V.A. Editing

As I mentioned in a previous post, it is really important to back up those valuable files.

I am going to assume that your main files are probably stored on the hard drive of your laptop or desktop. Even if you have multiple copies of your manuscript on this same device this doesn’t warrant being called a back-up. If this device gets lost, stolen, or damaged, the files are gone. Nightmare! 

So, what are your other options? Let’s look at the pros and cons of a few possible choices.

USB sticks and SD cards

To some extent, I think your likelihood of turning to these options depends on whether you are a digital native or a digital immigrant. As a child of the 80s who grew up with floppy disks, I definitely have a soft spot for USB sticks. That said, let’s outline the main pros and cons of such portable storage options:

Pros

• A quick and easy option for making a copy of the documents you are currently working on.
• Portable and lightweight.
• Generally affordable.

Cons

• If no password protection, then your files can be accessed by others.
• Easily lost or damaged.
• Not convenient for sharing files over long distances.
• Storage capacity is fixed (and sometimes quite limited).

An external hard drive

I’m guessing that for some people this might feel like a slightly retro option, but I have included it because this is one of the main ways I do my larger scale back-ups. Personally, I have an external hard drive that I connect up periodically. I back up my most important documents, and then it gets disconnected and put away in a lockable box.

Pros

• Potentially large storage capacity.
• Portable (depending on size/weight).
• You can disconnect it, which means if you get a virus on your main computer, the files on your disconnected hard drive should be fine (assuming you did a virus scan before your last back-up).

Cons

• If no password protection, then your files can be accessed by others.
• Not convenient for sharing files over long distances.
• If you disconnect it then you’ll need to remember to reconnect and do manual back-ups.

Inside your email account

I love this option because it is a quick and easy way of making a copy of a small number of files, that will be available on any device that you can log into using your email address.

Pros

• Secure: should be password protected, and can be protected further with two-factor authentication.
• Can access files from anywhere you have an internet connection.
• The email is date and time stamped, which can be useful for a variety of reasons.
• Convenient for forwarding the documents to others.

Cons

• If your email account gets hacked or you disclose your password then other people have access to the files.
• You need an internet connection to send or access the files.
• Depending on which email service you use, the inbox capacity might be fairly limited.

Cloud storage

I intentionally left this option until last as it is the most recent addition to the selection of options we have for backing up files. There are various ways you can get cloud storage, such as through an email account, a myriad of applications, or your internet service provider.

Pros

• Accessible anywhere you have an internet connection, and from multiple devices.
• Access rights can be shared, and you can work simultaneously with a collaborator within the same document.
• Secure: should be password protected, and can be protected further with two-factor authentication.
• Potentially very large storage capacity.

Cons

• You need an internet connection to access the files (unless you have selected the offline function).
• The online change tracking functions can sometimes be visually complex and might not suit your style of working.
• You will have to pay for additional storage space if you need it.
• If you use cloud storage linked to something such as your internet provider and then decide to change providers you will need to remember to export those files before closing your account.

Summary

Personally, I use all of the above options across my professional and personal digital life. However, when it comes specifically to the documents I am currently editing, I tend to back up to my cloud, or email the documents to myself, as I like things to be behind password protection.

There is no single correct option; it really depends what works best for you. Whichever option you choose, my advice is to get into a good habit of labelling files clearly, to save yourself time in the future should you need to go through those back-ups to find something specific.

And if you haven’t already, now might be a good time to read the previous article I wrote about how often we should do back-ups.

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!