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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Project Management for Writers

I'm a tech girl at heart.  It's been a number of years, and kids, since I've been in the biz, but still I love to find technology that can help me plan and organize.  As the end of the year approaches I'm looking back on all that I've accomplished and I'm wishing I had kept better track of my time and energy.

My new year's resolution is to find a project management system, preferably in spreadsheet format that will allow me to, and this is utmost important, EASILY update, and keep organized, my projects for the year.  All the blog posts, all the outlining, writing, and revising I'll do every day throughout the year.  At the end of next year I want to see it in quantitative form.  I want to be able to look at that pie chart or whatever chart and say,"See?  That's what I've done!"  And then, of course, hold up my newly published novel! :)

So I've done some research out there on varying project management systems.  Most are costly.  I'm looking for free. Because really, unless I love a system I'm not going to stick with it.
Below are a few of the project management tools I've googled over the last week.  Let me know what you think.  And better yet, let me know what YOU'VE found out there that helps you keep your writing world organized.

Smartsheet.com - looks brilliant with wonderful video tutorials but it's far from free.

Top 10 Best Free Online Project Management Application Services - just found this one, plan on checking it out today.

 LotusLive Gets Social Project Management Tools  I find this concept fascinating, but for writing projects, not so sure.

Excel for Writers and other Artists I love seeing this, as a writer I don't feel that my creativity is the opposite of tech

Let me know what you've found!

8 comments:

  1. Ansha--You'll have to let us know what works for you! I would love an easy system for keeping track of time and energy spent. Accountability it everything for me. :)

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  2. I guess I don't care so much about the hours. If I'm producing my work on time then I know I'm keeping pace. I do think about this but it's in my head. I don't need to see it on a pie chart. I guess i'm not a true tech girl!

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  3. Oooooh, Ansha! You have me thinking about this again! You commented about software on my project management blog post, and I'd mentioned using Excel vs. Project (which I don't have at home anyway), but you've got other great thoughts as far as what else to organize. You've inspired me! I'm going to see if I can come up with a template that works, and I will definitely share if so. :-)

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  4. Kip, If you create a template I would LOVE to see it! My hubby is the excel guru, so I may also push him into creating something for us writers! :)
    Laura, I think it's because I've never been very good at keeping on top of things. I think I need something that I can look back on and know that my day wasn't wasted. :)

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  5. @Heather- I totally agree with you. Accountability is a big motivator for me. Even if I'm just accountable to myself. Without it I flounder and get little accomplished. I'll def keep you in the loop when I find something that works. Even if I do hire out my hubby! :)

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  6. Interesting! Here's a link I found--nothing too exciting, although Zoho catches my eye--but I think I may pose the question on LinkedIn, too. I'll let you know what they say. http://www.webdesignbooth.com/project-management-tools/

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  7. Group effort times and costs between you teams are now easier since of online project management system that you and your staff can access from roughly everywhere.

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  8. This was a good suggestion that you put up here. Hope that it benefits all the ones who land up here.
    Business templates | Excel templates

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