I Lost my Story

@akalinus (43184)
United States
July 30, 2024 12:17pm CST
I am writing a story on Google Docs to send to a science fiction magazine. Docs is supposed to save your work as soon as it is written. I don't know what happened. I had it all written and needed to start editing but it disappeared. I looked everywhere for it but it was gone. I am rewriting it and think it is better than the first time around. Have you ever lost a story when the first draft was finished? What do you do? If you rewrite it, is it better or worse?
10 people like this
6 responses
Kandase
@Kandae11 (54986)
•
30 Jul
I find it is usually better, but it is very annoying when l lose it.
2 people like this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
31 Jul
Do you lose it very often? I have an external drive thing but can't figure out how to use it. The instructions are written in Martian. I also need passwords and two-step verifications and all kinds of stuff so complicated that I can't get into my own apps.
Abhijit Bangal
@abhi_bangal (5524)
• Ahmednagar, India
31 Jul
Uh um. Honesty speaking, I never had this experience. Be it Docs, Sheets, etc. they all save your work in real time. I often use Sheets. For years. But not even on a single occasion did this happen to me. I don't know how this happened with you. You didn't mention in your discussion if you had kept your internet connection on, though I assume you did. I did face such problems while using MS Word. That was quite long ago. And I was comparatively new to using computers. Docs, Sheets did not exist those days. But still I got the recovered version of my work. But anyway, a second writing will give you a better version of you story.
1 person likes this
Abhijit Bangal
@abhi_bangal (5524)
• Ahmednagar, India
3 Aug
@akalinus At no point in my above reply I said that I need a spreadsheet. I just mentioned what the thing is. But yes, I do use Sheets. And I've a business.
1 person likes this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
31 Jul
Could you explain what Sheets is? I thought it was a spreadsheet and I always have trouble with those. I don't know how to edit them for my many mistakes. I was erasing parts that I did not need for this story and I think I may have deleted myself. Can you see me? Am I still there? I'm fading away. Yiiiiiikkkkes!
1 person likes this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
3 Aug
@abhi_bangal Why do you need a spreadsheet? Do you have a business?
1 person likes this
Anne Marie Guyer
@LeaPea2417 (37350)
• Toccoa, Georgia
30 Jul
Yes that has happened to me and it is so frustrating! It has turned out better the second time, though.
1 person likes this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
30 Jul
I know I had something interesting in the middle of the story. I wrote it well but cannot remember what it was about. Why? Why do I want to write? It is frustrating as all get out.
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (178180)
• United States
31 Jul
Fortunately I haven't lost much over the years. I'm glad your rewrite was even better. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
31 Jul
It is amazing how it works out to lose and have to redo something. Still, there is all that time wasted. This morning, I completely changed the ending.but am not sure if I should have left it or if it is better that way. The first ending was shocking but the second one makes more sense but more boring.
1 person likes this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
1 Aug
@LindaOHio My beta reader said my ending was confusing. I don't know how to fix it.
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (178180)
• United States
1 Aug
@akalinus I'm sure it will be fine.
1 person likes this
jaishankar
@Shivram59 (35325)
• India
4 Aug
I still love to write on a paper with my pen.The pen I use now was gifted to me by my mother around 10 years ago.She knows writing with a pen has been my hobby.
1 person likes this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
4 Aug
That's great. I used to write with a pen but my writing skills are almost done and I have trouble writing so I can read it. I learned to do it that way and miss that.
1 person likes this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
4 Aug
@Shivram59 I got so my handwriting got smaller and smaller and finally I could not read it. I am practicing writing normally but it is slow. I used to fill notebooks with my writing and ideas at night in my room. I so wish I could continue doing that.
1 person likes this
jaishankar
@Shivram59 (35325)
• India
4 Aug
@akalinus But I am more comfortable wish a copy and a pen to write with.Everyday I write something.
1 person likes this
Aparna Sen
@Dreamerby (4832)
• Calcutta, India
30 Jul
Which magazine? The Clarkesworld Magazine?
1 person likes this
Jo Ann
@akalinus (43184)
• United States
31 Jul
It is for science fiction and fantasy. It is not my usual genre but I need to get back into being published. I looked into Clarkesworld Magazine. I don't think it is for me. I understand some Spanish but am not good at writing it.