Airtable Opinions?

[DRFerron]

I did a search for "submission tracker" and various forms and didn't find much in the forums. I did come across a post by @Paul Whybrow who said that he was just getting Airtable set up at the time. I'm wondering if you worked with it since then? That post was a year or so ago. Does anyone else here use it and can you tell me some of the negatives you've discovered?

I'm having a light day at the jobby job so I thought I'd play around with it. I like that Airtable integrates with my Things app, which I use a lot. Together they may make my life more organized. So far I've decided on a few "bases" that I copied from templates and started tweaking:

Projects
Submissions (includes agent and publications)
Novel Planning
Digital Content Calendar
Series Bible
Story and Character Development (Might be too similar to "Novel Planning," I'm not sure yet)

Probably enough for now.

I am a heavy user of Scrivener but it isn't a database and I need to have some semblance of organization. I'll end up fine tuning Airtable I'm sure as it's still early.

And yes. I can use Excel. But it isn't as colorful or fun and makes me think of work.

 

[Susan]

I use The Writer’s Database. It’s a straightforward submissions tracker though.

 

[KateESal]

How does the Series Bible element work, out of interest @DRFerron ?

 

[DRFerron]

The template's sample entries uses the Harry Potter series for example entries. It's a way to track characters and events over a series of books. I can track whatever I want but the sample columns include Name, Nicknames, Event, DOB, DOD, Siblings, Children, Partners, POV Chapters, First Mention, and other columns related specifically to the HP series like School, Wand, Spells, etc. Then you connect each to whichever book in the series is relevant.

It's something that I need to do so the same person doesn't die twice or whatever, but this gives me a starting point. I can filter to see how many times something happened, when, and where.

How does the Series Bible element work, out of interest @DRFerron ?

 

[E G Logan]

The template's sample entries uses the Harry Potter series for example entries. It's a way to track characters and events over a series of books. I can track whatever I want but the sample columns include Name, Nicknames, Event, DOB, DOD, Siblings, Children, Partners, POV Chapters, First Mention, and other columns related specifically to the HP series like School, Wand, Spells, etc. Then you connect each to whichever book in the series is relevant.

It's something that I need to do so the same person doesn't die twice or whatever, but this gives me a starting point. I can filter to see how many times something happened, when, and where.

OK. So a continuity check?

 

[DRFerron]

OK. So a continuity check?

Yes.

 

[RK Wallis]

I love Excel precisely because it does remind me of work, lol. I miss working!

 

[KateESal]

The template's sample entries uses the Harry Potter series for example entries. It's a way to track characters and events over a series of books. I can track whatever I want but the sample columns include Name, Nicknames, Event, DOB, DOD, Siblings, Children, Partners, POV Chapters, First Mention, and other columns related specifically to the HP series like School, Wand, Spells, etc. Then you connect each to whichever book in the series is relevant.

It's something that I need to do so the same person doesn't die twice or whatever, but this gives me a starting point. I can filter to see how many times something happened, when, and where.

As another series-writer, that sounds very helpful.
Someone should tell Rick Riordan, my daughter keeps spotting inconsistencies in his various demigods series. Or maybe he should get my daughter to read his proofs.

 

[E G Logan]

Yes.

A very good idea. Relying on myself and my First Readers doesn't always do it. Not the first time anyway.

 

[AliG]

Airtable

Just signed up for the free package to see if I like it. Looks better than my simplistic tracker but a bit of a time soak setting it up.
I'll report back

 

[DRFerron]

Airtable

Just signed up for the free package to see if I like it. Looks better than my simplistic tracker but a bit of a time soak setting it up.
I'll report back

It kind of was a time suck, but in a good way for me. I thought about how to set up a system for all my research notes and ended up with a few new story ideas.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

I should give Airtable another try, as I got distracted by story writing before. Sometimes, being a writer feels like being a plate spinner, trying to keep all the different elements in motion—writing, editing, blogging, social media posting, querying agents, researching publishing and reading novels—ignoring the crashes as crockery breaks!