What Do You Do?

[PariahSolo]

Yes, I lost 3K worth of words for my next chapter and it is all my fault to boot. Was removing all of the questionable files from my computer prior to sending my machine in for servicing and stored them onto a flash drive. Except that when everything was on the flash drive and I went to delete the file on the computer, I actually deleted the file on the flash drive instead. Yes, I screamed. Growled really. Growled really loud. Then I wanted to cry.

Normally something like this happens with me when I am typing a long response on a forum and something will happen and poof, next thing I know the last two hours are history.

[EveKnight75]

I have copies of my drafts in an e-mail account, on a CD, and on my laptop. If I update via one medium, I save the updates to the other mediums ASAP.

I learned that lesson the hard way. I once lost three chapters of a story while on vacation.

[Iggy_lovechild]

Um, I write everything as a rough draft first. Pen to paper and all that rubbish, though I do hate it when I did heavy edditing while typing up the chapter or story. Usually I just grind my teeth and re-start it another day. I absolutely hate typing stuff up and usually lose my focus once a program freezes up on me.

[Solaris]

I was not very computer wise back in the early 2000 era.

I used the same floppy over and over again, thinking it would hold everything. But when I got a new computer and went to download my files, several files were gone.

After I got the files back from my old computer, I started to buy floppies and use them once before getting another stack and using them.

I now have my stories on a 1gigabyte data transfer and I never have to really worry about it again but I will when it starts to get full.

Beth

[foeofthelance]

I use word/processor. Autorecovery for the win! and as for the two times Ive lost a computer, the majority of the work was either already up on AFF, or was backed up on seperate HDs. Probably should put some on disc, protect them from EMPs...

[shinigamiinochi]

Ok, my mother is the most conservative human in my area code, so I know this well. Yes, my mother doesn't believe in my writing and as soon as I went off to college, she threw out all of my stuff!!! Do you have any idea the sort of soul wrenching pain I am still in, especially now that I am finally posting all of the fics and poems I wrote in high school and middle school back when I didn't have anywhere on line to post?! T.T

[SasUke PepSi aDvErTiZeMeNt]

I hate when that happens! It bugs me to no end especially since when I'm done writing and it's gone.......I won't remember what I wrote! XD so much for me being top of the class!

[Kanashii]

Zip/Jump drives are your friend! Boy did I learn this the hard way.

Mr. Kanashii gave me a zip drive for my birthday one year and now I am religous about backing up weekly, especially since I write professionally....

Agents and publishers are not amused by the ol' "The computer crashed" excuse.