Take time to back up your story

It's day 18 of NaNoWriMo. We've been chugging along for two and a half weeks. I feel like things are going well. I'm optimistic about the state of our novel writing because I believe we will get there.

But... And there had to be a but... I feel like I need to back UP here and let you know about something important.

Imagine this scenario of you getting almost all the way through your novel and all of a sudden, due to circumstances beyond your control you no longer have access to your previous writing. How does that make you feel? If you have a growing pit in your stomach at the mere thought then this is the episode for you.

This episode is meant to help you back up your novel. I would advise you to do that immediately.

If you're anything like someone we know you've probably devised a trustworthy method to flawlessly capture your finest novelry along with a few other words you've bookmarked to rework later.
You're feeling secure in this method of writing that has never failed you before.

Let me do a time check. Yep, it's time Back up your novel.

No matter if you're writing on your own reliable personal computer, offline, in the cloud, or some other way. Now that you know why you need to back up your writing I'm going to give you a few tips on how.

There are typically three ways that writers are writing their novels.

Offline

This means either by hand or dictation into a device with audio capturing capability.

On a computer, this could be a desktop, laptop, or other personal digital device, such as a tablet or a phone.

Online

I recommend using a different storage method than the one that you're using to write your novel.

For personal device /private storage

Back up methods Offline/ external storage

External Hard Drive
Thumb Drive
Print

Cloud-Based

Emailing your novel to yourself and then downloading that file
Google Docs
One Drive, if you prefer Microsoft

If you use an iOS device you can use AirDrop to transfer your novel to another iOs device using blue tooth or WiFi.

NaNoWriMo Sponsor

Dropbox Paper
https://nanowrimo.org/sponsor-offers

If you do at least one of these this week you will avoid the panic and heartache that will overtake your senses in the earlier scenario I gave.

I'm curious to know if you have a backup, which method you prefer to use: Offline, Transfer to an external device, or the cloud where it's always accessible with an internet connection?

LMK #amadvox on Twitter. or reply on the show notes page on the Episode 18 show notes page

That's all for today.

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Thanks for listening. Please consider sharing this episode with your friends so that they can get their backup on too!

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