SftP Publishing
  • Introduction: Guide to Publishing Science for the People Magazine
  • Submitting to SftP magazine
  • Magazine Roles
  • Production Overview
  • Editorial Collectives
    • Editorial Collective Roles and Expectations
    • We Use Google Docs
    • Roster
    • Master Working Spreadsheet
    • Communication Channels/Tools
  • Magazine Departments
    • Magazine Departments Overview
      • Front and Back Matter
      • Meet the Contributors
      • Features
      • Artwork
      • Chapter/Working Group Reports
      • Revolutionary Lives column
      • Reviews
  • CFP, Submissions, Acceptances
    • Crafting the Call for Proposals (CFP)
    • Reviewing Submissions
    • Accepting/Rejecting Submissions
      • Provisional Acceptance Email/Framework Letters
      • Framework Instructions
      • Article Acceptance Email
      • Rejections & Kills/Cuts Emails
      • Keep on File Email or Send to Online
    • Author Brief/Introduction
      • Author Brief Template
      • Author-Editor Introduction
    • Editor Onboarding Survey
    • Author Survey
  • Editing Resources
    • Editing Process Overview
    • Editor Checklist
      • Editor-at-Large Checklist
      • Lead and Co-Editor Checklist
    • The Editing Process in Detail
      • Phase I: Choosing submissions and editorial assignments
      • Phase II: Assign editors, connect with authors
      • Phase III: Editing
      • Phase IV: Technical Editing
      • Phase V: Copy Editing
      • Phase VI: Proofreading and Final Copy
      • Phase VII: Finalizing articles, TOC and Design
      • Table of Contents
      • Phase VIII: Promotion
    • Advice from SftP Editors
      • Writing Advice
      • Guide to Accessible Writing
      • Working with Authors from the Global Majority
      • How to Approach Editing
  • Technical Editing / Fact-Checking
    • Technical Editing Lead
    • Technical Editing 101
      • Training Videos
  • Copy Editing & Proofreading
    • Copy/Proof Lead
    • Copy/Proof Basics
  • Style Guide
    • Introduction
    • Punctuation
    • Capitalization
    • Dashes
    • Numbers and Dates
    • Titles, Headings, Links
    • Abbreviations & Acronyms
    • Alphabetical list of common terms
    • Quotations
    • Spanish Language Texts
    • Common Errors
    • How to Cite Your References
    • Pronouns
  • Admin and other Faff
    • Services & Accounts
    • Fees
    • Author and Artist Contracts
  • Art / Design
    • Art Editor(s) role
    • How we select artwork
      • Process overview
      • Article illustrations
      • Art features
        • Art features goal statement
      • Spot illustrations
    • Artwork in the magazine
    • Administrative info
    • Print/PDF Design
  • Web & Social Media
    • Web editor(s) role
    • How to post on the magazine site
    • Social Media Best Practices
    • Newsletters
    • Co-publishing
  • Circulation & Finances
    • SimpleCirc
    • Patreon
    • Bulk Orders
    • Bookshops
    • Institutional Subscriptions
  • Archives/Publishing
    • Archive Working Group
    • Archives Vol 1-21
    • What is PubCom?
    • Peoples Science Network
    • ISSN
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  • How to use Google Docs in editing
  • How to work with a Google Docs draft

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  1. Editorial Collectives

We Use Google Docs

... and this is how to use it well.

PreviousEditorial Collective Roles and ExpectationsNextRoster

Last updated 4 years ago

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We use Google Docs for editing because it provides excellent version tracking and access control.

A typical magazine issue has a master folder that includes the following subfolders. Get to know your issue folder, it contains all files and drafts we use for production!

Each folder name should begin with the Volume and Issue number, e.g. "23-2 [Folder name]" and includes the following sub-folders:

  • Call for Proposals (drafts and final copy)

  • Meeting Minutes (all agenda/minutes documents live here)

  • Article Drafts (with sub-folders for each author)

  • Artwork (contributor photos, artwork chosen by the art team, and artwork and other non-document files provided by contributors

  • Design/layout files (where PDF layouts will live)

  • Front/Back Matter

  • Final drafts (for articles/content we deliver to design)

  • Plus individual files: the and .

How to use Google Docs in editing

Each time an author submits a draft--starting with their initial framework, it must be placed in the Article drafts sub-folder with that authors' name. The lead and co-editor are both responsible for ensuring that all drafts are maintained in their author's folder.

Before you begin editing, make a Google Doc copy of the draft. This is to better track version history and, most importantly, to ensure that the lead and co-editor can review and make comments without the author receiving notifications. It is also critical for technical editors to create their own annotated versions for future reference.

Drafts should be named with the author's last name (or names) and the date (whatever is easiest for you), and ideally the number of the draft - first draft is "Draft 1", etc. When the document goes to fact-checking or copy editing it is helpful to mention this in the title. A typical flow might look like this:

Smith 09012020 draft 1 Smith 09182020 draft 2 Smith Sept 30 draft 3 Smith Oct 11 for Fact-Checking Smith Oct 20 for Copy Editing Smith 10312020 FINAL When you are sending comments back on a draft to your author you do not need to create another copy (exceptions below). Each draft the author sends is a separate document; editors' notes are resolved. If you decide that you want to keep your editors notes, you can make a separate copy to send to authors named, e.g., Smith Sept 30 draft 3 FOR AUTHORS. Exception: a copy of the document with the technical editor's comments must be kept on file. Make a copy of the draft that includes their comments/feedback for the author. This helps in cases when a fact might be questioned later so that we can see if it was verified or not.

Note: Avoid using outside word processors and other file types, as the comments and suggestions are not compatible with all computers and you may have version control problems down the line. Even if you use another document processor, it is important to upload those into the author's drafts folder.

How to work with a Google Docs draft

  • Open the Google Doc copy that only lead and co-editor have access to.

  • Set editing option to Suggesting (top right corner).

  • Make comments and questions via comments, or for direct edits to wording, replace text (the doc will show tracked changes).

  • Be sure that lead and co-editor feedback does not contradict. If editors disagree on approach, have a phone call to discuss, or suggest two ways of approaching edits to the author and your reasoning.

  • Be kind! You are creating a relationship with the author, and encouragement, questions, and the benefit of the doubt in your tone will do much more to produce good writing than man-splain-y or terse comments ever can.

  • Once both editors have reviewed the draft--ideally within 72 hours of receiving it, but definitely no longer than a week--the lead editor shares that document, with editing access, with the author. Be sure to state a deadline for the subsequent drafts in every email.

  • Don't go back into the document until the author has confirmed they are done working in it, so that lead and co-editor can both review and see all edits at once.

Lead editors and co-editors work together to provide detailed and consistent feedback to the author. See more in and .

Technical editors, copy-editors and proofreaders should also always work in "Suggestion" mode. It is particularly important for technical editors to keep their comments and write down which sources were verified and how. For more, see

Roster
Master Spreadsheet
How to Approach Editing
Editing for Accessibility
Technical Editing 101.