Top 6 Google Doc Tricks That Will Make Writing Easier

Top 6 Google Docs Tricks That Will Make Writing Easier

Use Google Docs like a pro by following these handy tips and tricks!

All writers out there must understand the plight of delivering presentable content every single time while strictly adhering to the deadline. Anything that can help make the process easier is welcomed with open arms. This is exactly why it must come as no shock that Google Docs has been able to set itself apart from other word-processing software out there and amass a user base of 25 million people across the world. 

The software allows for real-time collaboration; it gives you access to your documents from anywhere in the world and auto-saves any changes made to them. But this only scratches the surface of what the software is capable of. If you use Google Docs for your writing process, you are in luck! Here are some tips and tricks that you need to try out. 

Type and edit without lifting a finger

Speaking strictly from experience here: sometimes writers tend to think faster than they write, and this leads to a situation where you end up omitting or misspelling words. You can eliminate this problem by using the voice typing function under “Tools” in the toolbar. The only other thing you need to voice type is a microphone. You can also use the voice typing feature to edit text, such as “select XYZ” and “delete” if you want to delete a specific part of the text. 

Google does a pretty decent job of recognizing most of the words you speak, but it can end up making some mistakes that would have to be fixed when you proofread your work. 

Customize shortcuts

While most people would be aware of typical shortcuts (like control +b for bold or control+ i for italics), you can also create your own shortcuts inside Google Docs. You can do so by going to “Tools” in the toolbar and clicking on preferences. Here, you need to click on “substitutions”. You will then see a table like this—

Customize shortcuts

Now, you will need to add items to the two columns. For instance, you can add “ii” to the “Replace” column and ï to the with a column to easily write the French word naïve. 

Hyperlink to websites

Hyperlink to websites

 Google Docs allows you to hyperlink to websites within the document. All you have to do is select the word or sentence fragment to which you want to add the link and then click on the insert link icon on the toolbar at the top of the document. The insert link tool allows you to paste your own links and search for websites to link back to. 

Move around text with ease

Picture this: you write a whole essay, and then while proofreading, you realize that a paragraph at the beginning of the essay would be better suited for the end. So, you would select it, cut it and then paste it around the end. But if you’re using Google Docs for your writing, you can simply select the text and then drag it wherever you need it to be. 

Create a document outline

Create a document outline

If you are working on a lengthy article or research paper, moving between different sections of the document can become very challenging. This can be made easier by creating a document outline in Google Docs. Document outlines can be seen by clicking on “View” in the toolbar located at the top of the document and then clicking on the “show outline” option.

Create a document outline 1

If you tried this and nothing showed up, chances are that your subheadings aren’t properly formatted. You can make subheadings show up under the document outline by clicking on “styles” in the toolbar. The best part about a document outline is that you can click on a subheading under it, and you will be moved to that specific section. 

Drafting and sending emails

Drafting and sending emails

If your job requires you to actively engage in email correspondence, you can use Google Docs to draft and send emails with greater ease. To access this function in Google Docs, you need to click @email, and then you will receive the option to create an email draft. When you click on the Email draft option, you will be met with a template like so—

Drafting and sending emails 1

Here, you can type in your email as you normally would and then click on the Gmail icon to send it. The idea behind this tool is to make it easier for you and your team to collaborate on email drafts. 

And that’s all, folks! This list is by no means all-encompassing since Google continues to add new features over time. Even the “@email” feature has only been added this year, and we might just see more such interesting tools find their way into the software in the future. We hope that the tools on this list help improve your productivity and encourage you to go through the tools and menu options so that you can discover more functions at your disposal in Google Docs. 

Also read:

Header image courtesy of Unsplash and all other images courtesy of the writer.

SHARE THIS STORY

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on email

RELATED POSTS

Cultos Global Lands Major Investment to Advance Web3 Brand Engagement Solutions

Cultos Global Lands Major Investment to Advance Web3 Brand Engagement Solutions

Dubai-based Web3 company, Cultos Global, has recently acquired substantial investment in its latest funding round. The specific amount remains undisclosed. This venture specializes in altering the dynamics of brand-customer relationships by launching a sophisticated, integrated platform that intertwines digital marketing and customer rewards, converting conventional consumers into active nano-influencers.

Navigating the Growing Crisis of Space Debris

Orbital Fallout: Navigating the Growing Crisis of Space Debris

Ever since we stepped into the space age back in the 1950s, we’ve been busily sending rockets and satellites up, up and away, painting our mark way beyond our planetary borders. But here’s the thing—our ventures have left the cosmos littered with about 2,000 operational satellites and another 3,000 that are just space junk now.

Pryon Secures US$100 Million in Series B to Advance AI in Knowledge Management

Pryon Secures US$100 Million in Series B to Advance AI in Knowledge Management

Pryon Inc., a North Carolina-based company specializing in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with knowledge management, has completed a Series B investment round, raising US$100 million. The funding was led by Thomas Tull’s US Innovative Technology Fund (USIT), with contributions from both new and existing investors, including Aperture Venture Capital,

Amazon Launches Upgraded AI Enhanced Fire TV Sticks

Amazon Launches Upgraded AI Enhanced Fire TV Sticks

Amazon has rolled out a series of updates to its Fire TV offerings. The new features include an improved conversational voice search powered by generative AI and Fire TV Ambient Experience advancements. Among the latest hardware releases are the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and the Fire TV Stick 4K, incorporating the enhanced Fire TV Ambient Experience.

Interactive Learning with Augmented Reality

Interactive Learning with Augmented Reality: Applications, Benefits and Challenges

Ever wondered what it would be like if your textbooks could talk, if the illustrations in your lessons could come to life, or if you could step into history rather than just read about it? Welcome to the world of augmented reality (AR) in education! Like a magic wand, AR can turn the abstract into tangible and the mundane into extraordinary, unfolding boundless educational possibilities.