Hey guys casual reminder, if you are using Google Docs to write and store your writings, you should probably consider changing platforms.
If what you write doesn't fall under Google's terms of use, you can lose access to your work! Not to mention that there's good chance of it getting eaten up by Google's AI.
I personally use both Ellipsus and Librewriter for my writing. I left and haven't looked back with Google. If you're someone who focuses on writing cited work, you may find issue with Ellipsus because it's not built for papers of the academic nature, currently.
Librewriter is good for that, and it's so similar to Microsoft Word and Google Docs that there isn't too much of a change when shifting over to it. (You also don't need an account to use it!)
Obsidian is also good for mapping and writing creatively as well!
If you're a Linux User, you're probably quite familiar with LibreOffice already, but don't fret about Obsidian, it also works with Linux just fine!
Ellipsus lists more alternatives to Google Docs that you might like!
I saw that you said you used Scrivener! Would you recommend it? Have you ever used any other writing software?
While I'm working through my rewrite of my fic (my original draft was over 700k words), it can be hard to organize my thoughts with how many documents I have open at once. I work out of Google docs right now, but have been wanting to move my work out of it for a while, and the new intrusive AI integration that I can't figure out how to turn off has been the final nail in the coffin for me finally making the switch to something else.
One thing I'm concerned with about Scrivener, is when I copy my work over, would it keep my formatting, or would I have to reformat everything again, including italics, bold text, etc.? With how much work I have, it would be a huge pain if I could only paste plain text 🙃
Good morning or day wherever you are.
I am so incredibly sorry for the late reply! I tend to turn in and go to sleep pretty early, so I'm just now seeing this.
But to answer your question: yes, I would absolutely, 100% recommend Scrivener.
I’ve been using it since 2017 (back with the older version) back when I was self-publishing, and honestly, it completely changed how I write. Before making the switch, I mostly used Microsoft Word, but once your projects hit a certain size, traditional word processors just start to buckle under the weight.
And wow. 700k words for your original draft is an incredible achievement. But I completely understand why Google Docs is driving you crazy right now. Trying to organize a massive project like that with dozens of open tabs is an absolute nightmare. Plus, I totally get the frustration with Google's intrusive AI updates lately. A lot of writers are looking for the exit door for that exact reason.
To answer your biggest concern right off the bat: No, you will not lose your formatting.
You absolutely do not have to paste as plain text. When you copy and paste from Google Docs into Scrivener, it can retain your italics, bold text, underlines, and basic spacing perfectly.
Even better, instead of just copying and pasting a massive wall of text, Scrivener has an Import feature. You can download your Google Doc as a Word file (.docx), import it directly into Scrivener, and it should keep everything intact.
You have a sidebar called the Binder. Instead of one massive 700k-word scroll, you can break your fic down into Folders (for Acts or Chapters) and Texts (for individual scenes). I keep all of the articles I share here in my Storybible there, as well as all of the one-shots and my long fanfic I've been working on. You can drag and drop them to rearrange the plot instantly.
Every scene you create can have a little index card attached to it where you can write a brief summary. You can view these on a virtual corkboard to see your pacing at a glance.
Scrivener is a one-time purchase software that lives locally on your computer. Your files are yours, kept offline unless you choose to sync them to an external folder, with absolutely zero forced AI scraping or intrusive integrations to worry about. I backup FWC to a thumb drive, as well as keep it on my harddrive to get away from AI.
It does have a bit of a learning curve because it’s so powerful, but you don't need to learn every bell and whistle to get started. Just treating it like a digital filing cabinet for your scenes will immediately relieve that organizational headache. I am a huge on organization.
Happy rewriting, and I hope this was helpful. 😊
Also, I'm going to attach some screenshots of my Scrivener for FWC so you can see what I mean. I couldn't work on a project as big as FWC without something like Scrivener.
This is my manuscript FOLDER. Beneath the Other folder have a place for all of the additional arcs that aren't FF7 (Godling, Pandemonix, Kilonova.
My Blood and Stardust (FF7 / Original) FOLDER. Since I'm using the Leviathan Method, this allows me to keep track of all the characters, the lore expansions I did to FF7 all in one easy to click on place.
This is a look at my story bible.
