SECTION TWO
“Best advice? Keep trying to create something worth stealing. ”
LINES OF DEFENSE
by Steve Griffin
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE GRIFFIN
Y
ou created it. Now, how to protect that story,
draft, outline, notes or photography, published or
unpublished?
Protect, as in keeping from damage or loss. Making sure
it’s near-instantly available when you need it. Keeping
it as secure as possible from theft or misuse.
Article manuscripts are easy to f ile in digital form. I
name each piece I create with the intended publication’s
initials (MDN for Midland Daily News, for example),
the date it is expected to run (07-26-18 for the column
I just transmitted) and a working descriptive title
(beyond catch and release); thus, “MDN-07-26-18-
beyond catch and release.doc.”
vague, sentimental reasons.
I download pdfs of the article or entire publication,
and f ile those digital f iles in the same electronic folder
as the submitted manuscripts (Midland Daily News, for
example.)
If I can, I also print a pdf of the page, with a paper
tear-sheet place it in a clear plastic protective sleeve.
These go into a large three-ring binder, one for each
year, most recent clip on top. If there’s a piece I really
like I attach a Post-It f lag. Otherwise, it’s easy to leaf
through at contest entry time to (a) scrounge up a
few entries and (b) resolve to never again repeat the
mistakes and missteps I uncover. Keeping both forms
helps me keep up with ever-changing contest rules.
I can easily locate it later by pub, date or subject search.
Sometimes, these graying days, it’s to make sure I
haven’t already created and forgotten a similar piece!
Sometimes, it’s to prove to myself or others that errors
were introduced after I submitted the piece. This year’s binder stays close at hand to encourage me
to f ile tearsheets as they hit my desk; other years’ go in
a bookcase at some remove. (Gasp! I have them going
back to 1975!)
Tearsheets, paper and digital, I mainly retain for
contest-entry, to send to sources and