Many writers caught up in the excitement of a writing project forget the most important tool of all: a quality backup system. Creating a routine of regular backups will limit the chances of catastrophic data loss. If you hand-write pages, store copies in a safety deposit box or fireproof safe. Back up computer data on compact discs, flash drives or external hard drives. Because secondary backups offer further protection, consider incorporating online file storage solutions into your routine. Never send a publisher your only copy of a manuscript; manuscripts are rarely returned.
Building up your library provides considerable benefits. At the technical level, references act as models for a particular style, genre or content area. Keep a dictionary, thesaurus and grammar guide on hand, or bookmark them for quick online access. Supplement your library with books that inspired you, and use them to spur motivation if you lose momentum during your book project. Think of your favorite writers as teachers, and devote time to studying their work.
Writing a book requires arranging chapters and sections, plotting stories, forming time lines and assembling large amounts of information. Visualizing the shape of your work can help you generate ideas, revise and even fight off writer's block. Using a dry-erase board, bulletin board or daily planner will help you track your writing project goals. Consider software-based systems, including spreadsheets or specific programs, dedicated to project management.
Inspiration will not wait until you are comfortable at your desk with your hands hovering above a keyboard or wrapped around a pen. Always have a place to write. Invest in a quality, sturdy notebook, keep plenty of pens around and jot down even the strangest ideas. You never know what you will use later. If you tend to lose your notebooks, assign individual notebooks to places such as your car, office or living room.
Adding a recording device to your toolkit can pay dividends, even if your writing project does not involve in-person interviews or field work. Take your recorder with you in your car for capturing traffic-induced moments of inspiration. If you struggle with written dialogue, ask friends if you can record conversations to study rhythms of the spoken word. Think of this device as an alternate notebook that will help you capture and play back ideas.
Book projects tend to grow and transform as you work, and this can create organizational or conceptual problems. You might benefit from the added functionality of software programs targeted at writers of book-length manuscripts. These programs move beyond the basics of desktop publishing and include features that help with tasks ranging from organizing outlines and chapters to formatting work for self-publication. Some even temporarily block Internet access to help keep you free from distraction.