Manuscript Progress by Chapter Tracker

Who this is for

The whole manuscript, chapter by chapter. Each line holds a chapter's planned length, its current word count and where it stands, so you can see which parts are done, which are thin and which are running long.

Novelists and non-fiction authors part-way through a draft or a revision, and anyone whose book has grown too large to hold in their head as a single file.

What this helps you track

• The length you planned for each chapter against what it holds now
• Which chapters are running long or short, and by how much
• Where each chapter stands, from outlined to final
• When each chapter was last worked on
• How much of the whole manuscript is written

How to use it

1. Write the title, which draft this is and the total length you are planning for at the top.
2. Give each chapter a line with its number, working title and the length you planned for it.
3. Update the current words and status whenever you finish a session on a chapter, and note the date.
4. The difference column, totals and percentage complete are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, subtract across and add down.
5. Start a fresh sheet for each new draft, so the old one shows how the book changed.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Where do the planned lengths come from?

From you. Some writers plan chapter lengths from an outline, others fill the column after a first draft to see the shape. The sheet does not suggest a chapter or book length; leave the column blank if you do not plan that way.

How is percentage complete worked out?

It is the total current words divided by the planned total you write in the header. It measures length, not quality, so a chapter at full length can still be marked drafted rather than final.

What do the statuses mean?

Outlined means planned but not written, drafted means a full version exists, revised means it has had at least one revision pass, and final means you are not planning to touch it again this draft.

Can I use it for a non-fiction book?

Yes. Use the chapter title column for section names as well, and the status column works the same. Some authors add a line for front and back matter so the whole book is counted.