A couple of questions (daily writing habits / multi-WIPs)

Speaking for myself. I don't write everyday, but I am trying to. I too have more than one manuscript that I am working on right now and some times it feels like I'm making no progress with any of them, so I take one and make a point to finish a certain number of pages, or edits, etc.

Find your own pace and decide for yourself what works as far as multiple WIPs go. There are no recipes for success.

1. I write every day. Sometimes for one hour and sometimes for the entire day.
2. I always have multiple pieces in the works.

1) I sure try to! At least a couple of hours, tho' maybe not all at once. Do you mean a wordcount goal? Not usually. I'm happy with whatever happens to appear.

2) Sure, why not. Some do, some don't. Each to their own needs and methods. We had a recent thread on this, where is it... oh yeah, Two WIP's vying for your attention? And the Gaining Self-Discipline? thread might also be worth a look, if you haven't already.

-Derek

1. Do you write every day? if so for how many hours and do you set yourself a word limit?
--I find that I get burnt out if I write every day. I typically write a few days in a row, then take a break. I always stop at the end of a chapter, because I like to think about the next chapter and plan it out in my head before I write it. And I like to review what I've just written and tweak a bit. On the days I do write, it's 2-4 hours in the morning, and half a day each on the weekends. Usually 8-12ish. On slow work days, I might write a lot longer if I'm revising.

I'm currently on deadline, so I have a pretty tight word count goal. I'm writing 15K words per month right now, plus any revisions I can squeak in once I meet my quota. This is actually going well for me, so I'll probably stick to it even after I turn in my current MS.

2) Is it good to work on a few novels at once or do you stick to one? Ive got 2 going on at the same time at the moment and im not sure if thats a good idea?
--Depends on you. Some people have trouble with two projects, others thrive on it. I always have a primary novel and a back burner novel I'm working on. The primary novel gets my attention until I reach my word count goal, then I'll work on the back burner novel. When I'm not on deadline, I usually set weekly word count goals for my primary, and once I hit that I switch over to the back burner one. It seems to work out that I write the primary one on the weekends when I have the most time, and the back burner one during the week. But if the muse hits me on either I go with it.

I also have other novels brewing, and any time an idea strikes me I make notes in their files. Sometimes I'll write a scene or a few paras.

1) Do you write every day? if so for how many hours and do you set yourself a word limit?

I used to write every day, but have woefully fallen out of the habit. It's best when I do write every day because when I don't, I slack off and get little done. Making a habit of it helps me.

I set a size limit of around 10kb--no less, and usually no more, else I might burn out--which equals about 1700 words. I don't set a time limit because it's all too easy to sit doing nothing for an hour and then say that one has done an hour of work. It usually does take about an hour, though.

I tend to procrastinate so much, having AW on in the background, stopping every so often to get a drink...etc.

If the website is such a distraction, why have it on or loaded when you're writing...? *confused* I have dialup and not cable, so I can disconnect, but one doesn't have to have the browser open if it's going to be a distraction. I've just never understood the people who say they're distracted from writing by visiting sites...they don't have to have the window open, and they don't have to visit that particular site. Maybe it's just me.

2) Is it good to work on a few novels at once or do you stick to one? Ive got 2 going on at the same time at the moment and im not sure if thats a good idea?

Depends on how well you work on multiple projects. I work on more than one thing at a time, but I do choose which has top priority at any given moment. It's only a bad idea if it keeps you from finishing anything.

Laurababs said:

1) Do you write every day? if so for how many hours and do you set yourself a word limit?

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Now that I don't have a day job, I do write every day. I typically write for 3-5 hours a day, usually shooting for 5K or so words.

2) Is it good to work on a few novels at once or do you stick to one? Ive got 2 going on at the same time at the moment and im not sure if thats a good idea?

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I usually work on a few at a time. I just finished 1 and have 2 others going (may add a third, just because I like having 3 going at once). So, 2 first drafts in progress and 3 being revised. As I get to the end of a first draft, I'll usually focus exclusively on that one.

I need to be able to bounce from project to project in order to keep myself going...BUT the trick here is to actually MAKE progress, or you'll never finish anything. It's all about balance and discipline.

I try to write every day, but life does get in the way sometimes, and that's ok (and necessary). Mostly I just try to stick to a routine: I find if I can do that, I can get a decent amount done without being at the mercy of a muse.


Everybody's different. Some people work best with several projects going: I get distracted trying to keep characters and plots in order, so I stick to one at a time and just make notes on anything else pounding on the inside of my skull. Just depends on what works best for you.

I guess I'm the only one so far, who works on one novel at a time. When I finish the first draft of WIP1, I dive into WIP2 for a few weeks. When I'm ready to revise & edit WIP1, I set WIP2 aside until I'm finished with WIP1.
The only thing I do simultaneously is query WIP1 while working on WIP2. But as far as creative work, it has to be one at a time for me.

I'm retired, so I don't have anything else taking up time . I work on writing every day, sometimes all day, sometimes just a few hours.

