File for each chapter, or 1 file?

[thethinker42]

Just curious...

When you're writing your manuscript, do you save each chapter as a separate file, or just put the whole manuscript in one file?

I've always done separate files for chapters, and then compile them into one file when I'm ready to print or submit the manuscript.

[WildScribe]

1 file.

[finch]

1 file; I use a specific style for chapter heads, and then use the navigator interface to hop between chapters.

[DragonHeart]

I find it easier to just use one file. I have a tendency to rearrange my folders on a regular basis so things can and sometimes do end up moved somewhere, then I have to go hunting for it. The only time I'll seperate chapters of a WIP are for revisions so I can do each chapter individually, then reassemble and retransition as necessary.

~DragonHeart~

[icerose]

1 file for me. I lose enough things I don't need to risk whole chapters.

[Simon Woodhouse]

I do one file for each chapter, but I link them all to a Word master document so I can keep an eye on the overall word count.

[CaroGirl]

1 file; I use a specific style for chapter heads, and then use the navigator interface to hop between chapters.
I do this too. It makes it easier to keep track of the word count if it's all in one document.

[johnzakour]

One file, so much easier for global changes and to page through it, not to mention emailing it the publisher.

[roach]

For my last book I used one file, but once it got over 350 pages the file got a bit unwieldy. For this book I have a separate file for each chapter which are all connected to a master document. Whenever I need the word count I can open my master file and run the word count fuction.

[JasonChirevas]

One file for the novel I've started. Seperate files for each of the 26 chapters of my serial.

-Jason

[Carmy]

One file for the complete story, kept as a backup.

One file per chapter while I'm editing. Made into one file when I'm ready to do a final run through before submitting.

[WriterInChains]

For my First Drafts, I don't want to know how many words I'm accumulating so I have a separate file for each point I want to make -- whether it's one scene or ten. It keeps me from paying too close attention to the word count, & focus more on the progress of the story. When it's time to edit I print them out file by file, because sometimes I want to shuffle them around a little & it's just easier for me that way.

I'm working on my 4th First Draft right now (actually, a complete re-write of MS#1 -- a.k.a. RTN or Rescued Trunk Novel) & this technique worked really well on MS#2 & even better on MS#3 (wow, I'm evolving! :)).

[alaskamatt17]

I do one big file, and then another file for each revision.

[kristie911]

I generally use one file. I tried separate chapter files for my first novel and didn't really like it. I ended up merging them into one file and found it was much easier to edit that way.

However, I like caren's way of keeping "points" together. I do tend to obsess over word count when I shouldn't.

[James D. Macdonald]

One file per chapter, combined into a master document for printing.

Multiple daily backups in a variety of media.

[Sohia Rose]

I use one document per 20,000 words. Weird things start happening in Word when the file gets too big.

[emsuniverse]

For my first draft of my first book , I wrote each chapter as a seperate file. Then, when I was done with the first draft, I would open each file, read and edit, and then cut and paste it into one big file. It helped me not be so obsessive with the word count.

[lfraser]

I'm a compulsive editor/tinkerer, and I'm finding that I make better progress if each chapter has its own file, backed up obsessively.

[Chasing the Horizon]

I have one document for the entire trilogy!
I use Mac, so file size doesn't seem to be an issue, for now at least.
Why would I want to have to keep track of and backup more than one file?
(I do have seperate files for my outline and a document I dump scenes into when I rewrite or delete them, just in case I want to see them again some day)

[farfromfearless]

I tend to stick to one document for short stories and multiple documents for Novels. Forgive me, I know this thread isn't about software, but I thought I'd at least mention PageFour (http://www.softwareforwriting.com/pagefour.html)as it's been a tremendous productivity tool for me while writing my novel.

[KiraOnWhite]

For my previous stories I use seperate files...but lately its becoming and eyesore to me, so I'll probably just use one file for my next one. Great for wordcount and saves space...helps me keep track of the number of pages too.

[Inkdaub]

I use seperate files for each chapter and anything else I want seperated for a while.

[Raphee]

I have one file for the whole thing. I have created separate chapter files too after finishing the first draft but rarely use them.

[jerrymouse]

never heared of a master document before. i tried one with a bunch of chapters from a previous work.

i didnt like it, i have got used to my 1 file per chapter system.

i may take a closer look at the master document system. it could be useful for the next project but i think i am already stuck in my ways. i have found a way to work and i am not going to change my system unless i can see real benefits for doing so.

[aadams73]

I keep mine in one document. It's easy enough to flip through it when I need to.

[johnzakour]

I have one document for the entire trilogy!
I use Mac, so file size doesn't seem to be an issue, for now at least.
Why would I want to have to keep track of and backup more than one file?
(I do have seperate files for my outline and a document I dump scenes into when I rewrite or delete them, just in case I want to see them again some day)

Yeah for the Mac. I am the same way. I haven't had "word memory issues" since the 90s. (Of course now, I have my own memory issues....)

The way my mind works it just makes so much more sense to have one file. This way I can easily scroll up and down the entire story, be it 40,000 words or 120,000 words.

[Shadow_Ferret]

I do one file for each chapter, but I link them all to a Word master document so I can keep an eye on the overall word count.

