Google Docs for Writers

Google Docs for Writers:

Google Docs is a dream come true for writers. Yeah! Google Docs is making writers happy, making things simple and life easier ( user-friendly UI/UX). Google Docs is a great alternative to the old word processor, Microsoft Word. Available on Windows (through web browser) and standalone apps on Android and iOS.

This is a long in-depth article about Google Docs so grab some snacks and scroll down as you read :) and yes, this post will be updated as new features are added or removed, so keep it bookmarked!

Google Docs is Free & Cross-Platform

Google Docs is free! you don't need to buy or download and install any special software for it. No compatibility issues, no errors and no installation. It works online in Web browsers. Although it works on every browser but it's best when used on Google's own Google Chrome. And you will know that later.

Yes, it also has mobile apps available for Android and iOS.

Write Live So Everyone Can Watch

Google Docs' live writing and viewing is a great feature for collaborators. Now your readers can watch you write live. They can ask about things you write or share their ideas or you can ask about from them. This feature also makes it easy for your fans to watch you write live and give them a sneak peek into the composition.

Google Docs is an Autosaver

Google Docs is an autosaver! You don't need to press control + s all the time. Every time you start writing, it will constantly save anything you write (unless you are offline). And if you use Google Drive offline, It will still work and all saves will be saved on your computer. As soon you get back online, Google drive will sync and so do the Google Docs in it. For working offline, you need to install the Chrome extension if you’re working in Chrome, and to tick the option to “download and keep in sync” when working in the app.

It has another great feature of reverting back to an earlier version. Google saves all your sessions in different versions with a time and date stamp. The versions can also be named so if you come back and you know the name, you can easily revert back to it.

You can also make a copy of the versions which will be saved on Google Drive.

Work Distraction-Free

Google Docs can also be made distraction-free. No extra options and menus or scroll bars. Just go to view menu in the menu bar and select Full Screen. If you like, you can set the zoom level to 'Fit' which will make the document fit to the window size.

You can also get rid of the Google Chrome's address bar and tabs. Simply press F11 to enter Full-Screen Mode and if you want to exit the Full-screen mode of Google Chrome, simply press the Esc button!

Export in Many Formats

Google Docs exports in several formats including Microsoft Word, OpenDocument, RichText, PDF document, PlainText, HTML formats and EPUB also now. 

For printing or for selling your stories or books online, PDF is the best option you will go for. Createspace uses the same format if you are publishing your ebook on demand.

For Kindle, download your document as a docx file and then export as a MOBI file. For iBooks, Kobo and Nook, you can export to EPUB like the above.

So I guess that's all for now. If I missed a Google Docs feature, be sure to TWEET ME about it!

And don't forget that i will update this post often as I get to know new features. So may be Bookmarking is the best option :).