Why Naming Conventions Make a Difference
Why Naming Conventions Make a Difference
Naming Convention – Why Bother?
Using a good naming format for files isn’t just to keep your digital files clean and searchable, it’s to help yourself and others know exactly what they have and where it came from. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed digital conventions, InfoStack sales, and trading stories for proofreading.
In my professional world, I’ve become a ‘naming convention’ expert. One day job, I met with multiple teams to get their input on how we should rename products so they can find them fast and easy with as little confusion as possible. For one team, they needed to know if something was custom or not right off the bat. Easiest fix? Change the name so the customer was first. For example: CustomerName_ProductDescription, but without the underscore. We didn’t need them in the ERP.
For others, it was about the style or some other tidbit of information. Using the information I was given, I offered a few different variations on the naming convention, depending on product type, to the higher-ups. They gave input and away I went, retyping thousands of product descriptions.
The other day job would literally copy, paste, and upload whatever the vendor had which really pissed off Daddy Google. The SEO was getting SPANKED, and not in a good way. After researching, I found a few ways to rewrite the naming convention for the website. Daddy Google started giving us head pats and forehead kisses.
Now, that was naming convention for products to sell – well, if you’re an author, you have products to sell, so it works here, too.
Let’s talk about digital giveaways for conventions and things like InfoStack. I have signed up for InkersCon for five years now (highly recommend). When authors do a virtual meeting, whether pre-recorded or live, they normally include things you can download. Slides, a transcript, and sometimes there’s something a little extra. I have PDFs named:
- Dealing with Dialogue
- Keywords
- Books Their Brains Will Love.
The same issue happens with InfoStack. I have files and folders named Revising Your Novel and IAGTIE-Masterclass. Do you see what’s missing here?
The answer: The place I got the file and the author or presenter’s name.
Another example that’s a bit better: Creating the Magic Worldbuilding and Titling Your Paranormal Romance Inkers Con 2022. Still missing that author name though. I shouldn’t have to open a PDF to find out who wrote it. I also have files with author names, but not the name or year of where I received it.
Evergreen File Names
Let’s talk about File Names first, then Folder Names.
Start with the date. 2026-02-15. Why? If you start with the date, you won’t have to rely on the Modified column. Especially if you forget to do a Save As with a new date at the end of the file name.
Next, who wrote it? 2026-2-15_MischaEliot – You want to separate your ‘sections’ of the file name with underscores. This makes it quick and easy to establish. Don’t use spaces if you can help it. I know it’s easier to hit that space bar, but try this method instead.
Now we need to know what the file is: 2026-02-15_MischaEliot_StumblingTowardSerenity – Okay, that’s an easy one because it’s the title of the novella. If you don’t have a name for your current WIP, then use something specific to the book. The FMC/MMC names. 2026-02-15_MischaEliot_NatalieAndMarcus or what tropes stand out 2026-02-15_MischaEliot_GrumpySunshine.
Okay, we’ve established the format so far. Is this part of a series? We need more in our file name, then. 2026-02-15_MischaEliot_StumblingTowardSerenity_RevelryIsland_Book01. Is this file name getting ridiculously long? Yes. There’s a way we can fix that, though.
If you start a new file folder for every series you write, then you can forgo adding the name of the series. However, if you’re sending it to Beta Readers or other places, I’d recommend including it.
The next part – yes, there’s more… is which version is this?
2026-02-15_MischaEliot_StumblingTowardSerenity_RevelryIsland_Book01_Draft_v01.
2026-02-15_MischaEliot_StumblingTowardSerenity_RevelryIsland_Book01_Proof_v10.
Now, if I have a folder named Revelry Island (I do) and if I have a folder named Stumbling Toward Serenity (I do) then I would have a much easier name for this file. 2026-02-15_MischaEliot_STS_Revision_v05. Why? Because this one isn’t going anywhere and if I were to send it to someone, then I’d copy it and rename it.
Notice how I used 01 and 05? This helps with file structure. When you sort by file name, you won’t have 11 or 23 clogging up the works. They’ll be listed as 01, 02, 03. I would even recommend going so far as to create folders labeled Draft, Edits or Revisions, Proof, and Final. Nothing gets put into the Final folder unless you clicked the publish button (for indie authors) or have been given the green light (trad authors).
Don’t use Final in the file name, though. I know, I know. It’s so tempting. If you create a folder named Final, you won’t need it. Instead, use Published.
And yes, I know you’ll always find a typo after you hit publish. You can fix it in the published version and save.
Conventions and InfoStack Deals
If you’re speaking at an event and have digital files, your naming convention is important. You want the attendees to know exactly who they got the file from and where.
InfoStack2022_AuthorName_FileName / InkersCon2026_SpeakerName_TitleOfPresentation
It’s that easy. You don’t need to include draft or final or version control. You already did that when you created the files, so when you copy that official final file, you’re going to rename it so the attendees know exactly where they received it, who they received it from, and what it’s about without having to open the file.
If you teach courses you’ll want to use this for file downloads. There are courses I’ve taken through Udemy and SkillShare, courses from authors, etc. and sometimes I have the urge to rename the downloads. I can’t always do that, though, because some course creators will say the file folder name and file name they gave them.
Course2026_CourseCreator_TitleOfCourse_LessonName
I put TitleOfCourse and LessonName because they’re important factors. Lessons usually have corresponding numbers. Creators will use that number, but if they update the course at a later date, then the course numbers may change. If that happens, and they don’t update the file names, then the lesson number doesn’t match. This can cause confusion with the people taking the course, which could leave to a bad review or no review at all.
ProTip: Don’t use symbols other than dashes or underscores in your file name. You could end up having an ampersand replaced with its ASCII equivalent or a dash or plus to replace it. Spell out And. A reason not to use spaces is they’ll most likely be replaced with plus or dash anyway.
Keeping Track of Other People’s Files
Honestly, once I saw how files were named, I started creating folders to keep track of where I got them from so I would at least know that right off the bat. Folder names like 2025_InkersCon and InfoStack-2023 (before I started putting the year first). If the name of the creator wasn’t in the file name, I would look at the website and add it myself for sanity’s sake.
Taking the Time
Taking the time to name your files and folders in a way that functions so someone else can look at your system and know exactly what you’re looking for will make your life easier. If the methods explained here won’t work for you, then create one that does.
Having a messy file structure causes confusion. You’re looking at finalreallythisoneisfinalFinal but it was modified a week after final-thisoneistherealfinal. Which one is correct? What if the first one has 5000 more words that were meant to go in the second file? If you use a naming convention, you’ll prevent yourself from wasting time and pulling your hair out doing a file comparison to find out which file is the real final file… because I promise you, it won’t stand up.
