Comments on: Aside: On the Importance of Backups http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/ The Fundamentals of Our Publishing are Wrong Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:37:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sean Lindsay http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1211 Sean Lindsay Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:00:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1211 Abby, you have a trilogy, with an average 176,000 words per volume, that you've been working on for seven years?<br/><br/>You might want to get some prescription painkillers before you open any response to a query. Abby, you have a trilogy, with an average 176,000 words per volume, that you’ve been working on for seven years?

You might want to get some prescription painkillers before you open any response to a query.

]]> By: Abby http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1210 Abby Fri, 30 Mar 2007 07:58:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1210 I don't know, Sean. I think I'd feel sort of suicidal if I lost my 530,000 word trilogy in a hard drive crash. My trilogy may or may not be crap, but it does represent seven years of free time used up. I want to have something to show for it. <br/><br/>And I work in the tech industry, so I carry USB keychains and stuff around, anyway. It's too easy to make backups. It takes like 2 seconds. <br/><br/>Great blog, otherwise! You sound like a veteran reader of crappy, unpublished writing. I've been there, done that. I don’t know, Sean. I think I’d feel sort of suicidal if I lost my 530,000 word trilogy in a hard drive crash. My trilogy may or may not be crap, but it does represent seven years of free time used up. I want to have something to show for it.

And I work in the tech industry, so I carry USB keychains and stuff around, anyway. It’s too easy to make backups. It takes like 2 seconds.

Great blog, otherwise! You sound like a veteran reader of crappy, unpublished writing. I’ve been there, done that.

]]> By: Laura K http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1209 Laura K Fri, 02 Mar 2007 04:27:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1209 Other: Whenever I write something. Completely ignoring Sean's advice and reasons, I refuse to stop writing. Yet if I backed up only when I wrote something worth keeping, I would never back up at all. <br/><br/>After all, you never know when someone might want to pay for your writing, even if it is total crap. Other: Whenever I write something. Completely ignoring Sean’s advice and reasons, I refuse to stop writing. Yet if I backed up only when I wrote something worth keeping, I would never back up at all.

After all, you never know when someone might want to pay for your writing, even if it is total crap.

]]> By: Heather http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1208 Heather Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:14:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1208 I personally wish no writers would back up their writing. <br/><br/>then, they'd get discouraged when their writing gets lost on massive hard drive failures, floppy corruptions, or internet server crashes.<br/><br/>It's hard to come back after you lose 80,000 words of deathless prose. <br/><br/>That can ONLY be a good thing.<br/><br/>Oh, and David? Seriously man. If someone is dumb enough to take this advice and never backup anything, ever? They deserve what they're going to get. Especially when we know for a fact they wouldn't take any of Sean's OTHER advice. I personally wish no writers would back up their writing.

then, they’d get discouraged when their writing gets lost on massive hard drive failures, floppy corruptions, or internet server crashes.

It’s hard to come back after you lose 80,000 words of deathless prose.

That can ONLY be a good thing.

Oh, and David? Seriously man. If someone is dumb enough to take this advice and never backup anything, ever? They deserve what they’re going to get. Especially when we know for a fact they wouldn’t take any of Sean’s OTHER advice.

]]> By: David http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1207 David Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:07:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1207 Far be it from me to gainsay Anonymous, Sean.<br/><br/>After all, he wrote all those great plays, like <i>Hamlet</i>. How could that dude be <i>wrong</i>? Far be it from me to gainsay Anonymous, Sean.

After all, he wrote all those great plays, like Hamlet. How could that dude be wrong?

]]> By: Sean Lindsay http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1206 Sean Lindsay Mon, 26 Feb 2007 05:14:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1206 David, are you saying you <i>are</i> a humorless asshole if Anonymous calls it that way?<br/><br/>Rather than answer the greater question (whether I'm out of my mind), I'll quote from my own <a HREF="http://101reasonstostopwriting.blogspot.com/search/label/disclaimer" >Disclaimer</a>:<br/><br/><i>101 Reasons is presented "as is", and is not intended as a substitute for actual writing advice</i>, and<br/><br/><i>Sean Lindsay makes no warranties or assertions as to suitability or fitness for any particular purpose, other than the smug feeling you get from thinking that I'm talking to every other writer but you.</i> David, are you saying you are a humorless asshole if Anonymous calls it that way?

Rather than answer the greater question (whether I’m out of my mind), I’ll quote from my own Disclaimer:

101 Reasons is presented “as is”, and is not intended as a substitute for actual writing advice, and

Sean Lindsay makes no warranties or assertions as to suitability or fitness for any particular purpose, other than the smug feeling you get from thinking that I’m talking to every other writer but you.

]]> By: David http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1205 David Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:42:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1205 I <i>can</i> possibly think it. I can possibly think a lot of things. But Sean's adamant that it's <i>not</i> tongue-in-cheek.<br/><br/>From the FAQ:<br/><i><br/># This is a gag, right?<br/><br/>I'm deadly serious. I'd break into your house and steal all your pens if I could.<br/><br/># What's your motivation?<br/><br/>I'm sick of reading crappy books. I want to cut them off at the source.<br/></i><br/><br/>Then again, maybe I'm just a humorless asshole whose pet cause is computer backups and hates to see it get mocked, especially when most people are so cavalier about it. Your call. I can possibly think it. I can possibly think a lot of things. But Sean’s adamant that it’s not tongue-in-cheek.

From the FAQ:

# This is a gag, right?

I’m deadly serious. I’d break into your house and steal all your pens if I could.

# What’s your motivation?

I’m sick of reading crappy books. I want to cut them off at the source.

Then again, maybe I’m just a humorless asshole whose pet cause is computer backups and hates to see it get mocked, especially when most people are so cavalier about it. Your call.

]]> By: Anonymous http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1204 Anonymous Mon, 26 Feb 2007 02:29:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1204 David,<br/>You can't possibly think that this wasn't written tongue-in-cheek, can you? David,
You can’t possibly think that this wasn’t written tongue-in-cheek, can you?

]]> By: David http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1203 David Mon, 26 Feb 2007 02:07:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1203 Glad you think so, Sean. Glad you think so, Sean.

]]> By: Sean Lindsay http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/comment-page-1/#comment-1202 Sean Lindsay Sun, 25 Feb 2007 20:17:00 +0000 http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/2007/02/25/aside-on-the-importance-of-backups/#comment-1202 <i>this is really irresponsible advice to give.</i><br/><br/>David, that is so sweet of you to say. this is really irresponsible advice to give.

David, that is so sweet of you to say.

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