How do you track your work?

[scribbler1382]

I'm not talking about tracking submissions and so forth here, but tracking your actual prose production. Do you use a log book, a spreadsheet, an abacus? What exactly do you track? Words? Pages? Time you wrote? Do you use charts or other specialty software to analyse your production?

You get the idea.

[cwfgal]

I don't keep track of any of that stuff.

Beth

[Birol]

I have a To Do list taped to the wall that I update each week. At the bottom is a blank table where I can write word count/hours worked on my novel each day. What I track depends on what I was doing, though I tend to favor word count as opposed to hours worked.

[KTC]

I don't keep track. It would depress me too much. I know I don't write as often as I could write...so, to see that on paper--an actual proven fact--would only depress me. On the other hand, maybe I should do that so I can give myself a kick in the *** and get writing more often!

[GPatten]

Gosh Marty, I don’t track anything.
If I were to make a major change to the document; I’d take it to another folder and rename it Modified, or #2. Is this what you mean?
Tracking my main characters, their names and descriptions, I enter them from the start and as I write, I push them down as I write to the finish. The same goes for Ideas, timeline info and minor changes. I add them above the characters and push them on down as I write. Is this what you mean?

[icerose]

I don't keep track of any of that. With my two kids and the house to clean and everything else it would be too much pressure to keep up with a time sheet. I write when I can. I generally write everyday unless I am out of the house the entire day or my mind is absolutely fried. I don't have a problem with not finishing things or anything like that so for me there is no point.

Sara

[Jamesaritchie]

I'm not talking about tracking submissions and so forth here, but tracking your actual prose production. Do you use a log book, a spreadsheet, an abacus? What exactly do you track? Words? Pages? Time you wrote? Do you use charts or other specialty software to analyse your production?

You get the idea.

I keep a journal. Actually, in a sense, I keep three journals. I keep a daybook wherein I list highlights of the day, plue what story I'm worry on, along with the days word count on each project. This takes only a few minutes each day, almost never more than five or ten minutes, tops. I just make very brief notes to jog my memory when making my Saturday evening entries in the real journals.

I also keep a true writing journal wherein I write about writing, and keep a list of projects I'm working on, ones I may do in the future, word count for the week, etc. And I keep a regular journal of type many keep, and some entries deal with writing, but not in the detail my writing journal does. I make entries in each of these journals each Saturday.

[GPatten]

Sigh!

I feel stupid.

I see what you’re all talking about now, I think.

You’re talking about planning time spent on your work. Planning the time to spend in a given time and entering what you have spent.

No, I don’t do that. I work when I wish, which may be two, or more hours a day. I may not work at all for several days.

[katdad]

I don't keep track -- why should I? I just write as the muse demands.

By the way, you look a lot like Rod Serling.

[LadyLazarus]

I track my progress on my blog (http://blackdovenovel.blogspot.com) [shameless plug alert!:) ]

[sassandgroove]

I don't track per se. If I do I get overwhelmed and give up. I start clean and freash everyday. Everyday I have my page goal, and I give myself a star in my journal(I draw it) and congradulate myself for doing it the day before. But If I didn't get my writing done the day before, I tell myself today is a new day and just move forward. I also tell my husband Iworked on my novel and he says "Yay Sweetie." Jeez we sound dorky....

[Tirjasdyn]

Ywriter tracks word count and such for me :)

Keeping track of my world (characters, locations etc) is kept in a 5x8 3 ring binder with tabs.

Outlining and general notes is kept in a Keynote file.

[Jamesaritchie]

Sigh!

I feel stupid.

I see what you’re all talking about now, I think.

You’re talking about planning time spent on your work. Planning the time to spend in a given time and entering what you have spent.

No, I don’t do that. I work when I wish, which may be two, or more hours a day. I may not work at all for several days.

I don't plan how much time I'm going to spend on my current or next project. I just make a list of possible projects I'd like to do, projects I'm contracted to do, which I'll tackle next, that kind of thing.

Other than tight deadlines, time doesn't matter. I know I'm going to be writing five hours per day, six days per week, come hell or high water, so the work is going to get done. It's just a matter of which project to tackle next.

Keeping track, for me, really means what I've already done. It's real nice to look back at the end of the year and see the results of what five hours per day, six days per week can accomplish.

[scribbler1382]

Personally, I've never tracked anything beyond my word/page count. I've just seen a lot of people talking about tracking their time or using a stopwatch or what have you, and I was wondering how many people did that or if I should start.

