diff --git a/manuskript/enums.py b/manuskript/enums.py
index 4e94d0bb..80d66960 100644
--- a/manuskript/enums.py
+++ b/manuskript/enums.py
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ class Outline(IntEnum):
     textFormat = 15
     revisions = 16
     customIcon = 17
+    charCount = 18 
 
 class Abstract(IntEnum):
     title = 0
diff --git a/manuskript/models/outlineItem.py b/manuskript/models/outlineItem.py
index 46d2d241..c465b55c 100644
--- a/manuskript/models/outlineItem.py
+++ b/manuskript/models/outlineItem.py
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ class outlineItem(abstractItem):
     def wordCount(self):
         return self._data.get(self.enum.wordCount, 0)
 
+    def charCount(self):
+        return self._data.get(self.enum.charCount, 0)
+
+
     #######################################################################
     # Data
     #######################################################################
@@ -144,6 +148,7 @@ class outlineItem(abstractItem):
         if column == E.text:
             wc = F.wordCount(data)
             self.setData(E.wordCount, wc)
+            self.setData(E.charCount, len(data)) 
 
         if column == E.compile:
             # Title changes when compile changes
@@ -187,9 +192,12 @@ class outlineItem(abstractItem):
 
         else:
             wc = 0
+            cc = 0
             for c in self.children():
                 wc += F.toInt(c.data(self.enum.wordCount))
+                cc += F.toInt(c.data(self.enum.charCount))
             self._data[self.enum.wordCount] = wc
+            self._data[self.enum.charCount] = cc
 
             setGoal = F.toInt(self.data(self.enum.setGoal))
             goal = F.toInt(self.data(self.enum.goal))
@@ -460,6 +468,7 @@ class outlineItem(abstractItem):
 
     # We don't want to write some datas (computed)
     XMLExclude = [enums.Outline.wordCount,
+                  enums.Outline.charCount,
                   enums.Outline.goal,
                   enums.Outline.goalPercentage,
                   enums.Outline.revisions]
diff --git a/manuskript/ui/editors/mainEditor.py b/manuskript/ui/editors/mainEditor.py
index 305b9636..5f8d94b1 100644
--- a/manuskript/ui/editors/mainEditor.py
+++ b/manuskript/ui/editors/mainEditor.py
@@ -302,6 +302,7 @@ class mainEditor(QWidget, Ui_mainEditor):
 
         wc = item.data(Outline.wordCount)
         goal = item.data(Outline.goal)
+        chars = item.data(Outline.charCount) # len(item.data(Outline.text)) 
         progress = item.data(Outline.goalPercentage)
         # mw = qApp.activeWindow()
 
@@ -317,12 +318,14 @@ class mainEditor(QWidget, Ui_mainEditor):
             drawProgress(p, rect, progress, 2)
             del p
             self.lblRedacProgress.setPixmap(self.px)
-            self.lblRedacWC.setText(self.tr("{} words / {} ").format(
+            self.lblRedacWC.setText(self.tr("({} chars) {}  words / {} ").format(
+                    chars,
                     locale.format("%d", wc, grouping=True),
                     locale.format("%d", goal, grouping=True)))
         else:
             self.lblRedacProgress.hide()
-            self.lblRedacWC.setText(self.tr("{} words ").format(
+            self.lblRedacWC.setText(self.tr("({} chars) {} words ").format(
+                    chars,
                     locale.format("%d", wc, grouping=True)))
 
     ###############################################################################