Word count is the total number of words in a text document. You may need to increase the word count of a school or college job; or maybe a novel or short story you wrote. You can increase the word count by adding new content or expanding the existing one. With the right approach you can increase the word count of your text easily and efficiently.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Fixing Existing Content
Step 1. Make your statements clear
Reread your writing and identify any sentences that are too long or unclear. In particular, check the ones that go beyond the two lines. Break them up into shorter sentences and try to make your ideas as clear as possible. Make any necessary additions so that the concepts are expressed accurately and completely.
For example, you can use clarifying expressions such as "In other words …" or "As noted in the previous paragraph …"
Step 2. Rework the introduction and conclusion
Two parts of your writing where you can increase the number of words are the introduction and the conclusion. Try to figure out if you can add two or three sentences to the introduction to make it more detailed and complete, and if the conclusion needs some addition, such as a short, punchy closing sentence.
For example, you could break up and rephrase a too long sentence in the introduction; or maybe there is an image in the text that you can describe in more detail in the conclusion
Step 3. Expand the citations
Another way to increase the word count is to expand the quotes you have already entered in your writing or add more.
- For example, if you have inserted a short quote in one section of the text, you can include another one that is linked to the first to further develop your ideas.
- You can also replace the quotes you used with longer or more relevant ones, in order to strengthen your argument as well as increase the number of words.
Method 2 of 3: Add New Content
Step 1. Include different views on the subject matter
You can expand your writing by adding perspectives that are different from yours; they can be totally opposite or even slightly different. This can help you improve your work and reach the required word count.
For example, if you are writing an essay on abortion, you might include opposing views on the subject that come from reliable sources
Step 2. Use more examples
You can also increase your word count by drawing additional examples from your sources. Look in the main body of the text for places where an extra example could give more support to your idea. Take more precise examples from your source to better explain the topic.
In an essay, you might add an example that better illustrates the theme or include another case study in your article to better support your position
Step 3. Add sources and references
Ponder if there are other sources to include in your writing to make it more complete. Insert references to other texts or add a source that seems relevant to the subject matter.
For example, if you are writing an essay on abortion, you could refer to government sources or scholarly articles, thus giving more support to your idea
Step 4. Avoid bloating the text
Don't try to augment words by just inserting useless content, for example by writing obvious things or repeating the same concepts over and over. Try not to be redundant and repetitive to reach the necessary word count, because those who read your work will assume that you have only tried to lengthen the text rather than deepen your ideas.
You should also avoid using overly complex terms and using words like "very", "really" and "enough" too many times, as this will only make the text confusing and weaken the sentences
Method 3 of 3: Increase the Word Count of a Novel or Short Story
Step 1. Develop some scenes further
If you're looking to increase the word count in a novel or short story, try adding details to scenes you've already written. You can add a detail to the setting or give a more detailed description of the movements or physical characteristics of the characters.
For example, in a hypothetical scene where two characters are having an argument in a wood, you could go into more detail about their surroundings, the clothes they wear, and how they move while talking
Step 2. Give the characters a past
It is important that characters in a novel or short story have their own past history, as this helps the reader to better understand how they arrived at the present moment of the narrative. It also serves to give them greater three-dimensionality.
For example, you could include details about the protagonist's childhood or include a chapter about the story of the relationship between two characters
Step 3. Resolve the outstanding issues
Reread the draft of the novel or short story and check if there are any outstanding issues, such as an open relationship between two characters or an unresolved conflict. It could also happen that a certain theme has progressively lost importance; try to recover it and give it new light to increase the words and make the narrative more solid.
For example, you could resolve a conflict that erupted in the middle of the novel by expanding the content of the last part to give a more complete conclusion to the story
Step 4. Add secondary characters
This is another great way to increase the word count in a novel or short story. Secondary characters can prove useful in moving the plot forward and developing the main characters further. They usually appear sporadically throughout the story or at pivotal plot moments.
For example, you could create a relative or best friend for the protagonist to play a minor role in the story and add content to the novel
Step 5. Develop a subplot
A subplot is a secondary story to the main plot. It can be useful for making the story more complex and compelling. It often involves minor characters and presents a conflict or problem that is less relevant than the events narrated in the main plot.
