9 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
9 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Collaborative writing platforms ?

by gareth
8 replies
Say I have multiple writers working on a book for me.

I want to manage it online so they can all see the complete product but can only work on their section.

This way I can segment but maintain flow. I'm just looking into this now and came across these...

Collaborative writing software online with Writeboard. Write, share, revise, compare.

Intranet, Group Calendar, Small Business Organizer: Backpack

Project management software, online collaboration: Basecamp

I'll look for a while but wonder if anybody has any ideas.

Cheers.

i need to elaborate...

I want multiple writers on a single document but I only want them to be able to alter an allocated part of the document.

So they can all see the entire document but can only contribute to their section.

Dozens if not hundreds of applications out there - is there one with this simple feature ?
#collaborative #platforms #writing
  • Profile picture of the author gareth
    No its not for a blog - its for writing books
    Signature

    Gareth M Thomas
    Serial Entrepreneur
    Auckland, New Zealand

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2437445].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      [DELETED]
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2437478].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author laurenceh
        I use Google docs for this kind of thing. You can share certain parts with everyone, however you can also choose who has permission to edit so 4 writers can read a doc but only one can edit for example.

        May be suitable-ish?:confused:
        Signature
        Find me on Linkedin HERE
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2437560].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Anteela
    I second the Google Docs as well. With the latest update, it's even easier to use as a collaborative tool (we used Wave briefly, but it's not the same). I work at a small SEO company and we rely on it to coordinate things in Excel docs. You can set which regions are editable and who can/can't edit at all. It's a pretty nifty tool and I can't complain since it's free.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2438292].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      [DELETED]
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2438391].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author gareth
    Final solution - split the Google docs into chapters or segments (separate documents)

    Publish to web (while still limiting access)

    Create an HTML page on own server in secure folder with iframes to each Google document URL

    This will show the entire combined document dynamically in real time. Only problem is its impossible to have the height of the iframes dynamically adjust.
    Signature

    Gareth M Thomas
    Serial Entrepreneur
    Auckland, New Zealand

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2441351].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Matpro
      I think that sounds like a really good idea.
      If you wanted to have everything in the same system, I would have chosen VisionProject. It has the ability to organise your activities and also compare different revisions of documents. When you are done writing you can choose to publish the document to internet and also there choose who should see and who shouldn't.

      However, since you have a few systems doing this for you, I would better choose your solution.
      We actually replaced quite a few systems with VisionProject and have not regreted our decision at all. Of course there are some limitations, but the benefits we are gaining from having everything in the same system in unbeatable.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2447986].message }}

Trending Topics