How do you organise your writing - Idea to Promo and beyond discussion

OK, so you've got a draft of your work on the PC at home, but you do some work at lunch time. So, you put your draft onto your memory stick. You may even have another version on the laptop. Then, you also have a situation where you have to note a section of work on pen and paper when out and about.
That's a lot of different versions of the same work. How do you keep track of them, so you don't lose any work? I know I've done it before, when I've written 2 versions of the same thing because I wasn't keeping proper track of versions. I personally think it's a bad idea having more than 1 draft sitting around, unless they have a version history on each. This makes it easier to tell when that version was updated and which work should be transfered to the master copy. Howw do you keep track of your work?

i was working on this pilot? in a writing class and i had like 10 different versions of it, inevitably i scrapped the project it wasn't working as a pilot, it might make a decent film, but it wasn't working as a tv show. any way i would write long hand on printed copies and then would update and save as a new version, it would be social hermits 2.0, or social hermits 10/20/08, or whatever just something that made sense to me.

Sorry if I didn't quite grasp what you said there, Lauren. How did you know what version was most recent, version 2.0 or the one by date. Do you feel it should be either, version history or by date? Maybe better as version history with date that version was created?
Did you have different versions depending on wether it was to be film, play, pilot or TV show? That could certainly get rather confusing. I'm happy you shared this view. I'm not going to say here, what way is right or wrong, I only want to know what does or doesn't work for authors. I'm glad you shared your experience.

I have my crappy little file box that holds discs, memory sticks, and notebooks. Each piece of work has it's own little portfolio, so I can pull it out, and work at it.
Most of my rough drafts are saved on my laptop and disc. As i finish updating I save to disc and move on. Sometimes just to my documents if I plan on coming back to it later. I never, ever, turn off the computer without saving my recent work. I learned the hard way when I lost SIX chapters of Happiness Hills because my daughter deleted it. Oh I was mad. Good thing it was all in the notebook as well, I was transferring it to the computer. All that work and time was wasted though. Sigh

Andy wrote: "Sorry if I didn't quite grasp what you said there, Lauren. How did you know what version was most recent, version 2.0 or the one by date. Do you feel it should be either, version history or by date..."

i think the date helps to keep it linear, but it depends on how you like to work. i started with version 2.0 because i didn't think i would have 15 drafts, but it was like everyday something new came and i had to do another rewrite. i had a box full of different versions i had printed out and wrote new scenes on. it was always supposed to be a pilot i think if and when i revisit it, i will be looking with the eyes of someone trying to write a screenplay, and will be able to use a bunch of those scenes that i had to throw away from version to version because it was too long for a pilot.

Aaahh, the fresh approach to each. I understand. I like to shelf work, then get a renewed vigour when I return to it with a fresh outlook. The text just flies onto the pages.

Renee wrote: "I have my crappy little file box that holds discs, memory sticks, and notebooks. Each piece of work has it's own little portfolio, so I can pull it out, and work at it.
Most of my rough drafts ar..."
I'm sure there is a function where your work can be automatically saved (once every X minutes)as a different file name, that way you wouldn't have a breakdown when losing all that work. I think the function is available on MS Word, don't know about others.

Yeah, it says it's saving, but I don't know, I've had stuff deleted and none of it is retrievable. Maybe I'm just a knob. Probably.

that sucks renee.

i don't like to touch a project right after i've written, i like to wait a week or more before i start editing because you can become too precious with your work and not want to make any changes because you love it so much. i think the more a project is close to my heart the more time i have to spend away from it in order to be objective. i have tried to distance myself from the musical as much as possible because it really is like an autobiographical musical and i am playing the lead female in it, so i can't get so wrapped up in it that i can't perform it.

Renee wrote: "Yeah, it says it's saving, but I don't know, I've had stuff deleted and none of it is retrievable. Maybe I'm just a knob. Probably."
Am I right in remembering you are using Works on pc or was that the laptop?

Oh, Renee. About your scanner thing. It seems your scan rate is too high. You should be able to lower it to maybe 600dpi in the Custom Scan area. I'm still working on instruction. A little more difficult without software or machine. Keep on bashing, eh?

