Writers juggle drafts, revisions, and client communication; Everhour keeps those hours tied to projects and billing.
Enter your time in and out for each day. Overtime and gross pay are calculated automatically.
| Day | Time In | Break Start | Break End | Break | Time Out | Total |
|---|
The calculator gives you the number — Everhour takes it from there.
One click and you're timing. Start a timer, add an entry, edit the details. This is exactly how it feels in Everhour.
Set a budget, assign rates, and get alerted before you're over.
Measurement
Track your budget through time or costs
Every report you need — configured your way, always up to date.
Tracked hours flow straight into a polished invoice — no copy-paste, no manual math.
Use this page to organize writing time into records you can bill, review, and explain. A writer's week often spans research, drafting, interviews, email, editor feedback, and revisions across several assignments. In 2024, self-employed workers made up 63% of U.S. writers and authors, so many logs need to support client invoicing as much as internal productivity.
The finished record should show the client, assignment, deliverable, task, date, time spent, and a short note. That structure helps a freelancer separate a newsletter draft from a column revision or an interview from a client call. Because writing work can happen anywhere you have computer access, the record should be easy to update before details blur.
Start with the way writing work is sold. Freelance assignments may be short-term or recurring, such as columns, magazine articles, newsletters, or other client deliverables. A practical entry names the client first, then the assignment, then the deliverable. Under that deliverable, split time into tasks like research, drafting, editing, interview prep, client communication, and revision rounds.
A clean line reads: client, Client A; assignment, June newsletter; deliverable, article draft; task, revision round 1; time, 0.75 hours; note, addressed editor comments on the introduction. Another line keeps drafting under the same deliverable for 3.50 hours. The invoice then carries the work history and avoids a vague block labeled writing.
Writers lose billable clarity when they track only words on the page. Client contact is part of the job: O*NET reports that 88% of surveyed writers and authors describe contact with others as constant, and 100% use email every day. A useful log separates drafting from meetings, interviews, email, feedback review, and edits so you can see which parts of the assignment consumed the budget.
Editorial pricing adds another decision. The Editorial Freelancers Association rate chart uses per word, per hour, per page, and per project units, and labels one page as 250 words. Track hours even on per-word or flat-project work so you know whether the next quote covers the actual research, coordination, drafting, and revision effort.
A free one-off tracker is enough for a solo writer who needs this week's total by client or a quick record to attach to an invoice. It also works for a single fixed-price assignment where the goal is learning the true time cost. Export the result before you close the job so the record stays with the invoice and source documents. For U.S. self-employed writers, the IRS allows any business recordkeeping system suited to the business if it clearly shows income and expenses and supports tax return entries.
A managed workflow matters once writing hours affect recurring retainers, team review, payroll, or budget decisions. Everhour Time Tracking lets writers use timers or manual entries against tasks and projects, then feed that time into timesheets, reporting, budgeting, invoicing, and payroll review. Admin controls such as approvals, locked periods, reminders, and automatic timer stop rules add a durable record for ongoing work.
This content is for general information only, may not be fully up to date, and is provided without any warranty or liability.
High Performer
G2
Summer 2026
Best Ease Of Use
Capterra
Summer 2026
Rated in the top time trackers across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius — with consistent praise for ease of use, integrations, and support.
Track every activity tied to the client promise: research, outlining, drafting, editing, interviews, meetings, email, feedback review, and revision rounds. Keep administrative tasks separate unless the client agreement treats them as billable. Notes should name the deliverable and decision made, such as "reworked introduction after editor feedback," rather than private client details.
Yes. Per-word, per-page, and flat-project pricing still benefit from time records because the log shows the true effort behind the price. The EFA rate chart recognizes per word, per hour, per page, and per project units, with one page labeled as 250 words. Use the time record to set future quotes and spot revision-heavy work.
Create a consistent hierarchy: client, recurring assignment, deliverable, task, and date. A monthly newsletter client can have separate entries for research, article drafting, editor feedback, and revision rounds. Consistent labels make retainer review easier because you can compare drafting, communication, and edits across months without rebuilding the history from email.
One daily total hides the work that caused the time. A 6-hour day split across two clients, one interview, and three revision requests needs separate entries if you plan to bill or explain it accurately. Staff writer records can be broader, but they still need enough detail to show the project or assignment that received the time.
For employees covered by the FLSA minimum wage or overtime provisions, employer records must include hours worked each workday and total hours worked each workweek. The federal baseline does not mandate a particular complete and accurate timekeeping method. Unless exempt, covered employees receive overtime for hours worked over 40 in a fixed 168-hour workweek at not less than 1.5 times the regular rate.
Everhour Time Tracking lets a writer start a timer while drafting or add manual time after an interview, then attach the entry to a task or project. The same tracked time can feed timesheets, reporting, budgeting, invoicing, and payroll review, with approvals, locked periods, reminders, and automatic timer stop rules for managed teams.
Everhour Reporting turns logged time and project data into configurable reports with columns such as client, project, member, task, comments, billable time, labor costs, and invoice status. Reports can be downloaded as CSV, Excel/XLSX, or PDF for client review, spreadsheet analysis, or archive needs.
Use Everhour Time Tracking to log drafting, research, and revision time by task, then route entries into timesheets and invoices without rebuilding the week from scattered notes.
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