Workflow with Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive
This support article covers a recommended workflow for using Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive with your device.
This article introduces the use of a "master document." This is when a project is drafted in smaller sections in individual documents on your device. Then, once a section is saved in the cloud, it is copied from its document in Google Drive, Dropbox, or Evernote, and pasted into a "master document," where it is edited.
Of course, how you use your device, Postbox, and third-party cloud services is up to you! This is simply a recommendation.
This article assumes you have already set up your Postbox account and connected to Wi-Fi. If you have not, check out this article first: Getting Started
Connect your Postbox account to Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive.
In your Postbox settings, you can set it up to have all, some, or just one of your Freewrite folders sync to an account on Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive. You can also send specific documents to sync to Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive on your timeline in Postbox.
2. Start a new project
Each project will be divided into pieces. For fiction writers, these could be chapters, sections, parts, etc. Each piece will be an individual document on your Freewrite. Combine these documents into a single "master" document for editing.
Where are my drafts in Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive? Log into your third-party cloud service account. Inside your account, you will see a new folder named "Postbox." (Note: In Dropbox, it will be named named "Apps" with a subfolder named "Postbox.") Inside the Postbox folder, you will see 3 folders: "A", "B", & "C." These correspond to the folders on your Freewrite and contain your Freewrite drafts.
Why can I not edit the documents in the "Postbox" folder? We do not recommend making edits to documents inside the "Postbox" folder because this will create conflicted, duplicate documents of the same draft. (This happens because your device does not support two-way syncing. Therefore, if your device goes to update the document inside Dropbox, for example, with your most recent additions, but changes have been made in Dropbox, it finds a conflict that is resolved by creating a duplicate of the same draft.) This quickly gets confusing and out of hand!
3. Create a single master document in Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive.
For each project, create a master document in Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive. This master document will be where you continuously copy your words written on your device, in individual pieces, to be edited.
So, for fiction writers, this is where all your chapters will come together into a single document. You can choose where you decide to put your "Master Document" for each project, however, we do not recommend putting it inside the "Postbox" folder.
Why use a master document? Using a master document for each project offers 3 major advantages. First, it prevents any conflicted drafts from being duplicated. Secondly, it confines all editing to a single, living document. Finally, it helps break down a project into smaller drafts, which helps your Freewrite's performance.
4. Copy drafts from the cloud into your master doc
Once you have finished drafting a particular section of your project, access your work in Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive. Use copy + paste to copy the contents of your finished section into the master document.
5. Edit the master doc and work on the next chapter
Once copied into your master document, you can edit the content you created on your Freewrite.
By waiting to edit the draft chapter until it is in your master document, you can eliminate the risk of creating duplicate documents in Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, or Microsoft OneDrive. You also aggregate all your chapters in one place for a more holistic look at your manuscript.
If you have any questions about building a Freewrite workflow, please feel free to email us at hello@getfreewrite.com!