It seem everything takes twice as long as it should.
I have an interest in writing in Google Docs, but need to publish on my WordPress website. That process is clumsy and causes formatting issues.
A bit of Google research shows a simple add-on to Google Docs called Publish to WordPress that does all the configuring and translating in the background to convert a document from Docs to WordPress. How cool is that?
No need for copy and paste, then spending time re-formating,inserting pictures, etc. Just write, add pictures, format, then click Publish Post or Save Draft. Should be easy peasy. The only requirement is to have JetPack installed and an account to log into. Got it.
Or maybe not
Installing the Add-On was straightforward and went off without a hitch. Adding the first website was as easy as I thought.
In authorizing my main website, I got an error message. As I normally do, I copied it over to Google to see what the issue was and how to fix it. Nothing. Not a single hit for the error message.
Okay, let’s go to the Publish to WordPress website to search. It took several searches before finding the add-on was by Plugmatter. I read all through the home page a few times with nothing jumping out as a potential problem. Then I noticed an FAQ section to check out.
One sentence, “make sure JSON API is enabled” caught my eye. Further digging says it is enabled by default. Yeah, right. More Google to figure out how to check this in Jetpack to make sure it is enabled. I found that information quickly.
BINGO
Well, you guessed it. It was not enabled on this website. The instructions didn’t mention how to activate it, but that was an easy mouse click.
Back to Google Docs to try again … Success.
I am writing this in Google Docs, formatting it, and have added a picture with wrapped text. Now to see how it works in real life. Now to click Save Draft.
IN WORDPRESS
Did it work? Not so much. Picture alignment is off and I can’t get the text to wrap to the right. The bold and italics didn’t come over and neither did the heading 2 formatting. The font size was the same in Google Docs, but changes in WordPress. I am disappointed in the results. The code is bloated and difficult to navigate. Fixing all the issues would be easier to just start over.
Since the add-on is free, there seems to be no support, so there you have it. I guess I’ll keep looking.
Has your experience been different? Let me know. Where do you write? In WordPress or in another program, then publish on WordPress?