About the NaNoWriMo Calculator
National Novel Writing Month challenges writers to draft 50,000 words within the 30 days of November. This calculator applies the same pacing math behind that challenge — and behind similar events like Camp NaNo, which allow a custom word goal and a custom number of days. Enter your word count goal, the length of your challenge, and how far along you are, and it converts that into the daily pace you need to finish on time, plus whether you're currently ahead of or behind schedule.
The formulas
- Words remaining: word count goal − words written so far.
- Required daily pace: words remaining ÷ (total days − days completed). This is how many words per day, starting today, you need to average to finish exactly on the last day.
- Current daily average: words written so far ÷ days completed.
- Schedule status (the par-line comparison): expected words by now = (word count goal ÷ total days) × days completed. Compare that par value to words actually written — more than par means you're ahead of schedule; less means you're behind.
Why 1,667 words a day
The classic NaNoWriMo target of 50,000 words over 30 days averages exactly 1,667 words per day (50,000 ÷ 30 ≈ 1,666.7, rounded up). That flat average is only a starting guide — most writers write unevenly across the month, so the required-daily-pace figure recalculates from wherever you actually are today rather than assuming day one.
Using the par-line comparison
NaNoWriMo's own project page plots a straight par line from day 0 to the final day and compares it to your actual cumulative word count. This calculator reproduces that same comparison numerically: if your words written sit above the par line for your current day, you're ahead; if below, you're behind, and the required-daily-pace figure shows exactly how much to increase your output to close the gap by the deadline.