Scrivener has a place to keep all of my arcs in one place and at my fingertips. So, I don't need lots of tabs opened.
Below is a look inside Sephiroth's FWC folder so you can see how organized eveything is.
Alright I think I've figured out how to use different word processors in a way that I really like, it's gonna sound real tedious but I like the separation and I like the system, I hate having all my school writing and my personal writing in one place that looks the same. So far it's:
Google docs for school
Ellipsus for in-progress creative writing
Google docs and/or back up copy in Libre office for more finished writing
Ellipsus + Obsidian for worldbuilding project
I like doing writing in Ellipsus a lot, the colors and the timer and focus mode make the act of writing really enjoyable and easy. That being said since it is really only built for online display and the formatting is limited because of that, once I'm done writing I would probably want to transfer that over to a processor that has pagination and a text editor I'm more familiar with and so that's where gdocs or libre office come into play, I haven't fully decided that one yet. And then for my worldbuilding project I like Obsidian to link to different pages wiki-style and their canvas option is pretty cool for stuff like character moodboards or just throwing a bunch of pages together and connecting them conspiracy-board style.
I know a big reason people are switching is to get away from Google and escape AI and all that and of course I agree with that but my biggest concern is if the new processors I'm using are enjoyable to write in because google docs stressed me out because I use it for school and I couldn't get rid of the school feeling when sitting down to work on personal writing. And I think Ellipsus is the perfect solution for that, I love the themes so much and it has sync which is very important for when I write on my phone. Also I'm really excited to use different themes while I work on different projects so I can better get into the mindset for each project. The fact it uses markdown and that it's a newer/small company means I don't think I'll switch over completely, or at least I'll still back up my stuff somewhere else, but it works well for the system I have and I really enjoy using it. Really markdown isn't that big of a deal since most of my writing is for web anyway, but with stuff like poetry that requires specific formatting I still wanna use something like Libre Office. Plus I just like pagination, a constant stream of text doesn't seem as..meaningful? Pages help you feel how much you've written. That's my main concern I suppose, targeting how writing feels.
okay so google drive is being a lil sketchy w AI stuff and it frankly makes me just uncomfy enough to look for an alternative.
the one that i have landed on (for now) is obsidian bc it works nicely for what i typically use google docs for (outside of academic stuff for college) and the reviews on the app store were MUCH better than evernote, which i also considered. so here are a list of what i consider pros and cons
pros
the organization! the style of organization works really well for me personally, with folders and the ability to link to other notes. this helps me keep character development and world building uncluttered during the process
tagging! you can set tags within each file, or vault, in order to better find notes or graphics. i haven't explored this a ton yet BUT it seems promising especially when files get bigger and more complicated
themes! you can customize the colors and themes inside the app (im using 80s neon rn) which isnt super critical for me but is helpful for people who benefit from being able to change that (i personally just enjoy it)
free use of like 99% of the app! the app itself is free and no app features are "off limits" without payment. vvv
cons
does NOT sync automatically. you CAN sync between devices but it is an $8 monthly subscription which i just cant afford on top of other monthly payments rn. maybe one day. (other payment plan is a $50/year fee for commercial use and priority support)
a little complicated. theres no real tutorial so anything beyond basics i've figured out by hitting buttons until they did something. if youre up for a little trial n error learning or asking other people about it, its fine
Do you guys (gender-neutral) know of a good alternative to Google Docs? I've been using it for years and I want to move my writing off of it. Because Google is planning to start this, and I don't want that to happen to my writing. Even if it's in a really rough state.
I should also explain my current writing system (as of August 2023). This is extremely simplified by the way, also there is some overlap between different programs/apps.
~My current writing system~
Google Docs: Online backup of drafts, random lore tidbits, practice drafts, chapter outlines, story arc outlines, character sheets, basic worldbuilding, etc. The bulk of my writing stuff happens here.
LibreOffice: Everything that Google Docs does but offline
Pluot: Lore, detailed worldbuilding, character sheets, story arc outlines, chapter outlines
Notion: Visualizing timelines, compiling everything into a "wiki"
Also, just to let you know, I'm on a pretty strict budget. So I can't afford the super-expensive programs or subscription services. I'd prefer to use something that's free, or super cheap.