James is right, it's neat to look back on a month or year and see what you've done. Especially if you have a few mid-book notes like "God this sucks...Petruchio just ate it and he hadn't even met Kate yet! I'll never be done this piece of crap....never, never, never!" Helps with the next mid-book horrors, I think.

(would have posted sooner, but I couldn't get in the forums)

Cheers,

[Button]

I keep track, but I don't hold expectations.

With my first book, my goal was 2000 words a day. I got to the point I could flow a good 5000 words a day with good effort. I became disappointed entirely if all I could get out was less that 3,000 at one point.

Once I near getting the end, I enjoy counting off the pages too. I go - wow, look, 300 pages. :p

I get excited to see all those words, knowing that my work is getting done.

Now, I still do word counts. I do get disappointed a little when I see I've not gotten past a 2000 word mark, but I understand too I don't have the time I used to. So if I can get some good writing in, complete a chapter or finish a scene then I am happy.

Also, I never end the day at a chapter ending. I usually try to stop in mid sentance. Writing that little bit, finishing the sentance or paragraph (as I know what I was going to write) gets me in a mode to keep going the next day.

[Jamesaritchie]

Personally, I've never tracked anything beyond my word/page count. I've just seen a lot of people talking about tracking their time or using a stopwatch or what have you, and I was wondering how many people did that or if I should start.

James is right, it's neat to look back on a month or year and see what you've done. Especially if you have a few mid-book notes like "God this sucks...Petruchio just ate it and he hadn't even met Kate yet! I'll never be done this piece of crap....never, never, never!" Helps with the next mid-book horrors, I think.

(would have posted sooner, but I couldn't get in the forums)

Cheers,

I use a countdown timer, and it plays the theme from Dr. Who when time expires. But in all honesty, this isn't to make me write for a certain amount of time, it's to tell me when I have to quit.

I need to stand up and stretch, move around a bit, every hour, and the timer reminds me to do this. It also tells when when it's time for lunch and a long walk, whihc I do between writing sessions. Then it tells me when to stop in the evening so I can eat, walk a bit, eat supper, and get to reading.

[Honey Nut Loop]

i don't track other than to occasionally flick on the word count so that i can either pat myself on the back or not.

[GPatten]

Especially if you have a few mid-book notes like "God this sucks...Petruchio just ate it and he hadn't even met Kate yet! I'll never be done this piece of crap....never, never, never!"


:ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL: :ROFL:

That's me! Yah, I do that. :roll:

God, I love writing. These things are what brings me so much fun in writing.

[JerseyGirl1962]

When I'm going thru the 1st draft, I tend to check word count; it keeps me going on that particular story.

Beyond that, I don't bother with word count, and I've never bothered with page count.

I have software specifically for writing, as I hate Word (I started on WordPerfect back in the old DOS days) - I use it all day at work, so I don't have a choice. By using a different program, I get to "escape" from work into my writing world. I can check word count and a lot of other things with just one or two mouse clicks.

But I guess what it comes down to is what works for you. What works for one person will leave another scratching his head.

~Nancy

[LadyLazarus]

I have software specifically for writing, as I hate Word

Just curious which software you have? and what "extras" does it have that Word doesn't?

[JerseyGirl1962]

I have software called Write It Now. It's available here:

http://www.ravensheadservices.com/index.htm

What's neat for me is that it has a tabbed interface, for chapters; ideas; notes; characters; submissions; and a few others I can't remember off the top of my head.

It appeals to my sense of organization - although you wouldn't think that by looking at my desk here at work :faint:. It also forces me to think about my story and the characters as opposed to work (lately, it's been a respite from all the crap I've had to deal with here). It also prints out to html and rtf formats (although for some reason, it won't open them right away; a glitch, I guess, the programmers will have to iron out). The html and rtf documents are there - you just have to go and open them yourself.

The price is pretty good, and I sprung for the CD version, although you can download a trial copy from the website noted above before paying online (they give you a passcode to unlock some extra features).

It's worth it in my book. But that's something you'll have to decide, naturally. :)

~Nancy

[BenMears]

I do a daily word count. I keep it in a spreadsheet for the project, and look at weekly totals occasionally.

When I have a better feel for what I'm doing, I'll probably do less of this. But I'm just learning, and it helps to measure my progress (or lack).