Lauren wrote: "that sucks renee.

i don't like to touch a project right after i've written, i like to wait a week or more before i start editing because you can become too precious with your work and not want t..."I think it's really healthy and beneficial to the work, if you distance yourself, try to forget about it, then return with fresh outlook. I read from the start each time and spot what needs sorted and what should be added etc.

Andy wrote: "Lauren wrote: "that sucks renee.

i don't like to touch a project right after i've written, i like to wait a week or more before i start editing because you can become too precious with your work..."

i do the same thing. we did a staged reading of a musical i wrote, and i had a couple of ideas as we were rehearsing but i waited til after i got feedback from the reading before i added all my ideas, we ended up with two new songs and like 5 new scenes.

Thanks Andy,

When I lost the work it was in Word, on my old computer. I've lost stuff in works, but I don't think it has that autosave feature.

Renee wrote: "Thanks Andy,

When I lost the work it was in Word, on my old computer. I've lost stuff in works, but I don't think it has that autosave feature.

"
Yup, I've got crappy Works on the laptop. Total mince. I'll look into the Wrod autosave and see if I can get it to save as a backup file rather than say .doc or .rtf and let you know.

When I downloaded the windows program on here (laptop) it went through a list of features and 'auto save' was on it. So far I've lost only that one bit on here. Not a lot. It was enough to piss me off, but not as bad as chapters and chapters of work.
Maybe there's somewhere I have to turn it on or something. I don't know. I have begun to save everything each time I finish a few pages. Works pretty well.

yeah, you could just do it the old fashioned way. Saving the docs, that is. But, the problem is when you're engrossed in what your doing, frantically typeing away and forget to save, that is when the power cut happens. Or, your brain says,save your work after this sentence, but 10 secs before that, something happens. I'm sure the PC knows when you're distracted, that's when the bugger screws up. Deliberatly too!

Yes, the cheeky bastard always chooses those times to act like an ass. Shutting down, battery dying, or simply doing some weird thing that I can't explain.

They are going to take over the world eventually, you all know that don't you?

Everything has gone too PC;}
Don't you hate it when it states "attempting to recover file" Why bloody bother, you never do it right, or you can't, or you're just give me an error that is a number. I don't speak binary you stupid machine. speak english or die!

Here's how I do the save-thing. Because I work on novels for years, I have quite a few earlier iterations, which I save by date -- THAS 5-15-09. Like that. I save to a 16 gig flash drive where I keep all of my writing, then back up to the C drive and a Terabyte back up. I have 9 published books and I think I'd die if I lost the files. Even with all this, I have traumas now and then.

Word does have an auto backup. The file is called 'backup'. Makes it convenient.

Interesting thread.

Convenient but I've never found it. But I'm a computer retard, so it takes me a while to figure anything out. Lots of yelling, crying, begging, and then its all good.

Wow, 1Tb. serious backup then. Nice to see so much Belts and Braces. At least Renee has the excuse to rant and rave, us people that backup have to vent our frustration in other ways:D

Because I'm pretty religious about my own backups, I don't use the Word version. Renee, you can find it under 'tools', 'options', 'save'. It's the first choice at the top. of the dialogue box.

Thanks Jacqui.

do you have the 2007 version or the old version of word, the 2007 is kind of wierd and its under the microsoft icon menu. click and a drop down menu will appear at the bottom there is a button for word options click on that and a new window will appear, then click on save and you can adjust the automatic save to save at time intervals i just set mine for every minute. so if you get knocked out of your computer dies it will have nearly all of your work automatically backed up.

You are braver than I, Lauren. I'm afraid of that tab-y thing. Soon I'll have to because 2003 is getting dated. Thanks for the info.

I'll check Lauren, I think it's an older version but I remember updating...I'll check. That's easier. I think I've got it now. On the laptop anyway. I don't work much on the desktop anymore, the kids have claimed it.

you still want to save it before you close out, but it is an insurance system incase anything happens accidentally.

