Ask a Romance Author – volume 1

This is a column of the Houston Bay Area RWA chapter.  If you have a question you would like to see answered, if you are a PAN member and would like to have your answer considered for next month’s column, or if you would like permission to reprint this article please email Jessica.

 

After a book is finished, what sort of backup do you keep? 

  

From Joan Reeves:

www.joanreeves.com
On my hard drive is a folder named the same as the book title. That folder contains everything—research notes, synopsis, manuscript, etc. I burn a CD with the contents of that folder then I make two floppies with the final version of the manuscript. (I still use floppies because they're economical storage media. In fact I had a floppy drive installed in my new computer when I ordered it as well as a CD burner. Floppies may last longer than CDs. Most people think CDs are forever but that isn't the case. Their integrity is suspect after 3-4 years.) I put the CD and one floppy in a data storage box that can be transported easily in case I get very paranoid about going on vacation and fear the house may burn down—along with my life's work! The other floppy I stick in that novel's binder. After the book is contracted and I transfer the novel binder contents to a large manila envelope, the floppy goes in there too.

                                                                                                                                                               

From Cheryl Bolen:
COUNTERFEIT COUNTESS, January 2005 Zebra Historical www.cherylbolen.com
I keep all books on a back-up disk. After I turn in a book, I keep the latest draft. 

When I get copy-edits, I feed these into the draft, and back up.  However, once the 

book is published—and I have real copies in my hand—I throw out all paper copies. Though I've only published 8 books, I've written almost 20. Waaaay too much paper to keep.
   

From Colleen Thompson:

FATAL ERROR, November 2004 Leisure Romantic Suspense 

www.colleen-thompson.com

As I am writing a book, I regularly back up to CD-ROM, my USB flash drive, and an online 

"briefcase" which is provided by my Internet Service Provider, SBC. (I've experienced more than my share of catastrophic hard drive failures, corrupted files, etc., so I'm inclined to be very careful.) 

Before I turn in the book, I make sure these files are up to date.  I also keep the most recent hard copy at least until the book's publication, and of course, I keep several copies of the published book on hand.  I'm sure this seems like overkill, but sometimes authors reclaim rights to their out-of-print books, which they are then free to re-sell.  It that were the case, I would hate to have to retype the entire manuscript—or pay someone else to do so.

   
From Linda Barrett: 
RELUCTANT HOUSEMATES, February 2005 Superromance

www.linda-barrett.com
I back up as I write, of course, both on a floppy disk and on two portable memory drives (those little things you can wear around your neck if you want).  After I submit 

the galleys and I know the whole editing process is over, I keep the original, the revision and the revision letter as well as copies of any line-edited pages from the revision.  And there 

are plenty of those!  So, in essence, I keep everything.  I do not delete the books from my hard drive either.  Soon, I will need a closet-stretcher to accommodate cartons.  Maybe we have too much imagination.  There's a little voice in my head that says, “What if, someday, you have to pro-o-ove that the story is yours?"  We writers are an insecure lot. 
   

From Kerrelyn Sparks:
HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE VAMPIRE, August 2005 Avon www.kerrelynsparks.com
I keep a copy on a disk.  My editor has a copy on a disk.  I email a copy to my agent. And since I have emailed a few chapters at a time to my critique partners, the entire book could be compiled from my Outbox and their Inboxes.  Also, my editor has an extra hard copy printed off before she sends the manuscript back to me.
   

Next month:  

What's the weirdest question anyone has ever asked you about your writing?

     

Column compiled by Jessica Trapp, PAN Liaison Houston Bay Area RWA

Jessica Trapp writes novels striking for their sensuality and strong conflicts between her heroes and heroines.  She believes a dynamic romance is one where two opposing characters are transformed into two people who share love and passion.  Her debut novel MASTER OF PLEASURE (Zebra, June 2005) placed in more than 25 national fiction-writing contests. 

 

Also read: 

How To Stay Unpublished Forever—Ten Easy Steps.

(A little humor for other writers)

By Babette deJongh and Jessica Trapp