The date your final draft is due.
Overall Progress
Adjust to your actual daily writing speed.
Required pace
How to use this without gaming yourself
This tracker persists between sessions, so come back to log real progress. Count only words you have actually drafted in your main document—not outlines, notes, cited text, or captions. Update your word counts weekly, ideally after a writing session when you have your current draft open.
Your deadline and chapters save automatically as you type. The required pace updates in real time, so if you see the number climb, that is a signal to either write more this week or talk to your advisor about timeline adjustments.
If you fall behind: do not panic. Adjust your deadline forward or trim scope with your committee. Do not try to catch up by 3,000 words a day—that leads to worse writing, not more of it.
Common Questions
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. Your tracker data lives only in your browser's local storage on this device. It never leaves your computer. If you switch browsers or devices, you will not see your saved data—back it up by exporting it as text first.
What happens if I use a different browser or device?
Each browser on each device has its own separate local storage. If you have Chrome on your laptop and Safari on your tablet, they do not share data. For continuity, use the Export button to download your progress as text before you switch devices, then manually re-enter it in the new browser if needed.
How is required pace calculated?
Required pace is simple arithmetic: (Target words − Words written) ÷ (Days remaining). If your deadline is today or in the past, the required pace shows as unachievable. If you have zero days remaining but words left to write, the tracker tells you so plainly.
What if I fall behind?
If required pace climbs above your typical pace, the tracker switches to a warning message. Above 1.5 times your typical pace, it signals that the current deadline is not reachable without major changes. At that point, talk to your advisor: extend the deadline, narrow your chapters, or reset your targets. Do not ignore the warning and try to brute-force it.
Can I edit chapter names and targets?
Yes. Every field in the input panel—chapter names, target word counts, words written—is live-editable. Add new chapters with the "Add chapter" button or remove them with the × button. All changes save instantly to local storage.
Sources
This tool performs arithmetic calculations only. Pace guidance—e.g., typical academic writing speeds and the 1.5× threshold for caution—reflects general practice, but your own pace may differ. Adjust the "typical writing pace" field to match your real output and consult your graduate school handbook for official deadlines and policies.