This is a bit of advice that is always nice to randomly see, as it’s extremely easy to forget!
Back up your writing.
Email it to yourself. Put it on a USB disk. Send it to dropbox. Save it in a second spot on your computer, in case the first file gets corrupted.
Do something, anything to make sure you have more than one copy of your novel, or anything else you don’t want to lose! In the age of technology, viruses can always slip in and ruin files. Or you could move on to a new laptop and forget to bring over old files, losing an old piece that you might want some day.
So as a random, unprovoked reminder: Back up your files!
Yes! Back up, back up, back up! I always back up now. I learned this the hard way. I’ve always had bad luck with technology. We just don’t get along. Anyway, one day, my (first) laptop broke, and I hadn’t backed up my documents. I had written nearly the entire first draft of The Realmer’s Necklace, and had so many ideas written out for later books in the series. When the computer broke, I had to get an whole new one – the hard drive wasn’t salvageable – and lost the the whole draft. All of it. I was left with nothing. Zilch. When I realized this, I was unable to write for months. I was so depressed, and I just felt like perhaps the universe just didn’t want me to write. I think it was at that time when I realized that writing isn’t just something I want to do. It’s something I need to do. Eventually, as you can tell, I began the book again. It turned out to be a blessing, because I realized as I recreated the book all the things that had been so terribly wrong with that very first draft, and I believe the book turned out far better than it would have if I hadn’t lost that draft. I’ve lost writing since then, although it was never as much as before, because since then I’ve learned to at least back up every once in a while. Actually, not long ago, I lost a lot of writing because I had to get a new hard drive, and I hadn’t had the chance to back up my writing before my computer died on me. But now, whenever I lose even a paragraph, I don’t let it get to me the way I did before. I remind myself that, no matter how much I enjoyed the writing I lost, what I will create afterward will almost certainly be far better. So let this be a reminder to anyone reading this that if you lose your writing, keep going! Think of it as a blessing in disguise. Because it gives you a chance to look at your manuscript in a whole new light, and to create something wonderful. (But, really, back up your writing.)
Reblogged this on late nights and coffee stains and commented:
Yes! Back up, back up, back up! I learned this the hard way. I’ve always had bad luck with technology. We just don’t get along. Anyway, one day, my (first) laptop broke, and I hadn’t backed up my documents. I had written nearly the entire first draft of The Realmer’s Necklace, and had so many ideas written out for later books in the series. When the computer broke, I had to get an whole new one – the hard drive wasn’t salvageable – and lost the the whole draft. All of it. I was left with nothing. Zilch. When I realized this, I was unable to write for months. I was so depressed, and I just felt like perhaps the universe just didn’t want me to write. I think it was at that time when I realized that writing isn’t just something I want to do. It’s something I need to do. Eventually, as you can tell, I began the book again. It turned out to be a blessing, because I realized as I recreated the book all the things that had been so terribly wrong with that very first draft, and I believe the book turned out far better than it would have if I hadn’t lost that draft. I’ve lost writing since then, although it was never as much as before, because since then I’ve learned to at least back up every once in a while. Actually, not long ago, I lost a lot of writing because I had to get a new hard drive, and I hadn’t had the chance to back up my writing before my computer died on me. But now, whenever I lose even a paragraph, I don’t let it get to me the way I did before. I remind myself that, no matter how much I enjoyed the writing I lost, what I will create afterward will almost certainly be far better. So let this be a reminder to anyone reading this that if you lose your writing, keep going! Think of it as a blessing in disguise. Because it gives you a chance to look at your manuscript in a whole new light, and to create something wonderful. (But, really, back up your writing.)
Whoa. I didn’t know wordpress automatically commented on a post when you reblogged it.
My bad. OH WELL. Sorry, I’ll stop replying now
Okay, I lied. That face looks angry but I was just trying to do an “I’ll shut up now” face.
Wordpress, get your stuff together! >.<
Now that sure made me laugh! (Not the part about you losing writing, of course!) That reblogging thing confused me before as well, seems a bit unnecessary
I really like that first comment. It reminds me of the one time I lost writing, I lost my fantasy first draft and had to start from scratch. It was ten times better then. I definitely agree with you, if you lose it don’t take it as a sign to give up, push on and continue writing. If anything, take it as a sign from the gods!