3 Google Docs Features that I Use to Edit My Outline
And the crazy story about how I didn't know "outline editing" existed.
I didn’t realize until about two weeks ago that I could actually edit my outline. I was glancing through a friend’s outline and adoring how wonderfully color-coded it was, and then something ticked inside me: I can edit my outline!
It has helped me so much regarding scene layout, foreshadowing, and keeping track of what’s important. I don’t know how I never thought about this before— but now that I’ve found it, I’m never not using these strategies again.
I usually outlined on paper, but now I’ve moved all my material onto Google Docs. I love a nicely organized space, and my docs are no exception. Here’s how I keep myself from going insane when I outline. ;)
1. Highlight
I have a highlighting guide and use a few different colors to keep things noticeable. For example, I use a pastel red for any worldbuilding that gets done during the scene; I use light green for the first time a character gets introduced in the book; I use light blue for any important things that happen in regards to the plot; I use light purple if there are names that need to be changed (because I am very undecided on this front). I add things as they come up.
2. Comments
I comment on anything that I need to remember— I basically use the comments feature as a “note to self” machine. (Or I write down anything that’s funny to me, as displayed in several comments where I’m chiding my characters for their bad decisions.)
A few example comments that I found in my outlining doc:
“Does she meet [character name] here or in the next scene?”
“Need to make a map of this side of town. I keep getting the roads mixed up.”
“Haha, very funny, [character name], but you’re going to be disappointed later…”
3. Tabs
You can now separate your document into tabs, and I utilize this a lot. I have a tab that is simply a checklist of things that need to be done, a tab for scenes and character arcs, a tab for worldbuilding, a tab for scenes I’ve practiced writing, and a tab for the language of my world (because this is a fantasy fiction).
You can rearrange, name, and create subtabs if you want. You can even add a little emoji marker for it.
Let’s Outline
If these tips helped you understand your outlining process better, drop a comment or DM and let me know! I love to get messages asking for help or for more information!!
Love this! I was color coding was missing there rest of the features! How had I not thought about using comments??
Hey i have a question.... Could you maybe do a video explaining what the tabs are, how they work and all that? Cuz i really don't get it, i use Google Docs but since Tabs is a relatively new feature i don't know how to use it.... I feel like it would really help me with all my files/docs for stories, but i need HELP!
ALSO, when it comes to formatting a book, like say you want to print it out yourself, and bind it or something... Is Google Docs good for that? Like getting all the spacing, and chapters right, Chapter Titles, little images with the chapter names... Etc. Or is there a different app that i could use for that?