Writing goals: How many words does a writer write?

 If a word-writer does write words, how many words does a word-writer write?

I don't know if woodchucks set daily goals for chucking wood, but it's a must for writers. The daily word output is necessary to meet the long range goal of writing the novel. It's the final specific act of writing.


After completing a list of specific goals related to plot, characters, and research it's time to write the novel. You write one word at a time, one page at a time, one chapter at a time until it's finished.


The question is how many words do you write?


The answer, It depends, should only be an option if the goal date for completion was ignored, and then, It depends can be the pat answer for all questions regarding the novel.


How many words do writers write each day? There is no magic number; however, the goal should be reachable while presenting a challenge. I know authors who have goals from 500 to 2,000 words per day. I set a minimum goal, and on days when the words come hard, I stop when I reach it; when the words flow, I leave the goal in the dust and write until my fingers bleed.