Honeyed Words Author Tracker Feature Guide

Empowering authors with data-driven writing insights.

🚀 Welcome to Your Writing Command Center

The Honeyed Words Author Tracker is a professional Google Docs add-on designed to bridge the gap between creative flow and productivity metrics. Whether you are drafting a novella or an epic series, we help you keep your momentum visible.

🔑Key Capabilities

  • Session Tracking: Seamlessly log start/end word counts and duration.

  • Centralized Logs: All data is synced to your personal Google Sheets "Tracker Spreadsheet."

  • Live Monitoring: View real-time WPH (Words Per Hour) and daily progress in your sidebar.

  • Advanced Analytics: Visualize your 14-day trends and session history (Pro).

  • Custom Aesthetics: Personalize your workspace with curated themes.

🛠️ Quick Start Guide

Get up and running in under 60 seconds:

  1. Open your manuscript in Google Docs.

  2. Navigate to Extensions > Honeyed Words Author Tracker.

  3. Click ✨ Activate My Theme to initialize permissions.

  4. Select 🚀 Start / End Tracking to begin your session.

  5. Write. When finished, click End Tracking to log your progress.

📖 Core Concepts & Setup

1. The Ecosystem

  • The Google Doc: Acts as your live manuscript. The add-on reads text here to calculate real-time progress.

  • The Tracker Spreadsheet: Your permanent ledger. Each book (Document) automatically receives its own tab within this Sheet.

  • Active Tracking: Data is only logged during "Active Sessions" to ensure your analytics remain clean and intentional.

2. Installation & Permissions

To function effectively, the add-on requires standard Google Workspace authorizations to:

  • Read document text (for word counting).

  • Display sidebars and menus.

  • Write to your designated Google Sheet.

  • Connect to external services (for Pro subscription verification).

🖥️ Feature Deep-Dive

The Monitor Tab

Your real-time dashboard for immediate feedback.

  • Words Today: Progress logged in the current calendar day.

  • Total Words in Doc: The complete count of your current manuscript.

  • Avg. Words / Hour: Your efficiency rating across all completed sessions.

  • Total Time on Book: Cumulative hours invested in this project.

The Analytics Tab (Pro)

  • Book Goal Progress: An animated visualizer comparing current word count against your manuscript goal.

  • 14-Day Trend: A line chart showing your daily output fluctuations.

  • Session Stack: A 7-day bar chart breaking down individual sessions per day.

Personalization (Themes)

We believe your writing environment should inspire you. Themes adjust sidebar colors, icons, and highlight accents across the entire UI.

⚙️ Settings & Management

Customize your writing environment to fit your workflow. These options can be found in the Settings Tab within the sidebar.

  • 👤 Author Profile Personalize the interface by setting your Author Name, which is used for personalized greetings and internal UI labels.

  • 🔔 Smart Reminders Stay focused with optional nudges. Toggle reminders on or off and set a custom interval between 1 and 60 minutes to keep your hands on the keys.

  • 🎯 Goal Setting Establish both Daily Word Count Goals and Total Manuscript Goals. These feed directly into your progress bars and the Analytics dashboard.

  • 🎨 Visual Themes Select a theme that matches your aesthetic. Themes update colors, icons, and highlights across the sidebar and menus in real-time.

  • 🔗 Spreadsheet Integration View your currently linked "Tracker Spreadsheet." If you need to switch logs or start a new master sheet, use the Change Tracker Spreadsheet option to launch the setup wizard.

  • 🔄 Experience Controls Toggle the startup welcome message or use the Reset to Defaults button if you want to start your configuration from scratch.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Does the add-on track words automatically while I type?

Tracking is intentional. It only begins once you click "Start Tracking." This design ensures that casual edits, brainstorming, or deleting old notes don't clutter your professional writing data or skew your session averages.

Can I use one tracker spreadsheet for multiple books?

Yes. You don’t need a new spreadsheet for every project. The add-on intelligently detects the title of your Google Doc and creates a dedicated, separate tab within your linked spreadsheet for each book.

What happens if I forget to end a session?

We’ve built in a Session Recovery feature. If you close your laptop or lose internet before hitting "End Tracking," the add-on will detect the unfinished session the next time you open it. You will be prompted to:

  • Resume: Keep the timer running from where you left off.

  • Discard: Delete the unfinished log and start fresh.

How does it handle edits or deletions?

The tracker calculates progress by comparing your word count at the Start of a session to the count at the End. If you delete more words than you write during a session, the log will accurately reflect a negative word count for that specific period.

🛠️ Troubleshooting & Support

  • Analytics not loading? Ensure you have an active Pro subscription and that your Tracker Spreadsheet is properly linked in Settings.

  • Theme issues? Use the "Reset to Defaults" button in the Settings tab and re-select your preferred theme.

  • Refresh Issues? Ensure your document window remains active; add-ons require the tab to be open to poll for data.

Contact & Links