Saving Your WIP and Question Time!
Posted by annastan on April 5th, 2010. Filed under: Contests, Craft, Enchanted Inkpot, WIP.If you recall my post on beta readers recently, it was inspired by a question from my lovely friend Kate from high school. Recently she posed another question which I thought would make a good blog post: How do I save my WIP? Do I have different versions, or do I keep adding to one document?
I’m always saving new versions of my WIPs, but the way I’ve gone about this has changed over time. For a while, each time I did any sort of major revision, I would save the file with the title and the version number (i.e. “AmazingNewManuscript5″). After a while, however, this got to be pretty confusing, especially if I was switching back and forth between more than one computer. Now I save each new major revision with the title and the date (i.e. “AmazingNewManuscriptApril2010″).
For a while, I was using Subversion which my husband set up for me. It allows you to save different versions of documents and compare them. I realized that I hardly ever used this feature, however, so I’ve gone back to saving things the regular way. Here’s an example of what one of my WIP folders looks like:
This folder has actually become even more full in the past month as I’ve revised and renamed this particular manuscript, but you get the idea. Every time I get feedback from someone, I save that as well. Usually my WIP folders have an “outtakes” file where I paste any scenes that I cut out of the manuscript. That way cutting something doesn’t actually mean throwing it away.
And that’s about it. I’d be interested to hear how my saving process compares to what you all do. Also, if you have any questions about writing, reading, or life in general, please leave them in the comments. I’ll either answer them there or save them for future posts. Let the questions fly!
Finally, if you haven’t heard, the Enchanted Inkpot just had its first anniversary. Yay! To celebrate we’re having a huge book giveaway. Swing by and check it out!
April 5th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Hi Anna, This is a totally interesting post. Right now I don’t have a system, but I need one! In May one of my jobs will be to organize my computer files.
April 5th, 2010 at 9:22 am
I have tons of folders and folders within folder all titled and numbered by the version. A folder for older versions. A folder for critiques. A folder for queries. A folder for agent research. A big folder full of my different first chapter versions. A folder for older stories. A folder for current wips. It’s organized to me.
My question is – what is the most recent leap in understanding craft you’ve made?
April 5th, 2010 at 9:35 am
I have no clever way. They’re all in a huge folder in my documents and every few days I renumber my WIP so I have a record of the changes.
April 5th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Through years of trial and error, I’ve come up with a system much like yours, Anna. And I do mean error. I used to delete old versions, which led to tears. (I tend to get into slash-and-burn moods and cut too much.) When I finally came up with an “outtakes” file, I saved myself a lot of grief.
I keep a separate queries and submissions folder, because I’m always submitting novels, stories, articles and poems (sold a POEM last week! Who gets paid for poetry? Kind of cool)and I like to keep my submitting (masochistic?) activity separate from my creative (positive) activity. Is that weird?
April 5th, 2010 at 10:38 am
That’s so funny that you were using Subversion — a total geek move that one. Ha.
Right now, I don’t even have chapters, so I have a file for each scene and when I rewrite them I just put the new version in ABC order (Scene01_a, Scene01_b, etc.) but I never delete anything — I too learned the hard way to never do that again.
When I’m ready to sort all of the scenes into chapters, I create a file for each chapter. Only when I’m done do I create one file for the whole manuscript.
I’m still using yWriter, but even so it’s basically using my same method of saving scenes in separate files.
Happy Anniversary Enchanted Inkpot!
April 5th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Hi Heather! Good luck organizing all your files. Not a fun task, but I’m sure it will be worth it.
Laura, your system sounds so organized. I’m a big folder fan, too, but I tend to hide one folder in another and then not be able to find it.
Thanks for your excellent question! I’ll mull it over and blog about it very soon!
Lydia, sometimes keeping it simple is the best solution. As long as you can find things when you need them, that’s all that matters.
Anne, congrats on selling your poem! How exciting!! Your system sounds very much like mine. I keep all my manuscripts together in one folder, but all other writing-related files go in other folders. Keeping
creative things separate does seem like the way to go!
Karen, my husband is a total geek so of course he’d set me up with a geeky program.
I was using yWriter for a while, but wound up drifting back to Word. I’m so intrigued by people who write in scenes instead of chapters. I’m afraid I’d get a bit overwhelmed if I kept all my chapters separate, but I can see how it would help you think of the arc in each scene. Very interesting!
April 5th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Oh, I forgot I also have also have question for you!
Do you write directly in your books? Or do you keep notes in a seperate notebook?
I’ve always wondered if other writers do this. I feel like I’m defacing property but then it helps when I go back and re-read.
April 5th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Karen, I’m maniacal about keeping my books spotless. I just can’t get myself to write in them. If I absolutely need to mark something, I’ll use a post-it. Yes, I’m a dork.
April 5th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
I save a new version every single day. I title them by title_year_month_day and I put them in folders by month and year. Obsessive? Maybe
April 5th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
That looks way more organized than what i do…*coughs* Guess I should get on that, lol
April 5th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Wow, PJ! I’m amazed at your super organized approach. I think I might be a little too absent-minded (and lazy) to be so consistent. Very impressive!
Angela, no worries. As long as you can keep track of your manuscript, that’s all that matters. Some people keep their books in shoe boxes, right?