Spreadsheets Help Writers

Spreadsheets should be a writer's favorite tool, and yet the most common fear I hear from authors is that they don't think they can create a business plan for themselves because they don't know how to do a spreadsheet.

I have even read articles where other writers criticize writers who do use spreadsheets!

You are a business person. And a writer. You CAN learn how to use a spreadsheet – and once you do, you may discover why so many career writers love spreadsheets. And how spreadsheets help writers.

For writers who are intimidated by spreadsheets, I have good news! Spreadsheets aren't that hard to create, read or use.

You don't need to be a whiz at math to learn to use spreadsheets

If you are afraid of spreadsheets here is what you need to know about Microsoft Excel, the most commonly used spreadsheet program:

1. Not good at math? Spreadsheets do the math for you.
2. Microsoft Excel comes with many pre-made spreadsheet templates that you fill out with your information. You don't even need to learn to create a spreadsheet to use one! (Here is an article by D.J. Dierking, that talks about different types of word count spreadsheets for writers.
3. Intrigued? You can easily learn to use Excel from many of the Excel spreadsheet YouTube videos. Here is a free training course you might want to check out: http://spreadsheeto.com/free-excel-training/

How do spreadsheets help writers?

Once you get over your fear of spreadsheets, you will find a lot of uses for spreadsheets. Writers use spreadsheets to:

1. Outline your novel: Track characters, plots, sub-plots, etc.
2. Track your word count and hours (use these to prove to the IRS that you are pursuing writing as a career, not a hobby this can allow you some tax deductions.)
3. Track how much money you are making and which online retailer sells the most copies of your books.
4. Track upcoming writing contest deadlines.
5. Track your to-do list

Successful writers, just like successful entrepreneurs, learn that spreadsheets help writers. Writing down word counts and hours spent writing and having to add the numbers up by hand is a time-consuming task. That is why I have never understood people who resist spreadsheets because they hate math. Spreadsheets mean you never have to do math! The program does it for you!

You can get a free copy of the spreadsheets I use when you sign up for Business Books For Writers' monthly newsletter, The Weekly Entrepreneur. Are you already a subscriber? You don't need to sign up twice. There will be a free download link in the February issue of the newsletter.

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