re writing about, what knowledge you already have about what you’re writing, how quickly you type, and how much editing you want to do after can all affect the overall time it takes to complete a writing project that’s 1,000 words long.
Typing Speed
Typing speed is one of the biggest factors when it comes to writing 1,000 words.
In general, most people type at an average of about 40 words per minute.
This means that, if you already know exactly what you want to write and you don’t take any breaks, it will take, on average, 25 minutes to type 1,000 words.
This number doubles if you’re handwriting out the words.
If you type faster, the time it takes you will, of course, go down.
Practicing is the best way to raise your typing speed.
Type often, and try to place your fingers correctly on the keys at first.
Most people find a typing method that’s comfortable and works for them, so don’t worry if, as you learn to type more quickly, you don’t place your hands as perfectly on the keyboard.
You can also try not to look at the keys as you type. This helps your fingers learn where the keys are, instead of relying on your eyes, and it can up your overall typing speed by a good margin.
Finding a keyboard and desk setup that’s comfortable can also make a difference.
If your hands and wrists are comfortable, you’ll most likely type a bit faster.
Research
Research is the other biggest factor when it comes to how quickly you can write 1,000 words.
If you’re writing a non-fiction article or essay, you may need to study your subject thoroughly in order to write a comprehensive paper that explains and covers the topic, helping your readers gain knowledge or understanding.
If this is a subject you already know about, you may only need to search for specific facts, information, or statistics to round out your own knowledge.
This is often the case when it comes to things like college essays or blog posts, and, in general, the research and typing for a college essay usually take about three to four hours.
If you’re unfamiliar with the subject you’re writing about, however, this research can take quite a bit longer.
You may need to work on the project for several hours simply to gather your information.
Whether or not you outline can also change how long it takes to write 1,000 words.
It can take between 25 minutes – 3 hours to write 1000 words.
After gathering your information, creating an outline can help you organize your thoughts, which can, in turn, lead to a paper or article that reads more smoothly and makes more sense.
It can also help to streamline the final writing portion. Outlining, however, also takes time.
The best way to streamline your research is to go in with a plan.
Even if you don’t know too much about your subject beforehand, you can have an idea of what you want to write about.
Look for research relating to exactly what you’re writing about, and don’t stray too far from those topics.
Jot down notes as you go. You can also work on your outline while you research, which can speed up both processes.
Getting distracted by other interesting research that isn’t quite as tied into your particular project can often slow you down.
Editing
Editing is part of writing that some people don’t consider when trying to determine how long it will take to write something.
If you’re writing a paper, you’ll probably want to go back over your work, reading it back to yourself or even reading it out loud.
These techniques can help you catch any grammatical mistakes, and reading a paper out loud can help you ensure that it flows and makes sense.
You may even want to read the final paper to a friend or family member to make sure that the reader is gaining the knowledge you intended to impart or understanding the argument you wanted to make.
After you read your paper, you may find areas within the paper or article that need a bit more work.
Fixing mistakes, rearranging the structure of the paper, or even rewriting certain areas can all take more time, and it’s important to consider this step when you’re trying to calculate how long it takes to write 1,000 words.
