Home » Writing & Publishing » Resources for Writers » Ink Link Software Simplifies Submission Tracking

Ink Link Software Simplifies Submission Tracking

© Roxianne Moore

If you have trouble keeping track of your submissions, you're not alone. For years, I've tried to set up some kind of system I like, from using a loose leaf notebook to customizing a database worksheet so that I could enter works and markets. No matter what I tried, I wasn't satisfied.

Notebooks are okay as long as you don't have too many works to file, and if there's not much overlap in markets. But once you have a couple dozen pieces out, you've got to page through a lot of notebook to find out which stories to follow up on, which markets have paid you, and what works are still pending.

Database programs are a bit simpler, provided you know how to customize them to do what you want. But I have yet to find a way to get mine to remind me when I should be getting a reply on a particular story. I also found myself cutting and pasting a lot of markets from one story to another.

Now I've found a program that works beautifully. It keeps track of all my stories, markets, payments, resources, and writing expenses, and prints out reports. Even better, it reminds me to follow up on submissions, and I can set the time limit for reminders.

The thing I have found most useful is being able to double click on an existing market when I submit a new story. No more cutting and pasting. And I can print out reports on the various markets so I know automatically who has bought material in the past.

The program is divided into four main sections:

• Works, where you can list:
  • Titles
  • Type of Work
  • Subject
  • Date
  • Default Mailing Cost
• Submissions, which opens a window for entering:
  Submitted to
  • Date Returned
  • Date Accepted
  • First Inquiry
  • Second Inquiry
  • Date Withdrawn
• Resources, where you can detail:
  • Resource Name
  • Type of Resource
  • Cost
• Reports, where you can print out reports on:
  • All Pending Works
  • Single Work History
  • Financial Report
  • Pending Reminders
  • Single Market History
  • Publications Resume
  • Market Evaluations
  • Market List
• Utilities, for when you need to:
  • Discard Deleted Records
  • Copy Data Files to Floppy Disk
  • Restore Data Files from Floppy Disk
  • View Reminders

  The manual that comes with the full version of the program is well done, but not really necessary. Most of the menus are self-explanatory, and movement from To download an evaluation copy of Ink Link, go to Ink Link Software. This version will allow you to track only three works, but will give you chance to see the power and flexibility of this program.