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Writing Goal Planner: Your Exact Daily Schedule
Want to finish a writing project around the days you actually have? Divide remaining words or pages across your available sessions, reserve buffer days, and keep an exact schedule. You can weight weekdays differently, exclude dates, or start from a daily pace to find your finish date.
Your writing compass
No inputs sent. Nothing kept after closing unless you download a file.
Worked example
From November 2 through November 30, 2026, with three buffer days and Monday–Friday sessions, there are 20 sessions. A 10,000-word goal with 1,200 already written leaves 8,800 words: exactly 440 per session.
| Date | To write | Total written | Minutes at entered pace | Week starting Monday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-02 | 440 | 1640 | 26.4 | 2026-11-02 |
| 2026-11-03 | 440 | 2080 | 26.4 | 2026-11-02 |
| 2026-11-04 | 440 | 2520 | 26.4 | 2026-11-02 |
| 2026-11-05 | 440 | 2960 | 26.4 | 2026-11-02 |
| 2026-11-06 | 440 | 3400 | 26.4 | 2026-11-02 |
| 2026-11-09 | 440 | 3840 | 26.4 | 2026-11-09 |
| 2026-11-10 | 440 | 4280 | 26.4 | 2026-11-09 |
| 2026-11-11 | 440 | 4720 | 26.4 | 2026-11-09 |
| 2026-11-12 | 440 | 5160 | 26.4 | 2026-11-09 |
| 2026-11-13 | 440 | 5600 | 26.4 | 2026-11-09 |
| 2026-11-16 | 440 | 6040 | 26.4 | 2026-11-16 |
| 2026-11-17 | 440 | 6480 | 26.4 | 2026-11-16 |
How to use it
Replace the example with your values and check units. Results update as you edit. Keep a scenario to compare, then export a file; this tool’s JSON can restore your inputs.
Worked example
From November 2 through November 30, 2026, with three buffer days and Monday–Friday sessions, there are 20 sessions. A 10,000-word goal with 1,200 already written leaves 8,800 words: exactly 440 per session.
Method and sources
Remaining work equals your goal minus the amount already written. In deadline mode, sessions receive a share proportional to weekday weight. Whole units are assigned first; leftover units go to the largest remainders, with date order breaking ties. The sum exactly matches the remaining goal. In pace mode, entered pace is multiplied by weekday weight and rounded down; the last session is shortened. Dates use calendar arithmetic without time-zone shifts. Estimated minutes come from your own entered rate. Milestones describe remaining quantity only.
Sources checked November 1, 2026.
Starting values are a fictional example. The method and limits below describe what is actually calculated.
Who it is for, and limits
Word count measures neither writing quality nor well-being. No universal pace is recommended. The forecast depends on your availability and does not automatically add research or revision time. Planning is limited to two years; calendar files contain quantities, not a private project title.
Common questions
How are words per day calculated?
Remaining work is allocated by available weekday weights, with exact whole-unit adjustment.
Can I exclude a date?
Yes. Enter YYYY-MM-DD in excluded dates; that date receives no session.
How do buffer days work?
Buffer days are removed from the end of deadline mode before work is allocated.
Can I plan pages instead?
Choose pages and adjust your hourly rate; no words-per-page conversion is assumed.
Does the calendar include my text?
No. ICS contains only session dates and quantities, with no draft text or private title.