Too Many files!

[pmmg]

Just a note:

Not saying it would not be helpful to save files with date stamps in their titles, but files are saved with date and time stamps on them. I would assume that everyone knows how to find that if they want to. If you do not, or forget, to do this, you can still find files by the last date and time stamp used.

That is all.

 

[queen silvia]

I haven't 'completed' anything to get to that stage yet, my new years resolution is to finish at least one of my original fictions rough drafts though.
Things are coming along at a good ish clip though I might have to take some of my 'focus' away from the two fanfictions.

That honestly sounds like a solid place to be finishing one original rough draft as a New Year goal is realistic, and it gives you something concrete to aim for. Shifting a bit of focus away from fanfic when the originals need momentum makes sense too. You’re choosing long-term work over short-term comfort, which isn’t easy.
What you’re describing (getting everything into one big master draft) is exactly how a lot of writers move out of the messy phase and into “this is the book now.”
If it helps, here’s a simple, low-pressure way to handle that stage:

• Pick one file and call it your master draft. That’s the only one you actively write in.
• Move everything else into an archive folder. You’re not deleting just clearing your workspace.
• Keep one separate “cut scenes / good ideas” file so nothing feels lost.
• Then just push forward until the rough draft is done, even if parts feel clumsy.

That’s it. No perfection. Just forward motion.
You’re already doing the hardest part: showing up and building pages.
And whenever you’re further along (no rush at all), if you’d like a quiet outside perspective on your original work, I’m happy to share your sample with someone I collaborate with who gives thoughtful feedback on story flow and series direction. Totally optional just another set of eyes if it ever feels useful.
Right now, finishing that rough draft is the real win.
Do you find you prefer one big revision pass at the end or lots of smaller edits as you go?

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

That honestly sounds like a solid place to be finishing one original rough draft as a New Year goal is realistic, and it gives you something concrete to aim for. Shifting a bit of focus away from fanfic when the originals need momentum makes sense too. You’re choosing long-term work over short-term comfort, which isn’t easy.
What you’re describing (getting everything into one big master draft) is exactly how a lot of writers move out of the messy phase and into “this is the book now.”
If it helps, here’s a simple, low-pressure way to handle that stage:

• Pick one file and call it your master draft. That’s the only one you actively write in.
• Move everything else into an archive folder. You’re not deleting just clearing your workspace.
• Keep one separate “cut scenes / good ideas” file so nothing feels lost.
• Then just push forward until the rough draft is done, even if parts feel clumsy.

That’s it. No perfection. Just forward motion.
You’re already doing the hardest part: showing up and building pages.
And whenever you’re further along (no rush at all), if you’d like a quiet outside perspective on your original work, I’m happy to share your sample with someone I collaborate with who gives thoughtful feedback on story flow and series direction. Totally optional just another set of eyes if it ever feels useful.
Right now, finishing that rough draft is the real win.
Do you find you prefer one big revision pass at the end or lots of smaller edits as you go?

When I want to make minor revisions, I do so right in the chapter files, however these 'minor' revisions are downright microscopic compared to the edits you'd make on the completed story. (like altering huge bits of a scene earlier in the story so a later one makes sense for example, and I'm not far enough along in either to start making edits like that. I think I'll wait til I finish the rough draft first.) A lot of the time it's just re-phrasing things, I think one of the first things I'm going to tackle when I finish the rough draft is all the 'x said n y tone' stuff, while I feel this is part of my writing style (I've been doing this since high school to 'identify' characters voices) I want it to be more professional than just that.

I might keep some of it though, when it makes sense. But right now if I did a key word search for that particular combo ya'll would balk lol

As for some other changes, I'll probably nuke most of the swears (or create fictional/family friendly ones that I can use in place of the actual word) except maybe the occasional 'shit' or 'damn' since those aren't too bad. I also may or may not have to change around some stuff with the L33T clan but I haven't written any scenes with those characters in them yet.

 

[SamazonE]

I like OneNote and Word. I have so many files. I thought the thread would go in that direction. Over the years I never knew (what I was going to work on or delete) because there were so many rough drafts. They would never go anywhere.

Mostly I start with epic scenes. Then I start to explain the world to myself. Then I write chapter skeletons. I try to do it alphabetically or numerically. So I know where I think it goes, and where it actually goes.

As far as what I do with refuse, I have a scrap pile at the edge of my document, where I also take notes.

