I’ve learned how memory can save your butt if you’re a writer, the hard way. Whether it’s a compact flash card or a full-on flash drive, it’s important to back up your work as a writer, and the more ways you have it backed up, the better.

I learned this when I lost 100-plus pages of a manuscript (among a lot of other vital stuff) when my PC’s hard drive failed last winter. It took me nearly six months to get energized to dig back into the project, and only now am I clicking away again.

So it’s vital; let my tale be the cautionary one that advised you to back up everything you care about – especially your writing projects!