Written by Megan Ryan

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While Microsoft Word is the publishing industry standard, there are authors who like using the free tools from Google over paying for a license for Word or a 365 subscription. While Google Docs can do many of the things Word can, there are some differences to be aware of as an editor.

A Warning

I have read some horror stories on the PEN Loop about major formatting problems that can happen in files that started off as Google Docs. I have not heard of any issues from my self-publishing clients who prefer Docs, but it is worth making sure your client is aware that it is a risk with Google.

Track Changes vs Suggesting

One of the tools that’s important for most editing jobs is recording the changes made to a client’s text. In Word, that’s done using Track Changes. This setting is found under the Review menu. Tracked Changes show in a different color in the text, and some formatting changes also show up in balloons to the right of the document.

In Google Docs, the similar function is called Suggesting mode. You can turn it on with a button on the right of your screen, under the Share button. The changes that are suggested show up in a different color in the text and as balloons off to the right side. In my experience, many suggested changes and comments in Docs can slow things down in a book-length file.

Accept/Reject Edits

Both programs allow you to accept or reject each change individually or all at once, though Word organizes all the buttons for Track Changes more clearly. In the Review menu where you turn Track Changes on and off, there are also buttons for accepting or rejecting changes one at a time or all at once.

I did not even realize Google Docs allowed you to accept/reject all changes until I was researching this blog post because the option is more hidden. In Docs, each change’s balloon on the right has accept and reject buttons. But to accept or reject all changes at once, you must go to Tools, then Review Suggested Edits. That brings up a pop-up box with Accept All and Reject All buttons.

Viewing/Hiding Edits

While I like to record my edits, I find it distracting to see those strikethroughs and different colors all the time. So a feature I appreciate in Word is Simple Markup. It is found in a dropdown menu next to the main Track Changes button. In Simple Markup view, there is a red line on the left of the document next to any line of text that has changes, but all the text looks like the changes have been accepted. If you switch to All Markup, those changes are differentiated in the text again. I work in Simple Markup most of the time, and I switch to All Markup as needed.

As far as I can tell, Google Docs doesn’t have this same capability. There is a way to view the file with all the changes accepted: Go to Tools, Review Suggested Edits, then in the dropdown menu of the pop up, select Preview “Accept All.” This is a view-only setting; you can’t continue to type or edit while in this preview. It isn’t the same as hiding changes while you work.

Comments

Both Word and Google Docs allow you to add comments to specific portions of the text. In each program, the comments show up to the right of the document. You can edit, reply to, resolve, and delete comments in both programs.

In Google Docs, the suggested edits also show up to the right of the document by default, so this area gets filled up quickly and it’s harder to scan through. Also, if you resolve a comment in Docs, there is no longer any visual cue for that comment in the text. You can find the comment again by clicking the comment balloon in the upper right corner.

But in Word, the text that has a resolved comment still has a purple highlight and to the right of that line of text is a comment balloon with a green check. So it’s easier to find a resolved comment later.

Shared Access

Where I have found Google Docs to shine is in sharing access to a file with others so you can edit the same document in real time. The Share button is prominent in the top right of the screen. I generally don’t like to do my main editing pass with the author able to watch and comment as I go, but I have found it helpful to be able to go back and forth with an author on some of my questions from the main edit in a Google Doc.

Shared files is a feature of Microsoft OneDrive as well, but it was glitchy when I tried to use it with a client a few years ago. In the upper right corner of Word is a Share button. It will prompt you to upload your file to OneDrive if you haven’t, then to specify who to share it with.

Conclusion

Since I generally find Word’s editing tools easier to use and it’s preferred in the industry, that’s where I like to do most of my work. But it is possible to do many of the same tasks in Google Docs. You can even work on files with both programs if a client is unable to work in Word. I’ve had repeated success with downloading Google Docs to Word, then reuploading them to Google Drive with tracked changes in tact. I recommend testing it with your client before working on a long edit.

While there are good reasons to prefer editing in Word, I hope this information helps you discuss using Google Docs if a potential client asks. If you’ve used both in your work, please share any other key differences you’ve found in the comments.

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