Organizing Your Project Files--Part Two

Writer Wednesday

Every project you begin needs to be tracked. You will have research files at the start of the process, documents while composing drafts, submission records, edits and marketing efforts. There will be many versions of the same project as it goes through editing phases. Therefore, you will need to keep track of all these versions.

There are storage needs for both hard copy and electronic records. They should mirror each other for easiest retrieval.

(Continued)
6. Save portions of larger projects in smaller files (ex. chapters) as you work. They can all be combined into one file when you need to print it.
7. If you keep more than one version of a project, include the date in the file name for quick identification.
8. Use "Print Preview" before printing to avoid mistakes.
9. Keep a copy of any version you send to a contest, agent or editor so you can refer to it later if necessary.
10. Perform daily backup of any files you edit.