4 Methods to Keep Track of Your Writing Projects
Original Article Published June 2023
Here's something nobody tells you when you decide to write a nonfiction book: writing the book is only part of the job.
Before you type the first word, you're making decisions about structure, audience, and positioning. While you're drafting, you're coordinating with beta readers, researching editors, and thinking about your publication timeline. After the manuscript is done, you're managing designers, formatters, marketing, and launch logistics. And if you're self-publishing, you're doing all of this without a publisher's infrastructure behind you.
That's not a writing project. That's a publishing project — and it deserves to be managed like one.
Okay, bear with me here, because I'm about to go full corporate on you for a second, and I need you to trust me. I am not about to sell you a morning routine or a yellow-tinted sunglasses lifestyle. But I did spend years in corporate project management and process improvement — in software and in healthcare, before I built Sage House Editorial — and I can tell you with confidence: the authors who finish their books and get them into the world are almost never the ones with the most talent or the most free time. They're the ones with the best systems.
Let's build you one.
What is project management for writers?
Project management is simply the practice of breaking a large, complex goal into smaller, sequenced tasks and then tracking your progress toward completing them. In corporate settings, it involves dedicated software, cross-functional teams, and formal reporting structures. For authors, it can be as simple as a physical board with sticky notes or as sophisticated as a fully built-out digital workspace.
The goal is the same either way: to take something overwhelming and make it manageable. To replace the vague anxiety of "I need to write a book" with a clear picture of what needs to happen next, in what order, and by when.
It's also worth drawing a distinction that most project management articles skip entirely.
Methodology first, tools second.
Before you open ClickUp, Notion, Trello, Asana, or any other project management software, you need to choose a methodology or a framework for how you'll organize and execute your project. The tool is just the container. The methodology is the system that makes the container useful.
Jumping into a project management tool without a clear methodology in place is one of the most common productivity mistakes I see. You end up spending more time building and rebuilding your system than actually working inside it. Shiny new software will not save you from a lack of organizational framework.
Choose your methodology first. Then select a tool that supports it. That order matters.
The full scope of a book project
Before you can choose a methodology, it helps to have a realistic picture of everything a book project actually involves. Most authors dramatically underestimate the scope — and that underestimation is one of the main reasons books don't get finished.
Here's a partial list of what you're actually managing: concept development and idea refinement, audience research, structural planning, outlining, drafting, self-editing, beta readers, hiring a developmental editor, revisions, hiring a copyeditor, more revisions, proofreading, cover design, interior formatting, ISBN and copyright registration, distribution setup, launch planning, and post-publication marketing.
Whew.
Writing the draft is one phase of a multi-phase project. Project management doesn't make the project smaller — it makes it navigable. [link to "How to hire a book editor"]
4 project management methodologies for authors
There are dozens of project management frameworks in the corporate world. For book projects, four are worth knowing, and two of them are particularly well-suited to how authors actually work.
1. Waterfall
Waterfall is a linear, sequential methodology: you complete each phase fully before moving to the next. Phase one is done before phase two begins. Phase two is done before phase three begins. And so on.
For certain book projects, this works beautifully. If you're working with a clearly defined structure, a firm publication deadline, and a team of collaborators (editor, designer, formatter) who each have specific handoff points, Waterfall gives you a clean roadmap and clear accountability at every stage.
The limitation: Waterfall assumes each phase is complete before the next begins, which doesn't always reflect the reality of writing. Books evolve. Chapters get restructured. New ideas surface mid-draft. If your project has a lot of flux, a more flexible methodology will serve you better.
Best for: Authors with a defined structure, a fixed deadline, and a clear publication team in place.
2. Agile
Agile is an iterative, flexible methodology that emphasizes adaptability and continuous improvement. Rather than completing a phase and moving on, Agile works in cycles. You draft, get feedback, revise, and improve in repeating loops.
For book writing, this looks like working on chapters or sections, sending them to a writing coach or editor for feedback, incorporating that feedback, and continuing to iterate as you go. Rather than waiting until the full manuscript is done to get any outside input, Agile builds feedback into the process throughout.
This approach aligns well with the reality of nonfiction writing, where your argument develops as you write and your structure often reveals itself in the drafting rather than the outlining. [link to "What does a book editor actually do?"]
Best for: Authors working with a writing coach or developmental editor throughout the process, or anyone whose structure is still emerging as they write.
3. Scrum
Scrum is a subset of Agile built around short, focused work cycles called sprints — typically one to four weeks — with defined goals and regular check-ins. At the end of each sprint, you assess what was accomplished, what's next, and what's blocking progress.
For authors working with a small team (an editor, a designer, a virtual assistant, a writing accountability partner), Scrum gives that collaboration a rhythm and a structure. Weekly or biweekly "scrums" keep everyone aligned and surface obstacles before they become derailments.
If you're a solo author without a team, a modified version of Scrum works well as a self-accountability system: define what you're accomplishing this week, check in with yourself at the end of it, and set the next sprint's goals based on where you actually landed.
Best for: Authors working with a small publishing team, or solo authors who want a structured self-accountability rhythm.
