Question 1

How accurate is the script timer?

Accepted Answer

The timer uses industry-standard words-per-minute rates. Normal conversational pace is ~150 WPM. Actual duration varies based on pauses, emphasis, and delivery style. Use this as a baseline estimate, then adjust based on your actual recordings.

Question 2

What reading speed should I use?

Accepted Answer

For YouTube videos, 150-170 WPM works well. Documentaries and dramatic content use 120-140 WPM. Commercials and energetic content often hit 180-220 WPM. Podcasts typically range 140-160 WPM.

Question 3

Does this count pauses and breaths?

Accepted Answer

The base calculation assumes natural speech with brief pauses. For scripts with [PAUSE] markers or significant dramatic beats, add 10-20% to the estimated time. The tool counts brackets and common pause indicators to help estimate.

Question 4

How are words counted?

Accepted Answer

Words are counted by splitting on whitespace. Numbers count as one word each. Hyphenated words count as one word. Script directions in [brackets] are excluded from the word count but noted separately.

Question 5

What about different languages?

Accepted Answer

This tool is optimized for English. Other languages have different speaking rates - Spanish and Italian tend to be faster, while Mandarin and German can be slower. Adjust the WPM accordingly for non-English scripts.

Content Type	Typical WPM	Words per Minute
Audiobooks	150-160	Slow, clear enunciation
Podcasts	140-170	Conversational, natural
YouTube Videos	150-180	Engaging, keeps attention
Documentaries	120-150	Dramatic, measured
Commercials	180-220	Fast, energetic
Explainer Videos	140-160	Clear, educational
News Anchors	160-180	Professional, authoritative

Script Timer

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