Using git or other VCS for writing essays or papers.

The biggest advantage of using a version control system for writing novels is being able to name the state of the work at any given time, more so than branching or merging. Unlike coding, committing in a reflective manner is common, almost like keeping a work journal, which is very beneficial.

Being able to quickly see what was changed and how it was changed since the last commit is valuable. Comparing two versions side by side is very effective for creating good writing.

  • @t_trace on April 20, 2021

  • That makes sense.

The writing environment in VS Code has become much more user-friendly, such as drawing lines equivalent to manuscript paper using CSS. Text errors, like consecutive auxiliary verbs, are highlighted.

Novelists and editors should throw Word or G Suite out the window right now and learn how to use Git and GitHub - Qiita

  • Some of you may already understand, but when “multiple people” conduct proofreading “asynchronously,” GitHub demonstrates tremendous power.

  • I want to try this for my IB essay.

  • It seems beneficial to do this for essays for US college applications as well (using GitHub).

    • Upon further thought, this seems like a good idea.
    • It allows for tracking changes.
    • Oh, but it might be difficult to leave comments.
      • Could it be easier with PRs?
  • Challenges

    • Asking non-engineers to “proofread on GitHub” might be a high hurdle.
      • This is the main issue.
      • Mentors might not have a problem, but teachers could struggle.
      • Well, in that case, sending the text and receiving individual comments should suffice…?
    • The argument that there isn’t much benefit
      • When writing a few hundred words compared to tens of thousands, the benefits may not be as significant.
    • Git’s rigid diff management may not be suitable for writing natural language in a casual manner?
    • Git operations are difficult
      • Since the assumption is that the writing is done by oneself, this shouldn’t be a problem