Google Resources: Google Drive

Embrace the cloud.

Google Drive is a cloud-spaced saving point that is part of your Google account. If you have the internet, you can access the drive. I can’t emphasize enough how useful this app is for authors.

Again, I won’t bore you with details about how to use the drive. Simply click on the nine dots on your account and find the drive icon to access it. You can also use this as a save point whenever or drop and drag items to the folders online.

Saving your material. Social media and working environments dictate that authors need to work on the go. We use our phones, tablets, and laptops as much as our home computers. We need materials for posts, videos, comments, and more. Google Drive allows users to save all the files in a folder to access at any time. Need to do quick Instagram posts? Use Google Drive to access promotion pictures. Writing a new book, save your story bible on the Drive. You can upload pictures, videos, documents, or anything you need and have access with a click.

Sharing your work. I mentioned last week I’ve been working with other authors to create a series. We use Google Drive to share our materials, and it’s easy. Click on the drive, then right-click in a white space, and press New Folder. Right-click on the folder and choose Share With. Add all your writing partners. You can use the feature for any partners—authors, beta readers, editors, or even spouses who promise to read your book but keep losing the file. (If it’s in Google Drive, they totally can’t use that excuse.)

In our author group, each person has mad skills for promotional posts and videos. We save the pictures, memes, and vids on the Drive so anyone can use them. We also used the Drive to save covers, beta copies, preview materials, and more. A shared saving stop makes it easy to work with others. Rather than an email that gets lost, users can access materials at any time by clicking on the Drive and then Shared with Me.

We also used the Drive to share other documents for the series. With Google Docs, you can have the series bible available for all authors to access. If all have the “edit” privilege, they can add names, places, and plot lines to the bible. You can also save Google Sheets to the Drive. Spreadsheets can organize data and timelines, or even manage the profits and expenses of the project.

Google Drive is a great way to simplify sharing information. Shared folders can only help everyone in the project or your solo endeavors to be organized and up to date. My only big advice is “Name your folders well.”