You might find this site useful
http://www.writersservices.com/wps/p_word_count.htm
Alternatively, to quote Pam McCutcheon at
http://www.pammc.com/count.htm
"When you query a publisher, it's customary to include your novel's estimated word count. Assuming you use the standard conventions for manuscript format (1" margins, 25 double-spaced lines per page, and a 12 point non-proportional font like Courier), then a good rule of thumb is one page equals 250 words."
".....your word processor will give you the exact word count, but that's not what the publisher is looking for.
"..... short sentences/dialogue, chapter breaks, and scene breaks take up more space on the page, but use fewer words. For example, the sentence "Rick laughed." is only two words, but it occupies an entire line of text.
"From the publisher's standpoint, it's more important to know how much space will be used in the printed book than to know the exact word count. So by using this method of estimating word count, you can give the publisher what they really want.
(Copyright Ó 1996 by Pam McCutcheon)
