I take advantage of Google Docs each day and for various writing functions. Through the years, I’ve used it to write down novels, screenplays, tech articles, critiques, and nearly all the things else. To make Google Docs work successfully for me, I’ve typically needed to depend on one or two add-ons.
The add-on marketplace for Google Docs consists of a variety of functions that add new options and a variety of capabilities, together with creating phrase clouds from paperwork (which I created beforehand, ranging from this very article, utilizing Phrase cloud generator). Many of those add-ons are related to third-party companies, however some are devoted solely to increasing the function set of Google Docs.
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I need to spotlight a number of plugins I’ve used through the years, every of which can assist you be extra inventive and/or productive.
Please be aware that the entire plugins beneath are free and might be discovered by opening a Google Doc, clicking on Extensions, after which clicking on Plugins > Get Plugins.
With that in thoughts, let’s get to the extensions.
Contents
1. Doc Creator
If you happen to incessantly reuse textual content fragments, Doc Builder is a should. As a substitute of typing the identical sentences, paragraphs, and different snippets into related paperwork, all you need to do is open Doc Builder, choose the snippet you need to add, and the textual content will routinely seem in your doc.
The trick with Doc Builder is that you just create your snippets like common Google Docs. For instance, you would possibly need to create a Drive folder known as FRAGMENTS and add all of the shards (as separate paperwork) to that folder.
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If you happen to go for the paid model, you’re going to get extra options like doc merging, limitless merge codes, on-the-fly snippet creation, folders, and higher efficiency. For many customers, the free model shall be superb.
Set up Doc creator from the Google Workspace market.
2. Consistency checker
What number of instances have you ever reviewed a doc and located widespread typos, spelling variations, totally different abbreviations for a similar phrase, and different inconsistencies? If you happen to’re seeking to maintain these paperwork constant and do not all the time have the perfect eye for such issues, then Consistency Checker is the plugin for you.
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After putting in Consistency Checker, open the plugin and click on Scan. For instance, whereas writing this text, Consistency Checker found that I had written each Add and Addin addition to broad vary and wide selection. The one factor Consistency Checker does not do is routinely repair issues. You’ll have to overview the doc and proper them manually.
Set up Consistency checker from the Google Workspace market.
3. Desk of contents
In case your paperwork frequently require a desk of contents (TOC), this plugin will prevent a while. This plugin scans your doc for headings and subheadings after which creates a TOC within the sidebar you can then use inside your doc. You may configure the header quantity format and show unit stage, in addition to choose the plug-in to all the time open for the doc you’re working with. And that is just about all this plugin does, however it does it properly.
Set up desk of Contents from the Google Workspace market.
4. Textual content Cleaner
This helpful little plugin critiques your paperwork and cleans them up. With it, you may take away hyperlinks and underlines, take away line breaks, take away paragraph breaks, repair line breaks in plain textual content, take away a number of areas, take away tabs, and improve quotes. You may also configure Textual content Cleaner to protect sure formatting (corresponding to daring, italic, underline, strikethrough, and sensible quotes). I’ve needed to depend on this plugin many instances, when submitting manuscripts, to take away a number of areas, improve citation marks, and protect italics. It has been a recreation changer for me.
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Set up textual content cleaner from the Google Workspace market.
5. OneLook Thesaurus
Usually, my vocabulary is fairly strong. Nevertheless, I’ve a pet peeve that always makes me depend on the OneLook Thesaurus plugin: repeated phrases. In my fiction writing, I do not like repeating phrases in sentences or paragraphs and can do my greatest to keep away from this. With OneLook Thesaurus, I can spotlight a phrase I would like a synonym for, click on Extensions > OneLook Thesaurus > Synonyms and the sidebar will open with all the chances I can choose from.
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This plugin may provide help to discover triggers, rhymes, completers, adjectives, nouns, quotes, lyrics and sayings. The one factor lacking from OneLook Thesaurus is antonyms, however that is perhaps asking an excessive amount of without spending a dime software program.
Set up OneLook Thesaurus from the Google Workspace market.
6. Author’s Highlighter
This plugin might be of nice assist to authors. In case you have particular phrases that you just overuse, you may create a spreadsheet with these phrases, configure the plugin to make use of that spreadsheet, after which run the plugin in your doc. You’ll then discover these overused phrases highlighted in your doc, the place you may overview them and see how a lot you overused these phrases. You may also use this plugin to find character names, place names, clichés, filler phrases, swear phrases, and extra. I admit that this plugin requires a little bit of a studying curve, however when you get a really feel for the way it works, Author’s Highlighter rapidly turns into an absolute necessity.
Set up the Author’s Highlighter from the Google Workspace market.
Any of those add-ons can assist you develop into a extra inventive and productive author in Google Docs. I’ve used them all around the years and might attest that they work properly and have helped me enhance a number of manuscripts earlier than sending them to the editor for modifying.