Using Google Docs only requires a Google Account, a web browser, and an Internet connection to work. My favorite part about Google Docs is that it’s entirely free. I touched on a few of these above, but rather than attempt to reinvent the wheel, I suggest reading this excellent post from HubSpot highlighting a few lesser known Google Doc features. In terms of the first steps-word processing, copyediting, and beginning the content editing process-Google Docs is unparalleled. Which, as I’ve mentioned, is the point here. Google Docs has a great distraction-free writing mode too (called ‘Full Screen’) that minimizes the toolbar and allows you to just focus on the writing. Adding notes, editing, hyperlinking, typing minutes from the meeting. Many times three or four people will all be in the same doc at once. Internally we use Google Docs for notes and the like. The slightly weaker editing tools are balanced by the ease of sharing and real-time editing.Īnd that’s not even touching on how amazing Google Docs are for collaborating. But once they’re in the Doc, they can switch to ‘Suggesting’ mode to make their edits require your final approval.Īnd with the revision history, you’ll lose no content after editing. As I mentioned, you can give users ‘editing’ permissions. Once shared, anyone with the link can hop into the Doc and view, comment, or edit based on the access you provide. Google Docs offers simpler sharing options: Alongside commenting and suggestions-meaning you can decide whether or not to integrate changes as they are made just like Word’s track changes feature. Docs include inline editing that shows who made the edits. Once you’ve got that draft ready, Google Docs gets even better. I’m not opposed to just jotting down notes with pen and paper, but sometimes I think of just the right way to phrase a thought or I realize I need to remember to expand on a point-then I just open the Docs App on my phone and make a note or add that sentence. I’ll say it again: this is a tool for writing, not designing your book.Īlong with the constant saving, being web-based means you can work from anywhere with Internet access. You’ll need to adjust the margins to allow for your gutter while laying out your file, which might add a page or two to the overall book size, depending on how long your book is.īut the lack of some formatting options shouldn’t deter you. There is one key option that Google Docs doesn’t offer: Gutter Margins. You’ve also got justification, fonts, bullets everything you expect from a word processor. Controls for page size, margins, and paragraph styling are all there. ![]() The toolbar should remind you of the MS Word Home ribbon because they’re almost identical. You have the Heading and Style control you’d expect from MS Word, though not quite as much fine-tuning layout control. Google Docs has the features you’d expect, and a deep font library that allows you to add needed fonts. Okay, let’s start with the most basic needs you have. And why, if you haven’t already, you should consider Google Docs as your writing solution. Anything that can output a PDF ready for printing.īut that’s not what we’re about today. Use Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher, or something similar. ![]() It is not designed for laying out your book. ![]() Let’s be clear here-Google Docs is a writing, drafting, and editing tool only. Google Docs is clean, easy to use, powerful, and versatile.Īll joking aside, Google Docs really is a tremendous boon for writers. For all of your text editing needs, Google Docs is positioned to be superior to even the old standard, Microsoft Word. We’re at a point now where Google Docs, their browser-based word processor is one of, if not the best ways to write your content. Google’s suite of Office software has been growing and improving over the last few years.
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