Quest Backup Day is something I have resolved to do every now and then. If you browse the forums, you'll notice that every once in awhile, some heartbroken questmaker reports that a project has been canceled because his/her hard drive was fried, and the quest project went with it. Occasionally, a buggy version of ZQuest will corrupt a quest, as well. Given how often this happens, it would be best if you set aside some time TODAY to back up your quest.
Tips for Effective Backups:
Step 1: Turn on the "auto-backup" option in ZQuest. This is NOT the same as a periodic backup, though, so don't rely on it.
Step 2: Save a separate file every few weeks (or days), and name the file according to the date for easy identification. ALWAYS save a new backup ANY time you upgrade to a new version of Zelda Classic, regardless of how much you like the new version.
Step 3: Avoid keeping all of your backups on the same computer. One really good way to avoid the "eggs in one basket" situation is to send a copy to your friends/beta testers/etc. This is nearly fullproof if you ask them to hang on to it.
Tips for Avoiding File Corruption:
Tip #1: If you have auto-backup on, and you suspect that ZQuest just corrupted while saving, DON'T press "OK" when the "saved <filename>" window pops up. If you do, the auto-backup will be corrupted, too. Instead, ALT-TAB to your desktop (leave ZQuest open), find the location of your last backup (it should end in ".QSB"), and rename it before returning to ZQuest. This prevents it from being overwritten. If the file did corrupt, you'll have a recent backup to fall back on. If not, you can safely delete it.
Tip #2: Don't open Zelda Classic or attempt to start a game while ZQuest is saving. If you do, ZC may try to access your save file while it's still being written to disk, thus interrupting the ZQuest save. Usually, saving the QST file again will remedy this, but don't take any chances.
Tip #3: Remember that cutting edge ZC version "builds" are intended for testing, not quest-building. If you use them, you run the risk of file corruption, because they have not been tested for public use. It's best to stick to official "stable releases" for quests you plan to release, or at LEAST stick to the "beta" versions.
NOTE:
If you ever need to open a QSB (auto-backup) file, rename the file from ".QSB" to ".QSU". Now, QSU stands for "unencoded quest," so the filesize should be large. If you open up a QSU file in ZQuest using the "import" feature, you can re-save it as a QST file, which will have a smaller filesize.
If you have read this thread and backed up your quest as a result of it, please post to share what you did to back it up. I would like help encouraging Quest Backup Day.
It doesn't fall on any specific day of the year, because if it did we'd forget about it, and that's not the point, eh? Anyway, remember to make frequent backups. 
