Backing Up Your Work

There are many choices for making sure that if you ever lose your computer to theft, disaster, or the inevitable crash, you will never lose the manuscripts you’ve worked so hard to write. They run the gamut of very expensive to absolutely free. The following article discusses the less expensive and completely free methods that I have or currently use that have saved my data more times than I care to remember.

The most obvious methods for backing up your work include a USB Thumb Drive for single files or External HDD (Hard Disk Drive) for larger files or entire computer systems, either of which you may already have in your home. And if you don’t at least have an External HDD that you regularly use to back up your entire computer, you should. This is A MUST, not only to save your manuscripts, but to save everything on your computer in case it ever gets wiped out for any reason – the result of viruses, natural disasters, that cup of coffee you just spilled on your keyboard, Windows and Mac (yes, even Macs crash) ‘Blue Screens of Death’, just to name a few. Using this method, you can just copy your manuscript to the thumb or external drive on a daily basis and you’ve got an extra copy just in case. The same is true for copying to a CD or DVD.

The problem with the external drive method, however is that it is usually an ON-SITE backup. If you have a fire or other natural disaster, there is no recourse, unless that USB Thumb Drive is in your purse or pocket, or the CD/DVDs or HDD are in a safe deposit box at the bank. And let’s be honest, it’s very inconvenient to do that, so the likelihood of your backups being at home right next to your computer, and just as vulnerable, is pretty high.

The best method of backing up your work is OFF-SITE storage. There are fee-based companies that will do this for you, but they can get quite expensive, depending upon the company you choose. When I first learned of this service, it made me think about the company that hosts my website. I pay them for the space provided on their servers – perhaps saving my files in an encrypted file in my domain might be a great option without an added expense. Unfortunately, the Terms of Service (TOS) for my host specifically prohibits storing any personal files that are not accessible to my website visitors. This might not be true for all hosts, so you if you do have a website and want to try this method, read your host’s TOS to make sure before you try this.

For the really budget minded, there is a FREE alternative to back up your manuscripts that is very easy and reliable: E-mail.

Google, Hotmail, and Yahoo! all offer free Internet-based e-mail accounts. I have several e-mail addresses on Gmail alone. Whenever I finish a new article, short story, or chapter, I e-mail a copy to one of my Gmail accounts. Then, if disaster strikes, I can recover my files when I get a computer back up and running. Worst case scenario, I can borrow a friend’s computer or use a public computer to access, recover, or continue my work.

If you don’t already have a free, Internet based email account, it might be a good idea to get one. Set it up exclusively for the purpose of storing your writing. If you’re really safety conscious, create storage accounts on two different free e-mail providers. While this won’t guarantee you’ll never lose your hard work to computer catastrophe, it stacks the odds in your favor, is kind to your wallet, and creates peace of mind.