Hello, I'm new to goodreads. I save my drafts the old-fashioned way - backed up and dated hard copies arranged messily everywhere. I wrote my novel first in first person and then in third. They're all piled up somewhere. I'm an American. My novel sold last year to Random House who in turn sold it to Harper Collins in the UK. I'm very much looking forward to chatting with this group. Johanna

welcome, and congratulations. whats the name of your novel?

Thanks, Lauren. "The Wives of Henry Oades." Historical fiction, based on a true story. Johanna

I love historical fiction. I'll have to add it to my 'to read' list.

Thanks,Renee. So nice to e-meet you. Johanna

Hi Joanna

Is this your first novel, or first of several? I've had good success with non-fiction, but haven't yet cracked the fiction genre. How'd you do it?

Long,long, story, Jacqui. Many years were invested. Not unusual, I think. I have two unsold novels on the shelf. That's where they will likely stay. Johanna

Hi Johanna. It's really nice to see you. I just love all the people in here. Ohh I could eat them all up.
By keeping all those paper drafts, don't you start feeling a bit cramped? you'll surely have a backup somewhere?

Hi Andy, Happy to be here. Yes, indeedy, all those paper drafts make for a mess. But I lack the heart to go through them, toss what needs tossing. Someday - maybe. And I am backed up.
By the way, two out of three of my main characters are British. It's a little tricky writing out of voice/culture/gender. As a yank, I was thrilled when the book sold to the UK.

Ohhh, you lucky thing. I sold a book once too:D
Yup, I'd feel the same way about writing in a yank voice. My wife has relations there so, I get a wee taste now and them. There's the abundance of USA tv here too. I need sleep. Tata for now.

Friend Andy,

Thank you for the invitation to join this group. I have little time at the moment to respond to the threads. As you know, I’m doing elder care for my mom-in-law, she has a broken hip. As soon as I can I will participate with the threads.

Warmest Regards,

D.B. Pacini

D.B. wrote: "Friend Andy,

Thank you for the invitation to join this group. I have little time at the moment to respond to the threads. As you know, I’m doing elder care for my mom-in-law, she has a broken ..."No problem at all, D. You take care of yourself and family, and we'll all be here waiting. Best regards. Andy

Backups - ah yes. Good idea, aren't they?

I write on whatever PC or laptop I happen to be sitting at, but after saving regularly to the C: drive, I always as a final action save to a memory stick. Not just any memory stick, but the one that is always with me.

Always. Everywhere.

Then, when next I write that particular work, I always load from the memory stick first.

That way, I'm always workingon the most up to date version.

My plan too, Paul. I bet you back it up religiously, too. As I write more books, I've had to increase my flash drive. I'm up to 16 gig, eying that 32 gig-er as we speak.

Hi Paul.

Hi Renee.

Yes Jacqui, a matter of routine - open up from flash drive, final save to flash drive. 4 gig does me for now, but I may eventually retire that as an archive stick and go to 16 myself.

An archive stick?? Man, I'll never catch up. I bow before you guys. Johanna

(sigh). I'm so impressive when it's just me and a keyboard.

I don't know, Jacqui. I've just read your profile, and I'd say you were pretty impressive even away from your keyboard. :)

Paul wrote: "Backups - ah yes. Good idea, aren't they?

I write on whatever PC or laptop I happen to be sitting at, but after saving regularly to the C: drive, I always as a final action save to a memory stick...."
Hey, it's oor Paul. Welcome back pal.
Snap. I find it can help if you have a version history too, just in case. (it gives an idea of what you did, when and how your work progressed. Maybe showing up lesson learned) I work between 2 pcs and a laptop and just now, between 3 different stories. (just the way I work)

OK, this may seem a bit overkill. Burn all work onto CD periodically and leave a copy at another location (friends house) for safe keeping (off site), just in case something happens to all work at your place.

I repeat, my memory stick is always with me.

My rationale is: If the house, burns down, my laptop is stolen and a major network problem trashes all the work computers, I still have my work. If, on the other hand, someone steals my trousers, or I fall down a cliff and die of exposure and internal injuries, I don't care what happens to the work.

Of course, I also, daily, backup all changed files to the webserver in Amsterdam - just in case my surviving kin want to cash in on me after death. That's why I haven't bothered with life insurance. They'll have to find a publisher.