Oops! Wrong File.

Editing the wrong file!

This is a tip from my writing presentation, “Taming Technology.”

I love to revise and edit. The first draft is the hard part for me.

When I revise, I end up with multiple versions. I give each one a number at the end of the file so I can keep track of the newest version. An example,“My Story 43. doc.” I also save all those old files just in case. Imagine my shock when I discovered I was revising the wrong file one day. All that work on the wrong version! Imagine my shock when I did it again! I finally figured out how to avoid this.

My solution? Color!

It’s simple. Now every time I save a file for the last time I change the page color of the whole file. In Word, simply go to the Page Layout tab, click on Page Color, and choose your favorite color. I use a light blue. Now when I look back at an old file to see my original words, I know not to revise on that version. It works.

I also use this on files returned from editors, beta readers, and critique partners. I open both files side by side on the computer screen or on a second monitor, depending on where I am working, and know which file to work on.