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Import a manuscript from Google Docs

Set your chapter titles as headings in Google Docs, download a Word file, and import it.

Updated October 15, 2026

Bunsho cannot open a Google Doc directly. You download it as a Word file first, then import that file. The key is to mark your chapter titles as headings before you download, so Bunsho can split the book into chapters.

Step 1: mark each chapter title as a heading

  1. Open your document in Google Docs.
  2. Click anywhere in a chapter title.
  3. In the menu bar, choose Format, then Paragraph styles, then Heading 1.
  4. Repeat for every chapter title.
Tip:Google Docs may offer "Apply 'Heading 1'" or "Update 'Heading 1' to match". Choose Apply 'Heading 1'. The second option changes the look of every Heading 1 in the document.

Use headings only for chapter titles. Every heading, at any level, becomes a separate page in Bunsho.

Step 2: download it as a Word file

  1. Choose File, then Download, then Microsoft Word (.docx).
  2. Your browser saves a .docx file, usually to your Downloads folder.

Step 3: import it into Bunsho

  1. In Bunsho, click Import a manuscript on the start screen, or choose File → Import Document....
  2. Pick the .docx file you just downloaded and click Open.
  3. Read the review box. A message such as "Created 24 chapters" means it worked. "Imported as one page" means no headings were found. Go back to step 1.
  4. Click Open workspace.

More detail, including what carries over, is in import a manuscript. Images, tables, footnotes and comments do not come through, so keep your Google Doc as it is.

Related articles

Import a manuscriptBring a draft in from Word, Markdown, plain text or Fountain, step by step.Prepare your manuscript for importA few minutes of preparation makes your chapters arrive as separate pages.Import a manuscript from Scrivener or PagesExport from Scrivener or Pages as a Word file with chapter headings, then import it.Fix chapter headings in WordMark each chapter title as Heading 1 in Word so Bunsho splits your book into chapters.

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