Using Google Docs to collaborate on a book? Learn to use access control.
|

Using Google Docs to collaborate on a book? Learn to use access control.

Google Docs is a pain for book collaboration. That was the general sentiment in a recent discussion I had with a bunch of writers, editors, and ghostwriters. If you’re going to use Google Docs, learn about access control. That’s the key to collaborating without driving each other bonkers. The challenge writers and editors face with…

A brilliant and efficient menu and grocery shopping system built with Google Sheets

A brilliant and efficient menu and grocery shopping system built with Google Sheets

We’ve optimized the heck out of cooking and shopping at my house. The key is a simple spreadsheet that my wife Kimberley built in Google Sheets — and it uses almost no math. We’ve improved it over more than a decade, and I can’t resist showing it off. Why this works for us This system…

Collaborating on research: the value of multiple perspectives
|

Collaborating on research: the value of multiple perspectives

Two or three researchers can do better than one. Here’s how to take advantage of that. For the purposes of this post, I’m talking about Web research that informs writing, whether that’s an article, a book, a white paper, or an internal document. Even if you’re doing actual primary research, such a survey or interviews,…

The unwritten rules of collaborative courtesy
|

The unwritten rules of collaborative courtesy

Collaboration on writing is hard enough. It can work only when there is a shared understanding of process and assumptions. Some rules and conventions regarding writing collaboration seem obvious to me — so obvious that I never mention them, because an experienced writer would find it insulting. Then a perfectly well-meaning collaborator will break such…

Don’t let version confusion destroy your writing process
| |

Don’t let version confusion destroy your writing process

The most fundamental principle in writing is actually . . . version control? It’s an unwritten rule. Like changing your underwear every day. And if you violate it, you are a barbarian. This is the least sexy writing advice ever. But if you and your collaborators don’t share a common understanding of version control, you’re…

Writing a book with Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Drive

Writing a book with Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Drive

I’ve been working on a collaborative book project with two other authors. On this project, I’m the principal writer; they are my clients. Here are a few things I learned about the superiority of Google Docs and Google Sheets for collaborative authoring. Using Google Drive for shared access to research My collaborators and I work…

Writing for them, us, or me: The challenges of contract, collaborative, and self-directed writers.

Writing for them, us, or me: The challenges of contract, collaborative, and self-directed writers.

Versatile writers can end up writing for clients and bosses, for colleagues and collaborators, or just for themselves. Here’s what I’ve learned from writing in all these different modes: Writing for “them” The nonfiction pieces you write in business settings must satisfy somebody else: a boss, an editor, or a client. When writing for “them”:…