I allow distractions, AW, email, CNN, reading, but once I'm in the writing mode, nothing distracts me. I'll type for hours without noticing how much time has elapsed.

I try to write something everyday be it a poem, a short story or work on my novel. Ideally i work on my novel first, but if its just not there that day, i roll over to notes i might have taken on a poem or short. No real word count...

I write something every day. Even my emails are lengthy. I got out of the habit about a year ago, but now I can't stop! Unfortunately, the bathroom won't clean itself and there's always a mouth around here that needs feeding. Bah. Shoulda just bought more houseplants instead! Hahaha!

I write everyday, most often between the hours of 11 PM to 3-4 AM (I need complete silence). I don't have a word count in mind, unless I'm working under a deadline. I try to stop writing at a point when I know just what I want to say next. That way I have less of a problem starting to write the following day, and if it's possible, an even greater desire to get started. In spite of this there are times when my daily writing well runs dry. This is when I work either on my second WIP, edit, research, or pack it in for the day. It's all such an individual process. In time you will discover your method.

I try to write every weekday: I don't always succeed.

I tend to work on one novel at a time; though I now have three in varying stages of incompletion. One's first-draft complete; I just haven't edited it to my satisfaction. The other two are both under 10K right now and are currently shelved while I work on short fiction. I'm trying to get a bunch of shorts done and out in the market so I'm writing them in very tight sequence.

(I finished one story this afternoon, brainstormed for about five minutes and then started another. I've now gone back to editing the one I just finished, but I have my next story figured out.)

The reason I'm doing this is that I've historically had difficulty with short stories, so I'm trying to pound a few out so I get more practice (and have material to submit). For ME, working almost continuously helps.

Having said that I tend to have only one project I'm actively writing at any time, though I may have more in edits.

I write when I feel like - usually when I get a real urge to progress the story. But recently I've not had the urge. I've had at least a couple of signings each week and one patch I had six in eight days. But when I sit at the laptop I've been searching for something that has been nagging at my subconscious. I've made a few changes but now I realise I'm not happy with the integrity of one of the characters. I've worked it out in the last few days so I hope to be able to progress my story soon.

So it depends upon my feelings. I definitely couldn't write if I was not in the mood - it would be a waste of time.

I try to write every day, but sometimes things come up and prevent me from doing it. But most of the time, I can squeeze in the two hours or so it takes. I don't really have any set word goals or anything, although I used to strive for at least ten pages. Now'a days, I just write until I feel like I've reached a good stopping point.

For the most part, an average day usually nets me somewhere around 3K words. takes anywhere from an hour and a half to around two and a half hours depending on whether I'm writing scenes with dialogue or description, the latter taking a bit more time. I try and at least work for an hour whenever I sit down just so I can make my time worth it behind the computer screen, but that hasn't been an issue for a few months now.

I tried multiple W.I.Ps but it just wasn't working. I dunno, something about it. So now, I have to torture myself and finish a work before starting a new one. Guess it works out because I've actually managed to finish a book instead of flip flopping to different stories and forgetting my other ones. Starting a new story is my reward for finishing one =)

Dude, it's like these questions were made for me...

1) Do you write every day? if so for how many hours and do you set yourself a word limit?

I try to write every day, but I have no word limit. I just need to write something. Sometimes I can't get more than one sentence one day, but that sentence sparks off a whole new train of work the next. If nothing else, it helps to at least look at my work daily, so I remember where I am and where I should be going.

2) Is it good to work on a few novels at once or do you stick to one? Ive got 2 going on at the same time at the moment and im not sure if thats a good idea?
I'm working on 5. On the bright side, when I'm sick of one I can move to another, on the downside, I haven't finished any of them yet. I've worked on one for 15 months and only have a plot outline and the first five chapters, I've worked on another for 6 months and have only the plot outline...and the first five chapters. Hmmm.

Laurababs said:

1) Do you write every day? if so for how many hours and do you set yourself a word limit?

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I write each and every day. At one time I wrote two hours a day no matter what. In the end though, I've found that to keep up with the rest of my life its easier to squeeze writing in all the gaps. I write while my baby naps, while I wait for a pot of water to boil, during commercials, etc. Believe it or not I get more done this way than the old way.

2) Is it good to work on a few novels at once or do you stick to one? Ive got 2 going on at the same time at the moment and im not sure if thats a good idea?

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I have two things going at the same time, but in different stages of the writing process. Seems to work fine.

1. I write almost every day. Some days I'm just too busy or I'm not in the mood or my mom doesn't let me on the computer (I don't like to hand write things). I do not write for a certain amount of time or for a certain word limit. Some days I can write 15-20+ pages in a single day and other days I may only write one or two depending on how the ideas are flowing. I like to do other things while I write. Then once the ideas stop flowing I can switch over to something else for a couple minutes and then go back to writing.

2. I don't have more than one WIP at a time right now. This is my first book and I want to finish it before I take up any more works though once I've finished this one I might take on more than one at once.