Drafting vs. Editing & Google Docs

I don’t care who you are - if you do any writing at all, you’ll agree with the statement that it is far easier to edit a page full of words than it is to fill that same page with words. This universal truth harbors so much pain within it that people are compelled to repeat the statement whenever the subject of writing/editing/drafting comes up. Seriously, folks, cut it out.

But, that’s not the point of my post for today. Today is really about the incredible resource that is the GoogleDocs Template library. One of the ways to short cut your writing is to start with a good form. Lawyers know that little secret, usually fueled by the desire to avoid malpractice, but when you start with a form to edit, suddenly your writing becomes a lot easier.

If you have any understanding of your voice and what you want to say, a quick scan of a form will highlight where the form deviates from your language and direction. You can go in and edit to your heart’s content. In the end, you may end up with something completely foreign from what you started, but the process is overall a better one because you didn’t have to invent the wheel, you just shaved off the rough edges.

The GoogleDocs Template library is up to more than 300 templates. You can choose from Event Planning to Fantasy Sports (not every fantasy is available). More importantly, you can alter the template Google gives you to something that you’ll use in the future. Do you keep generating the same packing list over and over again? Save it as a template. Google will even track the templates you’ve used before. And, of course, given the nature of spreadsheets, documents, and presentations - you’re not married to using GoogleDocs (even if it is kickass). You can “Save File to Desktop” and use Microsoft Word if it prevents that shock collar from going off.

By the way, this little “shortcut” applies to the creative stuff as well. There are a whole bunch of invitations, presentations, albums, etc. available that will give you the starting basis from which to go forward. Borrow the layout, but change the graphics. Keep the artwork, tweak the font. You get the idea. But it will save you loads of time starting from a form.

Time is precious. Like the One Ring….