Google Docs Features Every Family History Writer Should Know

Google Docs has a powerful set of tools that you need to help edit and improve your family history writing. Several tools can help you finally get your family history book ready for publication.

In this video, I feature # tools that help me improve my family history and write genealogy research reports. However, before I can use these tools, I have to remember the most important rule of writing.

The goal of your first draft is to GET THE THING FINISHED!

During the premiere, a fan said, "The goal of the first draft is to get 'er done!" Mind you, he's from Canada, so this Texan slang warms my homesick heart.

Google Docs Features that Make Genealogy Easier

1. Footnotes - to track your citations.

2. Comments - for reminders to yourself or to collaborate with others.

3. Find and Replace - to increase consistencies in style (i.e., Ohio vs. OH, USA vs, US vs. United States).

4. Dictionary - quickly find the meaning of words without leaving your document.

5. Insert Special Characters - add accent marks to letters or add other special symbols, so you don't have to remember shortcut keys.

6. Highlighting Text - to visually remind yourself of tasks you need to do.

7. Version History - to restore a previous version or find past changes to copy and paste into the current version.

See the Google Docs features in action in this video.

For Family History Writing Training

Writing family histories doesn't have to be challenging when you break it into simple steps. Check out the additional training below, or Grab your copy of my FREE Writing Guide for Beginning Genealogy Writers.

• Which Programs to Use When Writing

• How I Set Up A File to Write About 120 Ancestors in a Year 

• Write A Family History Faster Using This One Trick

• 5 Tips For Writing About Your Immigrant Ancestor

• Tips for Writing a Compelling Family History

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