WIP Overload

What's your track record on story completion?

What's the question?

-Derek

Very droll. Your 1st post. What question are you asking? Forum is Basic Writing Questions. This presumes you have a question and seek an answer.

-Derek

CatharsisChild said:

How much is too much, in terms of writing projects?

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Depends on the writer. Some people do very well with balancing multiple projects and others prefer to focus on one at a time. You just have to figure out what works for you.

CatharsisChild said:

How much is too much, in terms of writing projects?

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It is too much if you cannot successfully see it all through to its conclusion in however much time you have for it. That conclusion may be trunking a WIP if that's its logical conclusion - but it's a conclusion nonetheless.

No one but yourself can answer that question for you. I work best handling one project at a time. A friend of mine would give up entirely if so limited. She always has several projects in the works in various states of completion, but she always does complete them.

CatharsisChild said:

How much is too much, in terms of writing projects?

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Clearly, your lineup is too much for just about anyone.

In my case, two wips is too much.

It's fine to have a million ideas in your head, but you have to make sure they form an orderly queue.

I have something like 12 ideas, each with a note book for me to jot down ideas when they strike. As it is, I never work on more than one in the editing stage, and one in first draft stage.

It might be worth examining why you have yet to finish a project.

I want to publish the novel that I've been working on for a while now ( even though I have a bunch of other ideas ), so "there can only be one!"

I have lots and lots of files sitting around for me to work on them. I have a pretty good memory for things I want to write, but since I have so many of them, I make sure I at least have something to go on when I want to work on them. Sometimes it's a file where the only thing in it is a line/question, like, "[character] is [premise]. What happens if [situation]?" Others have a literal chart made up for them where I list all the characters and various information about them (because the characters all work "together" and need to have each element accounted for). Some have documents with scenes or basic timelines. And so on.

I go as far with that outline, draft, or plot premise as I can in the rush of creativity - and then stop when it runs out. I'm on varying stages of a lot of projects, many of which I've shelved because I know in my bones I'm not ready for them. Others because I need to let the ideas simmer a bit more. And some just because I don't have the time to work on them.

Right now I am working on a novel. My intentions are to complete the first draft by April 15th. I'm probably going to work only on it for now, though I'm considering "cheating" and working on a few short stories so I can be familiar with how to self-publish on something where I won't be as frustrated if I make mistakes - and also because I'm not disciplined enough right now to focus on one project to the exclusion of all others for a long period of time.

So, for me - I'm more or less in your boat. Lots of projects that I want to work on, but not enough time to work on them. But I'm trying to see if I can see this novel through to the end without stopping to see if maybe that might work better for me. I've had the problem in the past of having so many ongoing projects that by the time I got around to working on them again, I've "outgrown" them and ended up either letting them sit to rot in case I can revitalize it later or cannibalizing them for "parts" (characters, premise; etc).

My suggestion is to look at what's on your plate and try to decide what projects you are "obligated" to do (things you have promised to others), what may be out of your league for now (which you can store for after you complete other projects) and "the rest". Obligations come first and if you're not able to focus on one project over another, try working on two, switching between them when you need the break.

I wish you luck.

Gonna ask this...

...are you piling on so much writing on your plate to avoid school work?

With that many projects going on at once it's going to take you a very, very long time to complete them all.

Do you have a priority in mind? Is there one story above all others that you want to see completed? Pick what's most important to you and focus on that (or those) and save the rest for another day.

It's too much when you reach the point where nothing gets completed.

CatharsisChild said:

How much is too much, in terms of writing projects?

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Cynical or not - what's the answer?

CatharsisChild said:

God, that's cynical.

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CatharsisChild said:

This is especially true, considering I'm taking a lot of heat from my parents about passing my senior year with flying colors, particularly in regards to succeeding the math portion of the HSAP.

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Classic procrastination material. Cynical, maybe, but worth taking a look at.

Bufty said:

It's too much when you reach the point where nothing gets completed.

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Exactly.

CatharsisChild said:

God, that's cynical.

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It also could be procrastination to avoid finishing projects. I used to work with a cowriter who would procrastinate by trying to revise the first chapter endlessly.

i recommend taking to leaping steps and a mile jog in the opposite direction of fan fiction. IMO it hampers growth in writing creativity as it places your mental energies in other peoples work rather than your own. Plus, time a luxury with an ever decreasing value. Seize the day writing your own stuff, because there will come a time when you can't anymore

CatharsisChild said:

I want to pass high school, but I want to write as well.

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Writing is something you can do any time from now through the rest of your life. High school, in my opinion, really should be the biggest focus right now.

But there's no reason you can't do both. Just make sure to keep an eye open for things that you take on that will eventually overload you or divert your focus to the point of being overwhelmed by too much on your plate.

Then none of it gets done.

CatharsisChild said:

I want to pass high school, but I want to write as well.

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So make yourself a five-year plan. I used to do that until I got very old...

First five years: finish high school, finish one of my books, get said book published.

(If you have college plans, include those.)

As we say in my house, you can't do everything (at the same time, that is.) Prioritize.

High school.

College?

Writing.