Hatrack River Writers Workshop: How Many Projects do you Juggle?

This is topic How Many Projects do you Juggle? in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by DeepShadow (Member # 2182) on :

How many writing projects do you juggle at the same time? I'm trying to strike a proper balance with my muse when it comes to this, and I'd appreciate any advice. I've tried putting everything into a single writing project, but my creativity always fizzled out. Now I'm stretching the other way and trying to work on a dozen or so a little bit at a time, but I feel like it can't pay off because I never finish anything.

What's a good workload for you? How do you strike a proper balance?

Posted by kmckendry (Member # 4936) on :

From 1988 through 2006, I juggled 0 at a time. At the moment, I've increased that 100% and am now at 1 writing project. However, don't use me as any type of metric.

Keith

Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :

Try having one short and one long fiction project at the same time.

Posted by dee_boncci (Member # 2733) on :

Right now, my active focus is on one, completing the first draft of a novel. I do have a couple ideas for short stories that I plan on drafting during the 30 days or so that I set the novel aside before the revision process, then it will be back to the novel.

In the past I've juggled multiple writing projects but found that I tended to set aside anything that caused difficulty in favor of something else. As a result, I wound up with a bunch of stuff that never quite got finished. I probably cranked out more words per day that way, which for a novice is probably a good thing, but finishing things is important as well.

Anyway, that's what I'm up to now.

Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :

Usually five or six, but I work on them in varying degrees. I like using the metaphor of the mental stovetop---some things are on the frontburner, some are on the backburner.

Right now I have my main novel---sixty-five thousand words, no outline or real idea what'll happen beyond the next two chapters. But then just Thursday a novelette emerged (one old idea merged with one new-but-kinda-old idea), and I've written half an outline of that. So my novel moved from one burner to another while I work on that for awhile.

Behind that I have three or four short stories in various stages of completion or revision...and behind those I have a couple of novels I've written some things on and intend to get back...beyond all that, I have novels I haven't written much down on, leftover Internet Fan Fiction ideas that still come to mind, stuff I've written-and-sent-out but wonder if I shouldn't take another pass at, still-older-but-unfinished fragments of this and that, and so on, and so forth.

It takes a big mental stovetop.

Realistically I don't expect to start up something I abandoned twenty or thirty years ago. But they do percolate while on those backburners, and occasionally overflow onto the burner and demand attention and occasional actual writing. Just last year I wrote about ten thousand words of a first chapter I've abandoned at least three times over the past ten years---I abandoned it again, but who knows when I'll take it up? And it's not the only one...

Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :

I can't write any other fiction while writing a novel - the novel has too many details that I have to keep straight in my head for me to distract myself with other projects. What I do (if I need to, which is rare) is work on some other creative project at the same time. Right now, I'm working on some articles for newspapers and magazines (publicity stuff for a project I'm helping with). I'm also back to sculpting (YAY!) which is good, since that's my BUSINESS! But when I'm in the throes of novel-writing, I can't think of anything else, even in my sleep. We "The Good Shepherd" - a very very very long, intense, very little action, only one moment of humor film. It was interesting in a historical way (it's about the beginnings of the CIA), but otherwise, my butt got tired. But my hubby enjoyed it. I mentioned that film to mention this: While I was asleep, I dreamed about the heroes of my novel being CIA agents and I kept thinking, "I don't want to write it that way!" and trying to change the scenes, all while I was asleep! Argh.

When I'm sculpting (another creative activity, remember), I usually have at least two projects going at once. When I can no longer "see" one, I work on another. With the details, history, planning, etc., required for novel writing, I can't manage more than one work of fiction at a time. That's what works for me, anyway.

Lynda

Posted by luapc (Member # 2878) on :

I think you'll find this to be a very personal thing. For me, I have three novels working, one almost finished and two others about half way, as well as three short stories. I also have about fourty ideas that I have written the openings for, but don't know where the story is heading. Some people just jot down the ideas they have, but I tend to like to write out at least the opening. Later, for these ideas, I'll take bits and pieces and combine them into stories which then make sense and I can finish. Like OSC says, sometimes combining ideas can be a good way to come up with a good story, and it works for me.

That said, I can't say that this method would work for everybody. Kevin J Anderson, a very prolific and successful writer, also has several things going at the same time, while other authors can't stand not to finish something once they start it. Like I said, it's what works for the writer.

As a final note, I will say that it is important to finish what you start, but it's also ok not to have everything finished right away. If a writer never finishes anything is when they have to worry. I think it's important to set goals, like say finishing one rough draft of a new story, or a new chapter every month, or within a set time that fits with their writing productivity.

[This message has been edited by luapc (edited February 10, 2007).]

Posted by goatboy (Member # 2062) on :

I have one short piece in the works. In the meantime, I have a dozen waiting for revision. I do a lot of the revision in my head, flipping back and forth between the different stories. It allows me to come to a greater understanding of each story, so when I sit down to actually revise, the process is easier.

Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :

It depends on you.

For example, how many books do you READ at one time? I used to read four to five at one time, now I try to just read one or two.

Right now I'm working on a novel, but I just took a week and a half break to write a short story. Next week I'll go back to the novel.

In the year I've been writing (I started with the novel), I've written three short stories and have started a couple others.

My basic rule for this is: write one thing until another idea becomes so fascinating that you HAVE to write it. Other than that, when another idea comes along I just write it down and save it for later.

Matt

Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :

Oh, I read several books and magazines simultaneously. I'll have a book to read by my sittin' chair (the one in front of the TV), a book by my bedside (to run through before sleep), a book in the bathroom (I spend a lot of time there nowadays), and even a book by the computer (to skim through while waiting for something to download).

Sometimes they move from one place to the other. Often, too, they're likely to be something I'm rereading, particularly the ones in the bathroom.

I usually don't have trouble keeping things straight in what I'm writing---though occasionally I'll slip up and type in the name from one story into another. (A lot of my heroes are cut from the same cloth---another problem to deal with.)

Posted by Rommel Fenrir Wolf II (Member # 4199) on :

Between joining the Army and civilian life I am working on 8 writing projects I have a hard time trying to figure out which one I want to work on during my time off. It helped when my friends helped out but they all moved or enlisted and we can’t find each other. So I am left to work alone. But their imputes would be nice, if I can find them. Any suggestions where I could possibly find them on line?
Rommel Fenrir Wolf II

Posted by rcorporon (Member # 2879) on :

I focus only on one thing at a time.

Right now, it's my WIP novel.

Posted by AstroStewart (Member # 2597) on :

Since I'm only interested, essentially, in writing out one series, I tend to focus on several novels at a time, but with all the same characters/same world.

Right now, for example, I'm finishing off my first novel, editting it to a glossy polish, while I submit query letters to agents seeking representation for it.

At the same time, I'm roughly 70% through the rough draft of the sequel to this novel, and I'm beginning to formulate ideas in my head about the the third novel, so when it comes time to begin actually writing it, I'll have a solid outline ready in my mind.

I tend to only *really* focus on one thing at a time, though. After a few rejections from agents, I really got myself editting my first novel harsher than before, so I'm mostly in editting mode, trying to work through it once more. Once that's done, I'll have to sit back and wait for responses, and hopefully get representation from an agent if I'm patient and persistent, so in that time I'll get to focus on my sequel once again. All the while though, I tend to think about the future of these characters and this world, so that, even as I finish up the first novel, I can make sure it's consistent with what I want happening in the 3rd enstallment, etc.

So basically, how many *novels* do I juggle? A few, in various stages. How many completely seperate storylines, with unique characters and worlds do I juggle? One.