Monday, I lamented the sort of plot that’s all about life happening to a hapless protagonist.
The fact is, sometimes life happens to all of us, and circumstances arise beyond our control in ways that leave us to pick up the pieces. It’s wearying to a reader if you try to make it an entire plot, but it’s realistic for a little unexpected and unplanned misfortune to crop up now and again.
In life, as in fiction, the best we can do is be prepared for the worst.
Yesterday, the existence of backup files saved a side project I help to support.
When my computer failed catastrophically a month or two ago, I wasn’t prepared for it. It didn’t give me any warning, it just stopped working. It wouldn’t even boot. I back up my work folders regularly, so I knew that the manuscripts were safe. That still left me lamenting the loss of photographs, my own original writings, and all the other irreplaceable files of sentimental value that we all entrust to fragile little machines.
Luckily, the failure wasn’t with the hard drive. It was still intact and the data was there for the saving. I promised myself to be more vigilant with my backups after that, but life gets in the way and sitting down to transfer a zillion photographs for safekeeping hasn’t been my priority.
Until yesterday’s crash reminded me, that is.
Save your work frequently when you’re in an open file. And backup your work frequently to an outside location, for safe keeping. Your works in progress represent hours and years of work and careful thought, and it’s worth a few extra minutes out of your weekly routine to keep them safe.
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