Novel Planner Spreadsheet, Writing Tracker with Word Count Goals for NaNoWriMo, Chapters and Characters, Google Sheets Excel

A novel planner spreadsheet for writers: set a word goal and a deadline, add your words after each writing session, and see the words a day you need to finish on time. For NaNoWriMo in November, a contest deadline, or your own goal.

🔗 TRY THE LIVE DEMO before you buy (view only, nothing to install): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1c34xI8Q_M2I2-Vkt2mzaBVzMyhCvWGJzAWaHJ-vsIDk/edit?gid=508717258

📊 WHAT IT DOES

✓ Daily Log: one line per writing session — the date and the words, plus minutes, chapter, and a note if you like. Two sprints in a day? Two lines.
✓ Four cards — words so far, words today, your streak, and your best day.
✓ Each line shows your total so far and how far ahead or behind your target you were that day.
✓ Progress: words written, words a day to finish, days left, and ahead or behind.
✓ A chart of your words against the target line, a chart of the last 14 days, and every day of the draft, up to 120 days.
✓ Chapters: your outline, one line per chapter, with a target and a status (Idea, Outlined, Drafting, Drafted, Revised). Pick the chapter on Daily Log, and its words come in.
✓ Characters: name, role, what they want, what stands in the way, and the chapter where they first appear.

📂 WHAT'S INSIDE: 5 TABS AND 2 CHARTS

✓ Start here: your title, word goal, start date, deadline, and words already written
✓ Daily Log: four cards and every writing session
✓ Progress: four cards, two charts, and a day-by-day table
✓ Chapters: four cards and your chapter outline
✓ Characters: three cards and your cast

📝 HOW IT WORKS

1. Open the PDF and click the link to make your own copy in Google Sheets. Or open the Excel file.
2. On Start here, type your title, word goal, start date, and deadline. For NaNoWriMo: 50,000 words, November 1 to November 30.
3. After each writing session, add a line on Daily Log: the date and the words.
4. Open Progress for the words a day you need and how far ahead or behind you are.

📥 WHAT YOU GET

✓ Google Sheets version (the link is in the PDF)
✓ Excel version (.xlsx) for desktop Excel 2016 or newer and Microsoft 365, on Windows or Mac
✓ A filled example to look around, and a blank copy for your own use
✓ A PDF guide with screenshots, the links and the first steps
✓ A video guide for this spreadsheet (the link is in the PDF)

💻 GOOD TO KNOW

✓ Works with a free Google account. No app, no ads, no subscription.
✓ The target grows evenly from your start date to your deadline. Words a day to finish is what is left, divided by the days left, today included.
✓ Fell behind? Nothing to fix. The words a day to finish goes up a little, and your streak starts again with your next session.
✓ A smaller goal is still a goal. Set 20,000 or 30,000 words if 50,000 is too much this month.
✓ Not affiliated with National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo here only names the November 50,000-word challenge.
✓ Formulas are protected, so you can't break anything by accident.
✓ Set it up on a computer in a few minutes. After that, the Google Sheets app works for a quick check on your phone.
✓ The photos show Google Sheets. The Excel file has the same tabs and formulas (the jump links between tabs are a Google Sheets feature).
✓ On a Mac? Use free Google Sheets or Excel for Mac.
✓ Free updates for life.

This is a digital download, so nothing is shipped. If anything is unclear after you buy, message me and I'll help you set it up.