Pitches, projects, due dates, payment status, estimated taxes, earnings, metrics — and more.
You might only spend a few hours working on paid projects this week, but how much other time are you investing into pitching, following up, and chasing down your next big client? There is so much back office work that goes into freelancing, and it can be hard to quantify.
The thing is, you don’t get paid a salary and, unless you have your clients on a monthly retainer, you’re only getting paid for a fraction of the time and effort you’re investing into your career, and you have to make it count.
With this spreadsheet, you won’t just gain greater visibility into the unpaid work you’re doing, but you’ll have the numbers necessary to raise your rates so you can earn more to account for all that time off the clock.
This spreadsheet is more than an Excel workbook. It’s a complete tracking system that can help you:
Kickstart your summer with this spreadsheet and gain the control you want over your work.
(Yes, you read that right!)
How many times have you found yourself in a slow period because you weren’t pitching enough back when you were busy? This spreadsheet will give you visibility into all the opportunities in your pipeline.
If you feel lost when submitting Upwork proposals, this spreadsheet can help you test different niches and cover letters to up your response rate.
The first cold pitch to a business rarely leads to a reply. With this spreadsheet, you can stay on top of follow-ups and do more with your time.
Getting published is a great way to build your writing career, but some opportunities can drag out for weeks. This spreadsheet will ensure none are forgotten.
If you aren't following up, you're losing out. This spreadsheet will ensure you don't leave anything to chance by helping you time and track your follow ups.
Have you ever wondered how effective your pitches and proposals actually are? See your average response rate through the months so you can keep improving.
Do you know how many opportunities you need to pursue to keep a steady workload? This spreadsheet will calculate your acceptance rate for you.
Are you tired of cluttering your calendar with due dates or jumping between documents and email threads? Get all the information in one place, including project links and due dates, with this handy system.
Assign an estimated value to projects so that you always know the potential earnings you have in your pipeline (and if you need to pitch more).
Track the word count associated with your projects so that you know just how much content you're producing each month and what your real capacity is.
Add up the hours you devote to each project so that you can assess your real workload, even (and especially) if you aren't charging for all that time.
Have you heard back from the editor? Did that piece ever get published? See the status of all your projects at a glance and banish uncertainty for good.
Knowing exactly when every project is due at-a-glance will help you set priorities and avoid overcommitting yourself when new projects are on the horizon.
You know how much you charge, but do you know how much you earn? This spreadsheet will show your effective rates and how they change over time.
Put an end to the uncertainty. Know exactly what you’ve invoiced for, when payments are due, and if you followed up on that overdue check. You deserve to be paid on time, every time!
Invoicing quickly is just as important as getting paid on time. Set payment status separately from project status, allowing you to bill before or after work is done.
Automatically calculate your total estimated earnings and total earnings after fees. Optionally, set an earnings goal each month and see your progress.
Check your progress throughout the year with a side-by-side overview of your performance each month alongside your average effective rates.
Live in the United States? Add your tax rates to the annual sheet and your quarterly estimated taxes due will be added up for you throughout the year.
You'll find a dedicated tab for easily tracking your business deductions throughout the year. After all, it's an all-in-one system!
Comparing your monthly earnings, average earnings per word, and average earnings per hour throughout the year will shoe if you're trending in the right direction.
Say goodbye to wasted time and fretting over forgotten details. This spreadsheet will lock you into a workflow that keeps your day going smoothly!
This spreadsheet can give you the insights and hard numbers you need to get pointed in the right direction and I’m confident you’ll love it because I use it myself!
With more than 8 years under my belt, I’ve tried countless spreadsheets to stay organized as a freelance writer but none of them had everything I needed or they ended up far too complicated. I spent over a year making and tweaking my own and this is the culmination of that effort.
This spreadsheet can give you the insights and hard numbers you need to get pointed in the right direction and I’m confident you’ll love it because I use it myself!
With more than 8 years under my belt, I’ve tried countless spreadsheets to stay organized as a freelance writer but none of them had everything I needed or they ended up far too complicated. I spent over a year making and tweaking my own and this is the culmination of that effort.
Sydney Chamberlain
"As a writer that takes on projects from many different clients and platforms, this spreadsheet is going to be a lifesaver for tracking my earnings and working toward my goals."
"As a writer that takes on projects from many different clients and platforms, this spreadsheet is going to be a lifesaver for tracking my earnings and working toward my goals."
"As a writer that takes on projects from many different clients and platforms, this spreadsheet is going to be a lifesaver for tracking my earnings and working toward my goals."
Once you can see your opportunities, obligations, and earnings in one place, you’ll find yourself breezing through the work day with fewer missed deadlines and an abundance of opportunities on the horizon.
What are you waiting for?
Grow your writing business by getting all your numbers in one place! This is the only spreadsheet you’ll need to manage your workload.
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