4. Kanban
Kanban is a visual methodology built around a board with columns representing the stages of your workflow, and cards representing individual tasks that move across the board as they progress. The classic columns are To Do, In Progress, and Done, but you can build whatever column structure reflects your actual process.
For a book project, your Kanban board might look like: Outline → Drafting → Revision → With Editor → Final Review → Done. Each chapter or section is a card. You can see at a glance where every piece of the project stands, what's moving, and what's stalled.
Kanban is also the most accessible entry point into project management because you don't need software to use it. A whiteboard with sticky notes works perfectly. It's visual, intuitive, and endlessly customizable, which makes it ideal for authors who are new to formal project management and want to start without a steep learning curve.
Best for: Authors who are new to project management, anyone who thinks visually, and solo authors who want a simple, low-maintenance system.
Which methodology should you choose?
If you're implementing project management for the first time, start with Kanban. It's the most forgiving, the most flexible, and the easiest to maintain. You don't need to invest in software. You don't need to spend hours configuring a system before you can use it. You just need to define your workflow stages and start moving tasks through them.
If you're ready for more structure and you're working with collaborators — a writing coach, an editor, a design team — Agile or Scrum might serve you better. The built-in feedback loops and iterative cycles are particularly well-suited to how nonfiction books actually develop.
And if you're a hybrid thinker who wants the best of both worlds, combining methodologies is completely valid. Many authors use a Kanban board for high-level project tracking while running Agile cycles within each phase. There's no methodology police. Build the system that works for your project, your brain, and your life.
How to implement your project management system
Once you've chosen a methodology, here's how to get started:
Map the full scope of your project. List every task you can think of — from concept to launch. Don't worry about order yet. Just get everything out of your head and onto paper or a screen.
Sequence and group your tasks. Identify dependencies (what has to happen before what), tasks that can run in parallel, and natural phases or milestones. This is where the overwhelm starts to dissolve into something manageable.
Set realistic timelines. Work backward from your target publication date or a key milestone, and assign timeframes to each phase. Build in buffer — publishing projects almost always take longer than estimated, and a realistic timeline is infinitely better than a fantasy one. [link to "Stop trying to write a book in 30 days"]
Identify your collaborators. Who do you need and when? An editor, a designer, a formatter, a proofreader? Get these people on your radar early — good editorial professionals book out months in advance. [link to "How to hire a book editor"]
Choose your tool and build your system. Now — and only now — open the software. Set up your board, your columns, your tasks. Keep it as simple as possible to start. You can always add complexity as you need it.
Commit to maintaining it. A project management system you don't update is worse than no system at all, because it gives you a false picture of where things stand. Build a weekly habit of reviewing and updating your board. Even ten minutes a week is enough to keep it useful.
The real reason project management matters for authors
Yes, project management will help with efficiency, but it’s about finishing.
Most books don't fail because the author isn't talented enough or doesn't have enough to say. They fail because the project becomes overwhelming, the author loses the thread, and the manuscript lives in a drawer indefinitely.
A good project management system solves the momentum problem. It gives you a clear answer to the question "what do I do next?" every single time you sit down to work.
If you're at the stage where you know you want to write a book but you're not sure what the book is yet (or you have material but can't figure out how to structure it), that's exactly the kind of problem the Book Mapping Intensive is designed to solve. Before you can build a project plan, you need a book blueprint: a clear argument, a defined reader, and a chapter structure you can actually write from. [link to Book Mapping Intensive services page]
FAQ
What is project management for writers? Project management for writers is the practice of breaking a book or writing project into defined tasks, sequencing them logically, and tracking progress toward completion. It replaces the vague overwhelm of "I need to write a book" with a clear picture of what needs to happen next, in what order, and by when. For authors especially, project management is essential because writing the manuscript is only one phase of a much larger publishing project.
What is the best project management method for authors? For authors new to project management, Kanban is the most accessible starting point — it's visual, flexible, and doesn't require any special software to implement. For authors working with collaborators or who benefit from iterative feedback cycles, Agile is particularly well-suited to how nonfiction books develop. The best methodology is ultimately the one you'll actually maintain.
What's the difference between a project management methodology and a project management tool? A methodology is a framework for how you organize and execute your project — Kanban, Agile, Scrum, Waterfall. A tool is the software or system you use to implement that methodology — ClickUp, Notion, Trello, or even a physical whiteboard. Choose your methodology first, then select a tool that supports it. Doing it in the other order is one of the most common productivity mistakes writers make.
Do I need project management software to organize my book? No. Kanban, one of the most effective methodologies for book projects, can be implemented with nothing more than a whiteboard and sticky notes. Software can add useful features — task dependencies, deadline tracking, collaboration tools — but it's not a prerequisite. Start simple and add complexity only if you find you need it.
How do I know when to start building my project management system? As early as possible — ideally before you start drafting. The earlier you map the full scope of your project, the better equipped you are to make realistic timeline decisions, identify the collaborators you need, and avoid the last-minute scramble that derails so many book projects. If you haven't started yet, now is the right time.
What should a book project management plan include? At minimum: a full task list covering every phase from concept to launch, a sequenced timeline with realistic milestones, a list of collaborators and when you'll need them, and a method for tracking progress. The more complete your project plan before you start drafting, the fewer surprises you'll encounter along the way.
