This is the first article in my series, Resources for Writers. Affiliate links are included. Please read my

disclaimer to learn more. 

Airtable for Writers

I thought to myself, “I’m a writer. I’m writing. Yay me!” And I wrote and wrote and wrote. Until one day reality set in.

I realized that writing was a tiny part of what I was actually doing on a day-to-day basis. The business of writing involves tracking loads of information. Somehow, against my better judgement, I was back to squinting at spreadsheets. Using google sheets (similar to Microsoft Excel) was a tedious task, but it did the job. Then a friend told me about Airtable.

Life changing.

Ok, so maybe it’s not that spectacular, but then again maybe it is. See, google sheets is boring. Staring at spreadsheets strained my eyes, and it was even worse when using my devices. I needed to input and track expenses, submissions, and much more, but I hated doing it. I downloaded the free version of Airtable and now it’s part of my business tasks that I don’t avoid.

There are many great articles about the specifics of Airtable. I’m not an expert. As a newbie to the business of writing, Airtable is only one tool I’m trying out. I’ve been using it since the start of the year and it works for me. If you’re looking for a free tool to help you out, then you may want to consider Airtable.

According to Business Insider, “Media publications Time, Money, and Fortune use it to manage their video and photo production schedules.” Airtable has credentials, and it’s perfect for a newbie. Here’s why it’s been working for me-

Airtable didn’t tax my brain

Simplicity and convenience rule my life. I signed up via Airtable, then installed the app. I set up my workspaces and base while my toddler climbed over me. Click, then drag and drop. No tutorial needed. Airtable offers an extensive list of how-to topics, but you can get started without any reading.  Jill Duffy at PC Mag wrote in her review, “Airtable may be the least intimidating database management tool you’ll ever use.” And she’s right!

It’s FREE!

Sure, Airtable offers paid versions that work for collaborators and those needing more. But for the average writer, especially a newbie, the free version is more than enough.

Airtable is visually appealing

Airtable works on devices like ipads or phones and desktops/laptops. It’s cloud-based, so you can log in and access your work from anywhere. Airtable is user and mobile friendly and much better than staring at a spreadsheet.

It’s customizable

You add different workspaces to organize your home and business all in one spot, then you choose bases or create your own. Templates are available and you can customize everything from labels and color to how each record functions. You can filter and change your views with a couple clicks.

My set up

This image shows my various workspaces (Content, Projects, and Business). In each workspace I have bases, which hold my tables of records.

I’m currently using Airtable to track:

1. Articles for Publication (includes writer guidelines and payments)
2. Blog Editorial Calendar
3. General Project Tracker and current project
4. Business Expenses
5. Affiliate details
6. Time Tracker
7. Publishing Credits

Everything about this screen is customizable, from colors to images and placement. There tons of templates to get you started. Plus it’s incredibly easy to customize the fields in your tables and records.

This is an image of my table of articles. I track every article I’ve wrote, along with payments and information on publications. My customized fields are at the top, while the bottom shows the other linked tables.

From this screen I can click on payments or publications to view more information.  Since my tables are linked, when I make a change (the most common addition is a rejection letter), then it shows up across all my linked tables.

My headings include:

• title of the article
• word count (notice that Airtable sums this column up at the top)
• status
• where it’s currently submitted (linked to publications)
• date of submission
• where I’ll submit next (linked to publications)
• who rejected it (linked to publications)
• editorial notes
• invoiced
• paid
• payment information (linked to payments)

This is an image of my publications table. In this table I’ve listed publications that I submit work to, along with any editorial notes. I click on each publication to open a card view (see last image below). Since it’s linked to my table of articles, then I can quickly see what each publication accepted and rejected and if they are timely on payments.

It sounds complicated, but it’s not.

It’s easy to add urls, attachments, and much more. I don’t do anything magical or time consuming, except input data with a few clicks. There are many examples on the web of great ways to use Airtable.

Here are a couple examples I found that gives you an idea of how Airtable works:

• In Jimmy Daly’s article he links to an example of an editorial calendar he made.

• Here’s another example of a base used by a writer to track all her published content

My routine with Airtable is simple. If I spend money on my business, then I screenshot the receipt. I open Airtable, fill in a new line and attach the picture. If I get a reply to one of my writing queries, then I follow the same process. It takes me seconds to update and can be done on my device while I’m on the go.

If you’re looking for an app to organize your start-up or personal book collection, then Airtable is worth checking out. I’ve been using it for four months and it’s working nicely. You can sign up here or start by checking out Airtable’s resources. It’s easy. I promise.

Is anyone else using airtable? If so how are you using it? If not, then what do you use? Add your comments below.

Share this...

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Linkedin