Has anyone had it happen? You're working on a story and bam its gone (either some of it- or all of it) and you had to re-write from memory?

How did it turn out? Better or Worse then the first time you wrote it?

I'm trying to make myself feel better- sorry I'm disgusted and sick over the loss of some of my story. I don't mean to go on and on and on...just ohhhh All because of a mistake I did and not "update" my story on the computer...and just left it alone on the thumb drive

Encouraging words would be helpful

Once upon a time, Princess Annwyl was ten. And she was writing an Indiana Jones fanfiction; she had already written one, and it had been her first novella, so she was quite proud of it.

Well, she quarreled with her brother, and then left the room to go get a drink. When she came back, she found her brother had deleted at least a chapter's worth of writing.

So yes; I have had to rewrite things from memory before. Sadly, this was so long ago (coming up on seven years now. ), I can't remember if it turned out better or worse.

Don't worry! You might still gain back what you lost of your writing; even if you don't, I'm certain you can write it just as good as or better than it was before.

Don't keep your chin up - keep your head bowed, in prayer to God. Whatever happens, you still have Him. And you always will. <3

Thank you so much that was very encouraging.

Two years ago for NaNo 2012, I wrote ten chapters, then the laptop crashed. Leaving nothing left.

But when I rewrote, I was able to be more creative. So don't be discouraged, God has a plan for your writing. =)

Thank you, I think the Lord is teaching me something through all of this....it just so happens that before all of this, I wrote basically a hell scene, demons, fire the whole nine yards...just the only thing their captives...Meridian children were disappearing and one of my characters found them! They are getting ready to battle these demonic creatures setting these children free! (I had no intention of this in the beginning, but this is how it is panning out.) One of my character's destiny is to take care of children...her quest is to find the Meridian children, deliver them, love them, and care for them. She is to take them to Sacredheart Woods there they will be safe from the outside world, until the battle is over and the evil king that imprisoned them in that "Hell hole" is defeated. In Sacredheart, nothing can touch them or hurt them. It's a safe haven. The character gets a sword engraved on it the words DELIVERER! .....So I think this whole thing is a bit of warfare, our enemy doesn't like this. So he is throwing things at me. I've not only had issues with my computer...but many other things too trying to prevent me from getting this story done. May sound weird....but it's truth.

Actually, 'scrapping' something you have written and rewriting it from your head is an excellent practice, even if done several times for the same scene. It's an exercise recommended by some writers I've heard of.

And personally, I use the technique on tough scenes that I can't seem to get right. Sometimes a blank slate and restarting is the only way to have a fresh enough mind. The first writing of it wasn't a waste, either... the process you went through to write it is still in your brain and shapes the new version.

And if you want to, you can go back to the first version (or versions), and take the bits out of it that you like better and piece them into the new version. So long as the reason you rewrote the scene wasn't because you don't have it anymore... That's happened to me too.

For me, it really depends. I often end up rewriting everything a second time anyway, so if I lose something from the first draft I figure I'm actually just saving time. But if I'm writing something for the second draft it's usually exactly how I want it, and I can never recreate it the exact same way again and it's a bit heart-rending. Losing work can also mess up your whole flow as you have to go back and do something you already did, but you can't just progress because you have nothing to refer back to. It's like being stuck in limbo.

I always hand write, as I had a couple of bad experiences with my first draft being on a computer. I always write everything by hand now, and transfer it across.