Google Folders Full of Strangely Named Drafts

It might not be pretty, but I have a system for identifying the rubber marks on the road from past drives. Some of them are noteworthy, even while I was driving out-of-control.

I’m wrapping up a roughly 8,000 word essay that I’m presenting at a seminar later this month. It will most likely find its way into the world sometime later this year or next. Below is one small snapshot of the google folder where I saved all of my draft versions of this essay—which go from “v1” up through “v18”, with various sub-versions of each, over the course of several months. There are at least 20-30 google docs that didn’t make it into this screenshot, but I thought I’d humor you with at least part of it.

There is some type of method to the madness.

One of the most important things that I’ve learned in the writing process is to ask collaborators or editors (really anyone who previews these drafts, from my wife Claire, to friends and colleagues) to not only tell me what’s unclear or needs fixing, but to always highlight key sentences and paragraphs or section that that they really like—the things which resonate the most. This helps me build an argument around key anchors. (Not to mention it’s a source of encouragement.)