Possession of your IP may be 9/10th of the law. Having a backup pushes it to 100%

If you are a writer creating online content it may be true on paper that you are the master of your digital domain, but the only way you can prove it is if you have a backup copy. Fortunately there's a software function to create a backup on almost all of the online publishing platforms. On Substack it’s a single backup of your posts, your subscribers, and your publishing schedule. All it takes is tapping one button. It backs up everything from the beginning of time until your latest published post. The same is true with WordPress and almost all other blog publishing platforms.

It’s reassuring,but not quite good enough.

You actually have to make use of the built in function on a regular basis for it to be effective. Don’t feel bad if you don’t yet have a backup, simply get busy. You’ve got plenty of time before the end of the year. Why don’t you go ahead and invest 5 minutes right now. You will feel better quickly, I promise.

Substack - From your Writers Dashboard, click Settings and look for Export.

WordPress - From your Admin Menu choose Backup.

At any moment your favorite publishing platform could, (die, go out of business, change their content policy) so now is the best time to use whatever functions are available to create a backup and find a safe place to put it, (Not on your main computer, please). I’m feeling much better already, how about you?

Your New Year Risk-free IP Backup Plan

Backing up your entire content catalog each time you publish isn’t practical. I'm not saying you need a New Year's resolution for this, but this is a great time to go beyond the “full backup” software function and actually create a solid risk-free Plan B publishing strategy to safeguard your most valuable intellectual property.

If you’re a writer or a content creator consider sitting down and documenting your production process. Start from creating your editorial calendar, to creating drafts of your content ideas, all offline, before publishing your content for all the world to see.

I use Google Docs to create a draft. Next I share it with my editor as a word doc. I sometime start with drafts that contain no more than a working title and subtitle. I use the drafts as a container to jot down resources, ideas and use my posting template to create a consistent layout. I currently have a half dozen posts I'm working on with my AI Assistant, Claude, (Yes I check his work).

I’m actually creating an offline backup upfront. Once the three of us come to agreement, I add it to Substack as a draft. Some assembly is required before I schedule it for publication.

Without a backup copy of your published posts you really can’t say you own your content.

Here’s the strategy to always having a backup plan:

• Use the 3-2-1 plan. 3 total backups, 2 off platform, 1 on platform. Use your platforms built-in backup function to create a monthly offline archive.
• Build an off platform publishing strategy to manage the process externally.
• Combine both software and strategy to create a risk-free process to protect your Intellectual Property.

“Without a backup copy of your published posts you really can’t say you own your content.”

- Jerry Gitchel, RHB, MSH

P.S. I forgot to acknowledge my other helper, “Otter” who transcribed my thoughts during Office Hours at Deerwood Bistro this morning!