If you’ve used Google Docs for college or writing weblog posts, you are aware of it’s versatile, intuitive, and unfastened to apply.
So, whilst it can now not be the first phrase-processing device you believe you studied of for writing books, there are lots of motives why it need to be one among your top 3.
After searching through this publish, it might even grow to be your primary option.
This guide will get you from blank page (or weblog put up) to finished e-book, with simple step-via-step commands and screenshots that display you precisely what to do. Is Google Docs a Good Place to Write a Book?
The brief solution: Yes. It may be — if you recognise the way to use it.
If you’re asking, “Why use Google Docs when there’s Microsoft Word, Scrivener, and many others.?” consider the following perks of using Google’s cloud-based totally phrase processing software:
- Cloud-primarily based way you can get entry to it on all net-ready gadgets, using the app.
- Google makes collaboration clean with the “Share” feature.
- Draftback saves each trade you are making and may report and replay your paintings.
- Voice Typing helps you to write your book using your voice as opposed to your palms.
- You can convert your book to a Word record down load for formatting, and so on.
- You also can down load your ebook as a PDF to share it with beta readers.
- It’s FREE to use — no up-front fee and no want for an annual subscription.
As you’ll see in the steps that observe, Google Docs has all of the tools you want to create, layout, and self-edit your manuscript. From there, it’s only a count number of downloading it within the form you want for expert editing, interior ebook layout, and guide. How to Write a Book in Google Docs: 9 Easy Steps
Writing a ebook in Google Docs will take longer than writing a blog post — mainly because it includes a LOT greater writing and some tricks you can yet be unaware of. We’ll begin with a titled define on your e book in a Google Doc (the use of a numbered listing) and pass from there. Step Google Docs Book Template 1: Break Up Your Outline
To insert page breaks, position your cursor where you need the damage and either visit the “Insert” menu and choose “Break” after which “Page Break,” or hit Ctrl+Enter.
Continue breaking apart your define with web page breaks till you have a separate page for each of your chapters and on your e-book’s name (i.e., your identify web page).
Knowing a way to use web page breaks will are available available while it’s time to feature different pages on the front and back of your ebook. Step 2: Set and Update Your Styles
Now that you’ve got the beginnings of your ebook template, it’s time to set the patterns for your ebook’s name, bankruptcy headings, and frame text.
Start with the Chapter 1 page, pick the title, and pick out the “Heading 1” style from the fashion menu. Once you observe the H1 fashion, you may then alter the text to make it appearance just the way you want.
Center your bankruptcy title the usage of the alignment tool at the toolbar.
Then pick out your fonts, font length, and line-spacing for the Heading 1 (H1) fashion, that you’ll use for Chapter titles and different web page titles in your e book.
Once you’ve got your heading searching the manner you need it, select the text and move lower back to the fashion menu to replace the Heading 1 Style with your new formatting.
Do the equal for each of your subheadings (subtopics), this time applying the Heading 2 or Heading three fashion. Once you’ve set the font, size, and spacing, pass again to the fashion menu and replace your chosen heading fashion.
Choose from left, proper, center, or justified alignment for body text and headlines via selecting the textual content, going to the top ribbon menu, and selecting the alignment you need.
If your chosen alignment isn’t the default for frame textual content, you may move into the fashion menu and replace the style for “Normal Text” (or for the unique heading fashion you want to exchange).
As for margins (top, backside, left, and proper), Google Docs units those at one inch (1”) all round with the aid of default, but you may trade that in the Page Setup (below the File menu).
You also can change the page length, although Google Docs doesn’t offer custom sizing.
If none of the sizes offered are what you have got in thoughts to your e-book, select the one that comes closest. You can always alternate the web page size (in Word) after downloading your ebook as a Word document. Step 3: Add Supporting Body Text
Now that your subheadings are in region and properly formatted (with fonts, sizes, and line-spacing), you have writing activates on each page to get your thoughts running and the phrases flowing.
This step will take the most time, except you have already got your content material geared up to copy (say, from your own weblog posts) and paste into your record. Step 4: Insert Images and Other Visuals
First element you’ll want to do is position your cursor in which you need your inserted visible to appear. Then visit the “Insert” menu, pick out “Image” after which “Upload from Computer,” when you have the visible stored in your power, or discover your photograph with an internet seek or by means of getting access to Google Drive or Google Photos. You can even use your device’s digicam.
Note: Only photographs which are categorised for business reuse and amendment will appear inside the photograph seek outcomes.
Once you insert your preferred visuals, you could use the photo gear to resize each one. Each visual’s alignment relies upon on the location of your cursor, but you can change that by means of choosing it and using the alignment device. Step five: Create Front and Back Matter Pages
The very first web page of your report must have your book name. Add your subheading (when you have one) and your writer name to that, middle the whole, and adjust your fonts, font-sizes, and spacing to create your identify web page.
After that comes your copyright web page, so that you can use a smaller model of your everyday frame textual content — focused and close to the bottom of your page.
Add an Introduction (normal for a nonfiction e book) with the aid of positioning your cursor at the start of your Chapter 1 heading, hitting Ctrl-Enter (or going to the “Insert” menu after which to “Break→ Page Break”) to add a page before it.
Go to the pinnacle of this new page and upload the word “Introduction.” Then choose it and follow the Heading 1 style to it, so its formatting will fit that of the Chapter titles.
After a carriage go back, upload the textual content in your Introduction.
The stop pages of your book will probably encompass the following:
- Conclusion (wrapping things up)
- “Thank you” web page (with a assessment request)
- About the Author web page
- Other Books by using Author page (optionally available)
- Appendices, Index, and/or Glossary (non-compulsory)
Go to the give up of your e book and upload a new web page with the aid of putting a page smash. Then title your new web page as “Conclusion,” “Now that you’re finished…(or “Thank you”),” “About the Author,” etc. Select your web page titles and follow the Heading 1 style to every of them. Step 6: Insert a Table of Contents
Once you’ve written the body of your e-book — with all your bankruptcy titles and subheadings in region, in addition to all of your other pages — it’s time to create a Table of Contents (TOC).
Between your copyright page and the primary web page of Chapter One, insert a wreck for a brand new page with the words “Table of Contents” (or “Contents”) set in Heading 1 style on the top.
Once your web page identify is ready, visit the “Insert” menu again and scroll right down to the lowest to discover “Table of Contents.” From there, you’ll pick out the second of alternatives — the hyperlinked TOC, without numbers (for an eBook). Step 7: Download Your Book
While you can definitely percentage your completed e-book with an editor using the “Share” feature and sending it to their electronic mail cope with, if they prefer operating with Word documents, you may download your e-book in Word layout.
You can also down load your finished ebook as a PDF to share with beta readers or to add on your writer’s website. Simply choose PDF from the down load options and click on on the download to open it for your browser. Step eight: Make a Print Copy
Go into the “File” menu and “Make a duplicate” of your report. Title this new reproduction as your “Print Edition.” Step nine: Add Page Numbers and Modify your TOC.
Make a replica of your finished eBook and rename it as your “Print” replica. Now, you can upload page numbers and adjust your Table of Contents to encompass them.
Make certain you place your starting quantity at zero (0) in case you’re skipping the first page (name web page) and you want the primary performing page variety to be one (1).
To make your page numbers seem in opposite corners for a two-web page spread, go to Headers & Footers inside the “Format” menu and make certain there’s a take a look at-mark within the “Different atypical and even” option (as well as the “Different first web page”).
