Before-and-after word count: track what the edit changed

Compare both versions with the same word-count rule, then inspect the diff. Did the reduction come from cutting repetition, or did it remove a necessary explanation? If a revised paragraph changes hyphenation or punctuation, note that the numeric count may shift without a proportional change in meaning. Recount the final text in the destination when possible. Use the count to guide editing, not as a substitute for reading the result.