The episode of "Sex and the city" that I remember the most is the one where Carrie's laptop breaks and she didn't back up her work...thinking that it would never happen to me. Well, guess what? It did happen. Yesterday, after making good progress not on one but TWO scripts! After a month of saying "I'll back up my work Tomorrow"... Too late! So be wise fellow writers and save your work somewhere "safe", even every day if you need! In the meantime, I cross my fingers that my work is still there, somewhere... :(
Screenwriting : The consequences of procrastination... by Martina Cook
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Ouch. That reminds me of that website (can't quite remember the name...scripped.com?) that lost a lot of writers' works a couple years ago. Hope you get it all back, Martina!
Thanks Bill...yes Laura I used to send myself emails too, not sure why I stopped doing it:(
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I was working on a script and had typed some really good dialogue (yeah, my dialogue sucked. Does it still? Read my scripts!). My fingers wouldn't stop. About 7 pages later (no, the dialogue wasn't 7 pages!), my computer froze up. I did get the computer back up a little later, but my Mojo was gone. I just couldn't get the flow I had before and the dialogue was only "okay." I now back up more often for sure.
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Yep, I'm using Final Draft now, but not then. I still find myself saving a bunch of times still, even though I know it auto saves! I'm still mad and that was years ago!!!
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It is usually found in the history. I have done this an uncountable amount of times. It causes headache and delay. That is why I implement a multiple back up system built in to the writing. I put on USB (in case of fire) on OneDrive (in case I lose the USB) in my email and on the program to top off I keep a hardcopy so I can do 'old school' edits. This is what I do, my system seems to work (when I use it :)
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Two things happened to me:
1. I kept my screenplays on a laptop and it got a virus. It was so bad, they had to reinstall the Windows. Everything was lost except the screenplays(a miracle!)....
From then on, I started using a CD and later a memory stick to constantly save my screenplays on...
2. I wrote a screenplay and saved part of it on the stick, but I didn't do this for a while and my computer froze. I almost lost 60 pages of work!! Luckily the PC recovered and nothing was lost. From then on, everytime I write or rewrite something, I uploade it to that stick. Even if I rewrite something and change a single word, I'm still going to upload the whole screenplay there all over again.... Good luck with your screenplays, if your computer is broken, maybe try explaining you have really important documents to people fixing it and ask them to do their best to recover them intact....:)
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Ouch! That sucks!
Yep, that's a lesson I've learned this time...and forever!
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Sorry that happened to you! Such a bummer! ...Yeah, I use Final Draft which saves automatically. Plus here at home we have an automatic backup server. More than likely, Martina, you may be able to recover data off your hard drive; take it to a service center. Good luck! ;)
Unfortunately in my case it's my whole laptop that failed, took it to repair today, hopefully will have some news tomorrow...on pad and pen for few days, good old paper!
Thanks Beth...yeah the guy was very positive telling me nowadays they make miracles in recovering data, and I felt a bit better...until he showed me the bill! :(
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It still may be okay. They may be able to recover data. Fingers crossed. ;)
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Sorry to hear that. The same thing happened to me years ago with a Mac but I came back stronger than ever. Every time I worked on that blood sucker story, I would think - I already wrote this and glare angrily at my new computer.