I tried that. It was a pain and Word's document function isn't intuitive at all. Not like some other programs.

I originally had all my chapters as separate files but it became too unwieldy, especially when I'd have to search for something and I couldn't remember what chapter it was. Open. Nope. Close. Open. Nope. Close.

So I've gone to one file with the document map open.

[vrabinec]

1 file; I use a specific style for chapter heads, and then use the navigator interface to hop between chapters.

How does this work? I'm not sure what you mean by "specific style for chapter heads". I started out with one file, but once the word count got up past 80,000, it got to be a pain in the ass to find specific scenes and I've switched to doing scene by scene and pasting them into a master file. But, like someone brought up, if I want to tweek or reference a specific scene, I have to open and close until I get to the right one. I'd like to get back to using one file.

[thethinker42]

I originally had all my chapters as separate files but it became too unwieldy, especially when I'd have to search for something and I couldn't remember what chapter it was. Open. Nope. Close. Open. Nope. Close.

I found this to be a problem as well, but for this draft, I remedied it by having a list of chapters in my Excel "master file" (I keep a spreadsheet for each book, with worksheets listing my characters and various details I tend to forget -- eye color, etc). I'm way anal, can you tell? LOL One of the worksheets lists chapters, what's in them (just a basic "character Y arrives in city X, character Q finds object P"), and if I'm done writing that chapter (sometimes I lose steam on a chapter, so I'll come back to it later).

[ink wench]

Each chapter separately during the intial writing, then I combine them into one file when I start editing. My computer sucks. It takes forever to save a large file, and it has a tendency to crash in the middle. I've lost half of a novel many times this way (only half had saved before I got blue-screened). So no matter how it's stored I have many, many back ups that are updated daily.

[jodiodi]

Both. I have one running file of the actual story and as I write chapters, I separate them into their own files. I write out of sequence a lot so the chapters are only separated as the ms progresses.

[Pamster]

I stand with those who use 1 file. LOL! ;) :ROFL:

It was such a PITA to make separate chapter files for the gather.com contest. I really got hung up on it too, they turned it down because I had left chapter four's opening scene on the third chapter so it was over on the word count. I have sinced fixed it and the quotes problem and resubmitted which the rejection stated I was invited to do so. So that to me means the content is acceptable so this time it should fly. :)

[Shadow_Ferret]

I found this to be a problem as well, but for this draft, I remedied it by having a list of chapters in my Excel "master file" (I keep a spreadsheet for each book, with worksheets listing my characters and various details I tend to forget -- eye color, etc). I'm way anal, can you tell? LOL One of the worksheets lists chapters, what's in them (just a basic "character Y arrives in city X, character Q finds object P"), and if I'm done writing that chapter (sometimes I lose steam on a chapter, so I'll come back to it later).

Actually, I have a word file "glossary" for that and I use the document map feature. I list all the characters and their bios in it. Depending on the story, I'll list other world-building information, nation names, gods, etc.

But sometimes I forget if someone SAID something or in what manner an event HAPPENED, and for that I need to either use the search function or page through the manuscript.

[Carrie in PA]

I use one file. I don't break it down into chapters until I'm done writing. I also back up to several places.

[Siddow]

One file, using the document map.

I keep all versions of a single novel in a single folder--click on the folder, and I've got novel.doc, novel2.doc (second draft), novel3.doc, etc, plus noveloutline.doc, novelnotes.doc, novelsynop.doc, etc. Before I arranged my Document Folder like this, it was a mess!

[Shadow_Ferret]

Are they actually named novel.doc? Or are they named whatever the novel is named, like siddow_gone_wild.doc?

My luck I'd be moving files around and I'd accidently drop it in the wrong folder and overwrite a different novel if they were all named novel.doc.

[Siddow]

Yeah, I guess I should have said "title".doc.

There's too many to call them all novel!

[Jamesaritchie]

Both. So far, all my publishers have requested electronic versions have a separate file for each chapter, and I prefer working this way, anyway. I do keep one large file as a backup.

I love MS Word, but if you want to start messing around with Master Documents, I strongly suggest you get a copy of WordPerfect.

[finch]

How does this work? I'm not sure what you mean by "specific style for chapter heads". I started out with one file, but once the word count got up past 80,000, it got to be a pain in the ass to find specific scenes and I've switched to doing scene by scene and pasting them into a master file. But, like someone brought up, if I want to tweek or reference a specific scene, I have to open and close until I get to the right one. I'd like to get back to using one file.

Basically it's just defining a style in your word processor for chapter titles, only using that style on chapter titles, and then using your document navigator to click through to the chapter you're working on (theoretically, if your chapters got too long to make this practical, you could use a style identical to your default text to identify the start point of specific scenes, but that's more than I need). Novel 1 is 120k words and this worked just peachy for me. I can't give you precise instructions for MS Word -- I use OpenOffice -- but I'm sure there's something similar.

[Azure Skye]

One file for each chapter. My brains works better with smaller chunks of information. When I get ready to submit I will create one file.

[Nickie]

I always keep all the chapters in one file - otherwise I wouldn't find my way into my pc anymore!


Nickie