I try very hard to be organized. Organized is good. Especially when you’re trying to run a business, which is how you should think of your writing. When you’re organized, life is much easier, and you have more time to spend doing what you should be doing (writing, promoting, relaxing), instead of trying to remember what you did, or wanted to do.
There are many aspects of running a business. For a writer, keeping track of what you’ve written, where you’ve sent it, when you sent it out and how it all ended is important.
When I first started writing I used index cards to keep track of things. Then I started using notebooks, the small ones you buy at the dollar store. heap and easy, but that way of doing things can get wieldy, and just plain tiresome. Some friends suggested using Excel and making a spreadsheet, but, for me, creating any sort of spreadsheet is hours of frustrating hell. Which is why I gave up about three years ago and simply started to email myself reminders and notes on things.
It was easy because my Mac Mail program allows me to create folders for each of my publishers, and my agent. When I want to check on something I just search through my stored emails. Despite this not being a full-proof method, I’d never really thought about finding a better way of keeping track of it all until I posted a call for Topics to Blog about on my Facebook page. Thanks to Sheila Lee for this topic suggestion, because it made me go looking around the net for other options and wow, I’ve found some great things.
I’ve chosen to try out the WRITERS DATABASE. It’s an online submission tracker, and it’s free. I chose an online program instead of a desktop one because I switch back and forth between my laptop and desktop often, and I travel a lot and want to be able to access my notes from anywhere if I have to. Plus, this program offers ways to input more than titles, dates, and adresses. Since I’ve just started using it I don’t have much to say, except it seems pretty simple, which I like.
(There’s a downloadable Desktop version Here, but it only works on Windows.)
Here’s some other options to check out. You need to find the method that works best for you, or you won’t keep it up.
Microsoft Word – It’s simple, easy, and chances are you already have the program. Take a look at this YouTube video installment of A Writers Guide TO Office:
SLUSHOMATIC: This is a test version of the program, but it works for PC’s and MACs.
WordHustler is something I found that’s very interesting. It’s an online storage and tracking system, that does so much more. It will also print and mail your submissions, including SASE’s and postcards if you want. I took a look around the sight and saw that they only charge you a fee when they print and mail out a submission for you. It might be something to think about, especially as a way for for those that don’t live in the US to save on postage.
WritersPlanner is also an online storage & tracking site. Be sure to read the Terms and Conditions before you start loading up your projects.
I hope you find something that works for you, because the longer you’re at this gig, the more you need to keep track of. And if you’re like me, you want to be at it for a long time to come. 
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I’m not the most organized person in the world, but tracking submissions is one thing I try to stay on top of. I use an ancient contact management program I got back in 1996 (and it runs off DOS, so you know it’s old) called ACT! It’s not without its problems, but it works for me. I just have to remember to back it up often. When my computer crashed in ‘06, I lost all the submission data for my first book. Your online submission tracker thing sounds like the perfect way to avoid all that, Sasha. Thanks. =o)
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DOS> wow. I can remember that from back in Grade 9. LOL I hope you find another way that works for you. Losing work is never fun.
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I’d like to put in a good word for author Simon Haynes’s sub tracking freeware, Sonar. It’s for WinXP or above, and here’s a little about it from Simon’s software site: “This program tells me which market has each story, whether a story has been sold or rejected and which stories are gathering dust instead of earning their keep. If you decide to use it, you will be able to view a list of all your stories and then filter them in various ways (e.g. only show stories which are available to send out). You can add markets, stories and submissions and best of all it’s completely free!”
The latest version is Sonar3, and Simon’s added a list of new features. Definitely worth checking out.
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Ohh, good one. Y’know I thought about checking out your blog as a reference site, as I seem to remember you doing a post on this sort of thing before, but I felt like that would be cheating on my part instead of doing the work . LOL
Thanks for sharing!
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Ugh. Organization. It terrifies me.