Processors like Microsoft Word aren't necessarily helpful for creating the next great American novel. Despite Microsoft's novel templates, organization can get confusing, and a Google search for "Microsoft Word and novel writing" results in thousands upon thousands of articles on how to lifehack the templates and tools and DIY how-to sheets that are supposed to make things easier.
And even though there are word processors like Scrivener that exist specifically for novelists to use, they still cost money - and considering that writing fiction doesn't make much bank unless you're J.K. Rowling or you somehow nab a MacArthur Genius grant, chances are you'd rather pinch your pennies than ... not.
Now, it seems that Google is getting in on the novel game by introducing a tool that makes editing a 55,000 word manuscript - the typical length of a novel - a lot less hectic.
Essentially, the outline tool uses headers to break up a word doc and make it more navigation-friendly in the form of a pane on one side of the page. By clicking on a header in the pane, you can jump to that part of the text without having to spend half the time scrolling up and down to locate it. As per Google, it "intelligently [detect]s the logical divisions within your work," which users can use to "edit or remove these headers as necessary."
The tool is also available in a mobile version.
Here's Google's official description of the new template features:
It can be difficult, not to mention time-consuming, to navigate lengthy, complex documents. To make that process easier, today we're launching an outline tool in Google Docs on the web and Android. Displayed in a pane to the left of the page, this outline features headers for each section of your document, making it simple to quickly jump from section to section. If you haven't manually applied headers, no worries-we'll do it for you, intelligently detecting the logical divisions within your work. You can then edit or remove these headers as necessary.
The new tool will roll out over the next few days, and should be completely available for use on your phone, iPad, tablet, and/or computer by Friday, March 11. And for all you future Melvilles, Neale Hurstons, and Baldwins out there - good luck.
Source: Google Apps Udpates
Photo: Germán Poo-Caamaño | Flickr
