Plan the clock, then write the script
Event slots are unforgiving. A “five-minute update” that runs eight minutes steals the next speaker’s time. This calculator uses spoken pace — conversation, presentation, keynote, or fast — and then adds pause time from punctuation so a script full of short sentences is not treated the same as one long run-on.
The target slider works backward: pick the minutes you have, get a word budget. That is more useful than counting after you have already written 1,400 words for a three-minute slot.
Rehearse once at the pace you picked
If you normally rush, choose 150 WPM and cut until the time fits. If you tell stories, stay near 110–130. Reading time on the other tool is for silent readers (articles, emails), not a microphone.
Frequently asked questions
Also useful: Reading Time Calculator · Script Writer