QQT – A Writer’s Best Friend

by Susan Lynn Perry

Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. Freelance writing is an exciting business, but there are so many dates, tasks, and deadlines to remember, it’s hard to keep track. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a way to manage the constant flow of queries, articles, payments and promises that goes along with being a successful professional freelancer?

Quick Query Tracker – to the rescue! Gary McLaren, founder of Worldwide Freelance Writer, has designed a software program to handle all this and much more. Quick Query Tracker (QQT) is a software program for writers, designed and developed by someone who knows the needs of freelance writers very well.

It doesn’t get much better than this, folks. McLaren has taken all of the issues dear to freelance writers, and designed an application specifically to meet those needs. Try to find another software package that does the same thing, and you’ll most likely find
something a lot more complicated to use, and considerably more expensive.

What you’ll get with QQT is a very clean and simple product that will track all of your markets, queries, article lengths, payment status, and assigned rights. Think about that for a second. Using this program will leave you, the writer, to focus on the most important thing – your writing.

Both the demo and the full version of the software are very easy to use. There are three different views for ‘Markets & Query Entry’, ‘Tracking & Editing’, and ‘Reporting’. These are notated on the left side of the screen by three tabs. Click on a tab and it will take you to that particular view. At any point when you try to save or submit, you will be notified by a pop-up window if you’ve skipped any essential information. It’s as if Gary is right there beside you, walking you through the software step by step.

QQT takes all of the guesswork out of the status of your submissions, too. No more wondering about when you should follow up with an editor. With QQT, you’ll get a friendly pop-up reminder when the selected follow-up date comes around. There’s nothing better than receiving a gentle nudge to make that follow-up phone call, so you can land that important writing assignment.

Another great feature you’re sure to enjoy is the reporting capability. Do you need to know how many articles you submitted last year? Not a problem; QQT can do that. What about a list of payments outstanding as of today? QQT can do that too. And how about a summary of queries submitted in the last three months? Once again, QQT has you covered.

I could tell you more about the reporting and other features you’ll get with Quick Query Tracker, but I think you should take a look for yourself instead. Before you invest in any type of software, you should get a chance to see the product and work with it first. That way you can make sure you’ll be getting what you pay for – before you pay for it.

If you’re ready to see what QQT can do for you, just log on to http://www.quickquerytracker.com . The demo will allow you to see the general functionality of the program. You’ll be able to enter information on new markets, queries and submissions, along with contact information for your editors.

In the free demo version, you’ll notice that you’re limited to a total of seven markets and queries, and the demo will run for 21 days. This should be enough time to get a good feel for QQT and to decide if you like it.

When you are ready to upgrade from the demo to the full version, you’ll be led to a secure site for the transaction. After you’ve paid, you’ll receive an “unlock” code that will unlock the demo into a fully functional copy of the software. No more downloading or installing is necessary. It just doesn’t get much easier than that!

In case you’re thinking, “Well, that’s great and all, but what about after I buy the software? What about support after the sale?” Not to worry! Once again, Gary McLaren has made it almost effortless for you.

First, there are the Help screens. The help screens explain each part of the software in easy-to-understand language. My recommendation is for you to read through the instructions before you start entering data. If you do that, you should have a pretty easy go of it.

Second, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are available on the web site. If you still have questions after going through the help screens and reviewing the FAQ page, you can get technical support via email.

So, I guess by now you’re wondering about the price, right? You’re gonna like this one – especially if you have a rather tight budget like most of us writers. The cost of Quick Query Tracker is only $49.95. Yup, for less than fifty big ones you can have an easy process in place to help you keep track of the often overwhelming details of your business.

As a freelance writer, you have a lot of demands on your time. You deserve to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re on top of every opportunity that comes your way. With Quick Query Tracker, you’ll finally have the help and assistance you need, and all at a very reasonable price. QQT really is a writer’s best friend.



About the Author

Susan Perry is a freelance writer and has authored numerous articles, short stories and books on both fiction and non-fiction subjects. You can reach Ms. Perry through her website: http://www.susan-lynn.com


© Copyright 2004 Susan L. Perry.

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