Writing Speed Calculator — Project Time Estimate

How Writing Speed Estimation Works

Writing time = Character count ÷ Characters per minute

Each script has a different writing speed. Broad-pen hands (Italic, Foundational, Uncial, Gothic) move faster than pointed-pen Copperplate, whose pressure-release flex strokes are the slowest. Total time per copy adds writing, setup (default 5 min: ink loading, ruling guidelines, test strokes) and drying (a fraction of writing time plus a 5-minute final dry). For multiple copies, every copy after the first reuses your setup, so it takes less time — the grand total reflects that.

A note on the speeds: the characters-per-minute figures are indicative estimates for sustained formal writing, not a published standard. Calibrate them to your own hand — time yourself on 5 lines or 5 envelopes and divide by the character count. Professional wedding calligraphers typically take 3–4 minutes per addressed envelope (~50–70 characters), so an experienced hand sits around 12–17 chars/min when addressing, and a little lower over a long sustained piece.