How Do I Use The Word Frequency Counter?
Simply copy the text from your document and paste it into the word frequency counting software. Or you can type some text. From there, you will see a table of the frequency of all the words used in the document.
This word frequency even allows a sort feature - this allows you to sort alphabetically or by order of most occurrences, allowing you to focus on the more descriptive words or phrases that might be overused.
Outside of being able to see the basic analytics of a text, writers can also download the information as a .CSV file. This feature allows you to convert the word analysis information into graphs, charts or even a word cloud. This allows any audience to clearly see the information in a more cohesive way.
Level Up Your Writing: Word Frequency Counters and How To Use Them
After finishing a manuscript, writing the paper, or crafting a post, the next step for every writer is the daunting task of editing. Spotting mistakes in your own work can be challenging and, at times, seemingly impossible. But outside of immediately hiring an editor and finding beta-readers, there are other ways to level up your work. One option? A word frequency counter.
What is a Word Frequency Counter?
Word frequency counters do just that: they count the frequency of words in any given document. Some programs can be downloaded as applications, but there are also many websites like this one that provide the same analytics. The best part? It's completely free to use.
How Can It Help My Writing?
Word frequency counters provide a variety of useful information for writers. Primarily, they allow the writer to quickly identify overused words or common patterns and themes in a text. They can also help writers identify their own writing idiosyncrasies and even help researchers more quickly and efficiently find the information they need.
So, let's get into the specifics.
Eliminate bad repetition
The main way a word frequency counter can help a writer is by highlighting repetition.
For example, let's say a writer has a tendency to overuse the word "beautiful" as an adjective. By running the manuscript through a word frequency counter, they will be able to identify that tendency towards repetition instantly - as opposed to finding out they overused a phrase from an editor or, even worse, an unimpressed reviewer.
Identifying overused words is a quick and easy way to boost the level of writing in a document. Eliminating weak descriptors (words like "wonderful", "big", or "happy") or under descriptive verbs (words like "says," "laughs," or "yells") opens the door to using more descriptive and specific language.
Let's use an example.
Perhaps there is a sentence that reads: "The boy thought the food was delicious."
After using a word frequency counter, you can now see the word "delicious" was used five times in the same chapter. With that information, you decide to change the sentence to, "The boy bit into the moist cake, marveling at the creamy, sweet frosting that seemed to evaporate on his tongue."
What changed? Well, obviously there is significantly more description. Removing repetition forces the writer to find more creative ways to say the same thing. In this case, instead of simply writing "delicious," the updated sentence works to describe how the food was delicious – creating specificity and clarity for the reader. Ultimately, this brings the reader further into the world of the writing, creating a more expansive and immersive setting.
Beyond weak descriptors, a word frequency counter can also help to reduce the repetition of low-frequency words – or words that are not commonly used. For example, if a word like "gobsmacked" is used more than once in a piece of writing, that will immediately stand out to a reader because it is not a common word.
While not technically a mistake, using too many low-frequency words can stick out like a sore thumb for a reader, pulling them out of the writing and into a more critical headspace as they begin to wonder why the author is fixating on an unusual word like "gobsmacked."
Emphasize Intentional Repetition
Not all repetition is created equal - sometimes repetition is the perfect rhetorical device to underscore a point, flesh out a character, or build drama. Word frequency counters can also help writers create these effects.
Let's say a certain character has a catch phrase they use throughout the book. Only that character uses that phrase, and they are known for using that phrase. A word frequency counter can track how often that phrase is said – making it easy to identify if that phrase is being over or underused.
Alternatively, let's say a phrase is repeated throughout the book to signify a great change is on the horizon. Using that phrase repeatedly leading up to the event will build tension and suspense – tracking this information with a word frequency counter can help the writer gain a more holistic understanding of how their writing is creating an effect across the breadth of the work.
Effectively Share Information
Another helpful aspect of using a word frequency counter is being able to easily get an overview of common themes and patterns from a manuscript. Being able to quickly understand this information can be helpful to both writers and researchers.
Using a word frequency counter, writers can quickly identify if their overarching message or argument is clearly being communicated. Using the most used words in a document and building them into a graph or chart, writers will be able to see what themes pop up the most. With this information, writers can adjust their manuscripts accordingly to emphasize or deemphasize certain elements.
Additionally, writers researching for other projects can use word frequency counters to gain a better understanding of the overarching themes in other documents. Using this tactic will save those writers valuable time on finding the correct literature for their project as they will be able to quickly understand the key words and subjects emphasized in each piece.
Thank You For Using The Word Frequency Counter!
We hope our tool helps you in your writing. If you are interested in any similar tools of ours be sure to take a look at our character frequency counter and our letter frequency counter.