save your work regularly, and back it up regularly, or you will regret it
And now, a PSA.
When working on a document, remember to save your work regularly. Practically all word processors use CTRL+S as the save shortcut, and it’s an excellent idea to train yourself to hit that every few sentences as you type. And then when you’ve finished with your work for the day, save your document to a USB key, an external hard drive, or a network location of some kind. That way, if your computer crashes, you are only out a day’s worth of work.
I myself back up all works in progress to a USB key, have an external hard drive set for automatic backup, and often email major projects in progress to myself. All three backup methodologies have saved my bacon at some point in the past.
You see, my friends, the question isn’t if your computer will crash, but when. All things mortal die, and all things fashioned by the hands of mortals will pass away. Including your computer. The question is not whether or not you are ready for the day your computer finally crashes. Arm yourself for this day! Save your work, and back up regularly.
And for God’s sake, don’t type for an hour without saving even once. Trust me on this.
-JM