def METHOD_NAME(persistence_file):
    """
    Creates a new file for persistence, if it does not exist.
    """
    if os.path.exists(persistence_file):
        return
    try:
        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(persistence_file), exist_ok=True)
        with open(persistence_file, "w") as f:
            f.writelines("")
    except NotADirectoryError as e:
        print("Failed to create {}".format(e.filename), file=sys.stderr)
        sys.exit(1)