Has this ever happened to you? In the zone, creative inspiration flowed like Niagara Falls, a thundering cascade of work—some of your best. A day later, ready to read through, you find the file, but the updates have disappeared.
File-Saving Tips to Avoid Losing Work
Many apps automatically save your work, but is that enough?
Culprits conspire to destroy your work. For example:
- Electrical surges and brownouts
- Hardware failures (circuit boards and filing systems)
- Software glitches
- Fat fingers (aka pilot error)
Combine High and Low Tech to Protect Work
Create Primary and Secondary (Backup) Files
Each writer has their preferred naming conventions, and that’s great. Besides your primary file, create a second file with one simple addition. For example:
- Primary File: Book 1 Story
- Secondary File: Book 1 Story BU [add a “space” plus “BU” for backup]
Save Copy to External Drive, Cloud Storage, or Both
Saving file copies to an external drive, cloud storage, or both serve as inexpensive insurance designed to quickly and easily recover lost files. For example:
- External Drive: A SAMSUNG T7 Shield 1TB, Portable SSD (i.e., solid state with no moving parts) costs less than $150 (click here to learn more). Easy to set up and highly rated by thousands of users (me included!). This one is industrial strength, but you can find cheaper ones. It’s your insurance to recover lost work, so keep that in mind.
- Cloud Storage: There are many cloud storage providers. I use Apple’s iCloud and have benefited from restoring devices. Pricing for 50GB of storage is only $.99 per month. The 200GB tier costs $2.99 per month, and you can get 2TB for $9.99 per month. I only use Apple, but a quick search will net you several cloud storage options with pricing.
I use a combination of external drives (own 3) plus the iCloud storage.
The Secret to Reducing the Risk of Lost Work
Wait for it…
Create a backup process and make it a habit!
The habit forms muscle memory. That means you automatically save not only the primary file but also the secondary file. Then hourly or daily, you back up both files to the external drive, cloud storage, or both.
Another secret to reduced risk is testing. Periodically access files from the external drive and cloud storage to ensure they work without corruption.
Don’t Wait!
Procrastination often leads to a lost file. Losing a scene is disheartening. However, losing a manuscript borders on a Titanic-level disaster, especially if files formatted for digital and print publishing.
- Save to primary file and secondary backup (“ BU“) file
- Store files in external drive, cloud storage, or both
- Test backed up files
Just do it. You can thank me later… 😉
Your Thoughts?
How do you protect your creative efforts?
9 responses to “Essential File-Saving Tips for Creative Writers”
Always great advice, Grant!
Thanks, Dana. Simple but effective.
We have an external portable drive which we usually update after making changes to a document. It will definitely safe a terrible headache when something goes wrong. Thanks for the reminder.
You’re welcome, Mike and Elfriede! Congratulations on the upcoming February release of your co-authored DIGGING DEEPER into THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST: A Study Guide.
I regularly hit the ‘Save’ button as I work. I’ve known people who’ve lost important work – an entire year’s university study in one case, a 55,000-word book MS in another – due to not making backups or failure of saving system. I also save to an external drive at the end of my writing day. I got into the habit many years ago and it’s automatic now. I can’t believe that some people don’t make backups, in this day and age. Thoughtful of you to remind them. 🙂
Excellent points, Laura. A healthy (and deserved) distrust of technology leads us to adopt habits that minimize worst-case failures. Thanks for emphasizing the problem and solution!
Thanks for the reminder! I do a lot of drafting sort of work in the cloud–which should still be backed up.
The hubster and I have in-house backup (not connected to the internet) that runs every morning at 2 AM to a hard drive, and then I have a cloud storage plan.
Sounds like a plan, Priscilla. Like the old saw, an ounce of prevention saves us from pounds of grief.