Writing Logs

I know how many words I have written each day. I also know when I have completed a blog and posted it. I also know how many words I have added or cut from a piece each day as I revise my work. It’s also good to know what pieces you have submitted for publication. Logs can help you know that. I use writing logs to make my daily life a little easier. My logs are in spreadsheets.
I have word count goals that I try to reach every day. In my journal, I strive to write at least nine hundred words a day. I don’t always make that, but I have a target to shoot for. In order to do that, I log the number of words I have written in my journal each day. My journal log also calculates the number of pages and keeps a running total for the year. This is good as it tells me how I’m progressing in my journal. It’s a record of my practice and gives me something to strive for.

I also keep track of the changes I make in pieces I revise. I track the number of words, sentences and paragraphs in each piece. Each day, I update the numbers in the spreadsheet which then calculates how many words, sentences and paragraphs I have added or removed from the piece. Now, that information may not be completely necessary, but I use it to inspire and spur me to actually do the work.

I use a spreadsheet to keep track of the blogs I have written and what I have scheduled to write. I know how many words are in each blog. It provides me with a lot of information on my blog. It tells me what topic I wrote about, how many words I used to write it, the date it posted, and when I need to write the next one. This is good for me. It keeps me from repeating myself too much and too close together.

If you decide to go the traditional publication route, you need to submit your work to publishers or publications. You will need to track your work. Knowing where you submitted your work, when you submitted it and the response it got. That’s just plain good sense. You don’t want to submit a work to an editor who has already rejected it.

Logs can help you keep to your goals, keep track of who has seen it. This is important. Writing is a business. You need to know what you have, where you’ve done and what you still have to do. Tracking your work just makes sense. Knowing where you’ve sent it for publication is good. You need control over your work and logs will give that to you. Good luck and good writing.

About pebblepup

I am not one who is comfortable talking about myself but here goes. I enjoy writing, family history, and reading. I decided to do this blog because I wanted to try something new. I decided to make it a weekly blog because I wasn't sure that I could keep up with a daily one, and monthly seemed like I was writing a magazine. I think I did ok with my choices. You'll notice that there are not a lot of graphics on my site. That's because there are graphics plastered everywhere on the Internet and those sites sometimes take forever to load. This blog is a place where you can kick back, relax and be ready to be amused. At least I hope I willbamuse you. This blog is on a variety of subjects from my ficitional cat agency, the FFL, which is monthly, to instructional blogs to editorials, which are my opinions only. I admit that I don't know everything and could be wrong -- I frequently am. Now, stop reading about me and read what I have to say!