 

[queen silvia]

When I want to make minor revisions, I do so right in the chapter files, however these 'minor' revisions are downright microscopic compared to the edits you'd make on the completed story. (like altering huge bits of a scene earlier in the story so a later one makes sense for example, and I'm not far enough along in either to start making edits like that. I think I'll wait til I finish the rough draft first.) A lot of the time it's just re-phrasing things, I think one of the first things I'm going to tackle when I finish the rough draft is all the 'x said n y tone' stuff, while I feel this is part of my writing style (I've been doing this since high school to 'identify' characters voices) I want it to be more professional than just that.

I might keep some of it though, when it makes sense. But right now if I did a key word search for that particular combo ya'll would balk lol

As for some other changes, I'll probably nuke most of the swears (or create fictional/family friendly ones that I can use in place of the actual word) except maybe the occasional 'shit' or 'damn' since those aren't too bad. I also may or may not have to change around some stuff with the L33T clan but I haven't written any scenes with those characters in them yet.

That actually sounds very healthy you’re doing exactly what most experienced writers do, even if it doesn’t feel “professional” yet.

Leaving the big structural edits until after the rough draft is finished is smart. Right now you’re discovering the story. Trying to fix continuity or deep scene logic before you’ve seen the whole shape usually just burns energy.


The “X said in Y tone” habit is super common too especially when you’re teaching yourself character voice. Think of it as scaffolding. Later, you’ll naturally replace a lot of that with action beats, body language, or subtext. You don’t have to strip it all out just keep what actually adds clarity.

Same with the swearing. That’s an easy polish pass later. Fictional curses can be great in fantasy when they fit the world, and keeping a few grounded words like “damn” or “shit” usually helps things feel human.

Right now, your job is simple: finish the draft.

When you get there, here’s a gentle step-by-step that keeps things from feeling overwhelming:

1. Pick one file as your master draft.
2. Archive everything else (don’t delete just move it).
3. Do one pass for big story logic.
4. One pass for dialogue/voice.
5. One pass for language (swears, phrasing, repetition).

That’s it. One layer at a time.


And just for later (not now): when your rough draft is done and you want an outside perspective, I’m happy to quietly share your sample with someone I work with who gives thoughtful feedback on story flow and series direction. No pressure, no sales just another experienced set of eyes if it ever feels useful.

For now, you’re doing the right thing by protecting your momentum.


What’s your plan over the next couple of weeks mainly pushing the rough draft forward, or balancing it with the fanfics for energy?

 

[A. E. Lowan]

We keep everything in Word and OneNote, and I strongly prefer to draft with one chapter per Word file, one folder per draft. That way, should something happen to a story file, it's just one chapter and not the whole bloody thing.

Here's what an autist looks like on paper.

 

[skip.knox]

Lots of good suggestions here. I shall be helpful by trying to complicate things. <g>

One, the line between what is major and what is a minor change can get awfully blurry. Is this change minor? Sure. OK, now I've made six more minor changes. Has it moved to major yet? I'm in the early stages of the novel and how am I supposed to know, standing here, what is going to prove major or minor?

Two, now where did I put that file? I have six versions of this chapter and I'm not really sure which one has that earlier version I somehow in my current fevered state believe might be better than the dreck I'm currently staring at.

Three, the very notion of chapters gets twisty. That chapter there is really the ancestor of this chapter here, but I changed the chapter name somewhere along the line and it's rather later in the story and anyway I grafted other scenes into it, with rewrites. Versioning is less helpful when the author keeps changing the underlying structure.

Four, character names change. Their roles change. The way Character X talked in that version there, oh well I left that behind long ago. But the scene is okay. I can't really bring back that scene, though, without major rewrites and so now this rewritten scene isn't really a succeeding version so much as an exploratory side branch.

Five .... oh never mind. All these things have happened to me. I'm sure they have only happened to me and never to anyone else!

Just tryin' to help. <gdr>

 

[xena]

Oh absolutely. Version chaos is a rite of passage

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Oh absolutely. Version chaos is a rite of passage

I've never gotten that far with any of my works. (And the times I did it was fanfiction because I was in high school at the time) But I hope to this year!
Now that I'm older I want to focus more on original works. (Including some plot bunnies if I find them hilarious enough) While using fanfiction as practice.

 

[Prince of Spires]

Here's what an autist looks like on paper.

I feel diagnosed...

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I feel diagnosed...

Oh! I almost forgot. The numbers in Documents? I didn't do that. Selene, our younger writing partner, did that. I like it alphabetically. So, you can imagine how well getting in and finding she was changing things went over. It was on par with a lead turkey.

 

[Prince of Spires]

So, you can imagine how well getting in and finding she was changing things went over.

It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Or pehaps in this case better to run and hide

 

[A. E. Lowan]