‘Every writer’s worst nightmare’: What next after losing a manuscript?
Then he sought consolation in stories of other writers who’d suffered the same fate.By Gary NunnJuly 25, 2026SaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.ShareAAAThis story is part of the July 25 edition of Good Weekend. See all stories.It’s every writer’s worst nightmare, one that gives them cold sweats in the dead of night: losing all their written work, with no chance of recovery. I’d spent 12 months writing my second book proposal, and was just days away from submitting the document containing everything my agent needed to pitch to publishers, including the first chapters.
- ▪Then he sought consolation in stories of other writers who’d suffered the same fate.By Gary NunnJuly 25, 2026SaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.ShareAAAThis story is part of
- ▪See all stories.It’s every writer’s worst nightmare, one that gives them cold sweats in the dead of night: losing all their written work, with no chance of recovery.
- ▪I’d spent 12 months writing my second book proposal, and was just days away from submitting the document containing everything my agent needed to pitch to publishers, including the first chapters.
Sydney Morning Herald publishes from Australia and files mainly under world. We currently carry 3,246 of its stories.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.