I would have to go through each file individually, making changes on one master file. When the betas were finished with comments, I would receive 4 separate files back from them.Once each reader received their file, I would then have to wait for them to finish the entire document (which could take days) before they sent it back to me to start my own edits and changes.If I were using Scrivener or Word, I would most likely have to wait until I was completely finished with my edits before I sent the completed beta-ready file to each of the 4 of those readers. I use a minimum of 4 beta readers on each novel and story I write.Here’s what the process would look like using something without online collaboration features: The level of collaboration inside Google Docs is awesome.Īs a publishing writer who uses beta readers and input from others in my editing process, Google Docs saves me weeks per projects. Okay, so if all that wasn’t enough to convince you that Google Docs is an amazing option for writing software, maybe my third reason will pull you over to my way of thinking. I just have to pull up Google Docs and start writing, anytime, anywhere, any device. I don’t have to worry about whether I have the most up-to-date file on my device. I never have to save to a jump drive or email my work to myself and then try to dig it up later. This in itself is reason enough for me to love writing in Google Docs. Even if I don’t have access to my own computer or device, I can visit a friend and as long as I have my Google password, I could sign in on her device and start writing on her computer. No matter if I’m working on my tablet, phone, PC, or my Chromebook, I can very easily access my document. ![]() All without me ever having to worry about saving the document. That means that I can write a few chapters at home on my PC, get up and run my son to the dentist, pull up my novel on my phone while I’m waiting for him to be done, write a few more paragraphs starting where I left off earlier at home. This is another biggie! Because Google Docs is a cloud-based program, you can literally access it from any device that can connect to the internet. These days, though, I’m so rarely offline that this isn’t a concern for me. At that point, it will sync with your cloud and back up what you wrote while you were offline. You can also use Google Docs when you’re offline, in which case, it will save to your current device until you connect to the internet. It’s practically impossible, and that makes using Google Docs as your primary writing software the best choice if you’re worried about losing pieces of your novel. So, unless the worst happens and Google’s servers go down entirely (in which case, it’s probably already the apocalypse, so who cares about your novel, anyway), you can’t lose your work. And it’s not just saved to your device, which might be prone to crashes or unexpected catastrophes. So if the power blinks or lightning strikes, you have everything saved automatically. Google Docs literally saves every keystroke as you make it. When I discovered the beauty of Google Docs and its constant auto-save to the cloud, I was hooked. It wasn’t easy to switch between devices with a program like Scrivener or Word (at least it wasn’t several years ago). I write on a laptop when I’m out, and I write on my PC when I’m at home. This may not be an issue if you’re always writing on the same device, but I am a multiple-device kind of person. When I was using Scrivener, I was constantly losing snippets and getting confused about which file was the most recent file. ![]() And, of course, even when you rewrite those lost chapters, you always wonder if the first round wasn’t completely brilliant in comparison, amiright? ![]() I have had files get corrupted and lost in the past, and it was the most heart breaking experience for me. I want to cry and pull my hair out just thinking about it. If you’re a fellow author, you know that one of the absolute worst things that can happen to you when you’re in the middle of a novel is losing your work.
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