After working hard on a short story or article, writers want to get their work published. Finding a publisher is a big undertaking, but keeping track of submissions can also be time consuming. To focus more on writing and less on tracking submissions, Simon Haynes, author of the Hal Spacejock series and computer programmer, designed Sonar Submission Tracking Tool to do the job for him. He offers it free by download from his website.

Sonar submission tracking software is a simple way to keep track of poetry submissions, short story submissions, and magazine submissions. It works equally well for fiction writers and freelance writers. This free software helps writers organize their work so that they can see at a glance to whom all of their pieces have been sent. It eliminates downtime and increases turn-around time when the inevitable rejections arrive.

One key to getting published is to keep articles and stories under submission at all times. As soon as a rejection arrives, the work should go right back into the mail or e-mail to a new editor or publisher. Without a tracking system, it can be easy to overlook something and not realize it has been sitting in a drawer or file for some time. It’s also important to keep track of how long a written work has been under submission to an editor and when to follow up on it.

Sonar submission tracking tool takes care of all those tasks. The software is very user friendly. It is a simple program, and with a size less than 700 kilobytes, it doesn’t take up much space on the hard drive. It does automatic backups so there is less worry about losing data. It comes with a user manual under the help tab to get the database up and running quickly. The user manual is very short, because the program is so easy to use.

How to Use Sonar Submission Tracking Tool

The first step in getting started is to create a file name. Next, enter markets and publisher s’ submission guidelines. This screen includes space for editor names and any comments or other notes the writer wants to remember, such as deadlines. The publisher section includes address, telephone, web address, and other contact information. With a click of the mouse, the writer can jump to the publisher website, or print a mailing label.

The third step is to begin entering works. Each story or article is entered separately in a data entry section. There is room for a brief synopsis of the work. Once it has been entered, the author can choose a publisher to submit it to. Once submitted, the program will keep track of how long the piece has been under submission. If the response time is becoming extremely long, the writer can easily see that and drop the publisher or editor a gentle reminder and request for information.

Sonar3 Keeps Track of Different Types of Writing

Sonar3, the latest version allows the writer to have separate databases for different types of work. For example, if the author wants to keep fiction and non-fiction separate, or keep the works organized by genre, Sonar3 makes this simple.

The reports also keep track of what items have sold, to whom, and for what price. This is helpful when putting together a resume or a list of writing clips.

After using this software for several years, this author can highly recommend Sonar Submission Tracking Software. To download a free copy, visit the Spacejock software website. Many other free software applications for writers are available at the site, such as the yWriter novel writing program.