DO NOT USE GOOGLE DOCS FOR FANFIC
This is going to get really long but if you are a fanfic writer that uses google docs, it's so important that you read this as it affects you
If you haven't been aware about the previous discussion going around regarding google docs and what's been going on for about the last year now, let me recap it really fast: their shitty ai has *allegedly* (i mean we pretty much know but just to be safe) been scraping your work for ai training purposes and also using ai to moderate the content you are writing in docs - meaning that if it finds anything it doesn't approve of, like violence or sexual content, your docs will be deleted or locked for breaking policy, even if it's not.
Since July, I’ve only noticed the moderation affecting a few users here and there, but over the last couple of days my social feeds have shown me several fanfic writers from multiple fandoms posting about how their backup fic docs or works in progress docs are being deleted without warning or any kind of notice.
The screenshot above (via this tiktok) is from a couple hours ago & sadly that writer lost pretty much their entire collection of fics, and unfortunately they are not the only person this has happened to.
The purge that is happening right now seems to be SPECIFICALLY TARGETING FANFICS and (so far) not any other docs or novels in progress. But it’s a mass deletion, not just one or two doc like before.
IF YOU USE GOOGLE DOCS TO WRITE OR GOOGLE DRIVE TO BACK UP FICS: please please pleaseeeee start downloading your work before you lose it for good.
This is not meant to cause panic, but I heavily consider it time sensitive as I would just really hate for this to happen to anyone here or anywhere else. Check to see if you are missing any wips or if your docs are locked.
If you need help figuring out how to download your work, or need ideas on where to write or store your work going forward, many of us fellow fanfic writers would be happy to share that info with you based on our writing processes. I'll share some resources below, and if you have any that i'm missing please comment them so others can look into it as well!
If this has happened to you, first of all: I'm so sorry, and secondly: please share your experience!
how/when did you notice, what did you lose, did you reach out to support, was support helpful/responsive, was your work ever recovered or did you lose everything for good?
Other writing platforms/softwares:
ellipsus, notion, scrivener, obsidian, wavemaker, evernote, campfire, living writer, libre office, novlr, ulysses, atticus
*I only use ellipsus and notion (both free versions) so I cannot speak for the others - please do your own research!!
Also, this writer tested some of the above, plus others, and shared his thoughts in this article & video.
If you know a writer that uses google docs/drive please pass this info along to them!!!!
