Revisions and the next work

I tend to begin my next work when I'm about halfway through revisions on the current one.

(this is assuming it's a longer work; with short stories, it's more organic with me).

The reason is, I mostly don't enjoy the revising process and it makes me want to write something. So I do.

I tend to start the next project right away. If I type "The End" on a current project at 1:00, I'll be writing the beginning of the next project by 1:10. But I'll only do a little bit of it before I stop working on it, and then go off to consider it and work on revision of the last work.

I like to start the next project as soon as it pops into my head. I'm afraid if I don't, I'll lose it. It doesn't matter where I am in my current project, I at least get started knowing I can go back to it any time. So if something is starting to form, I say get it down before it slips away. It's actually nice to have something going when the revisions are starting to become tedious.

kristie911 said:

I like to start the next project as soon as it pops into my head. I'm afraid if I don't, I'll lose it. It doesn't matter where I am in my current project, I at least get started knowing I can go back to it any time. So if something is starting to form, I say get it down before it slips away. It's actually nice to have something going when the revisions are starting to become tedious.

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See, I'd love to do that...but if I did, I would never get my current project done. Right at this moment, I have four novels, three short stories, and a comic book floating around in my head, complete and ready to be written. If I started each project when it came to me, I would be forever wandering from thread to thread.

(I've mentioned this somewhere else, but I think it died during the great forum-cleansing...)

When I wrote short stories exclusively, years back, I would generally have three going at once. Since it was series work, it meant that when I was halfway through episode 8, I would be about a fourth of the way into episode 9, and just getting started on episode 10. Sometimes, more, sometimes less (depending on how complicated things sometimes got.)

I would be a very happy man if I could find a comfortable way to do all that now, with all the larger projects...

My personal opinion, based on what I find works best for me (so take it as such), is to get on with the revisions. Some people take a break between rough draft and revisions, just to let it "ferment." This is not something I tend to do, but if if one chooses to do so, it's a good time to get some of the preliminary work done on the new project. Once revisions are begun, however, I find it best to work through the piece and get it in the best form possible without the distractions of bringing in another piece. In fact, I think revisions are so important, it is essential (for me) to give them my full attention. Once work number one goes to trusted beta readers, that's another good time to get on with work number two. Once comments come back on number one, it's time for me to be single minded about it again so I can get it into shape for submissions. Once the submission game is begun, it's back to work number two.

The most important thing is to find what works best for you, regardless of what others do or say. My advice, such as it is--do not short change the revision phase. It's the make-or-break part of the writing process.

Considering I've never actually done a revision and just move on to the next project, I guess I'll vote "I move on to my next project as soon as I've finished the first draft."

I wrote a novel earlier this year. When I finished it, I started on a new work right away. I wanted to think about something else and give myself distance to do those revisions. I revise better when it's been a little while since I wrote. I'm more likely to edit out what needs to be cut!

If you have a plot you need to get down, go ahead and start it.

I can't have more than one project in my head at once. I finish the writing on one project, put it aside for a week to give myself a rest and a chance to catch up with life (because in the last month or so before I finish, generally ALL I'm doing is writing frantically in every spare minute of the day, and I'm exhausted when I finally type THE END). By the end of the week I'm absolutely dying to get back to my ms, and I'll jump in with both feet. Only when I've finished my revisions do I think about the next project. However, I'm fairly unusual in that 1) I love revising and 2) revisions and re-writing generally only take me about a week or so.

I like to move on to the next project, unless I have reason (like, looming publication) to finish up revisions on the previous one first. I don't have a problem working back and forth between projects, and in fact find it refreshing at times.

Revision

I have no problem working on more than one novel at a time, particularly if the novels are in different genres. I can work on two or three easily.

But when a novel reaches the end, I usually concentrate on that novel until it's finished, polished, and ready to go.

I just went through a stretch where I did the opposite, let a couple of first drafts sit while I finished the first draft of another novel, and it did not work out well at all.

I have this bizarre fear of writer's block, so I'm always multi-tasking and hopping from one project to another. Currently I have (yes) 14 short stories in one form or another (11-13 of them will more than likely be part of an anthology, another is an entity unto itself that is currently in conceptual limbo, 2 of the "maybes" could possibly turn into anthologies or novels of their own merit). I also have a novel that I'm collaborating on.

I write this way because all too often I've tried focusing on a single project and would finish it and then feel too drained to work on anything else for quite some time. Hence, losing my writing "groove" that had become a habit.

Hmmm. I used to be all hyper, going from one project to another until I realized I'd never finish anything if I kept on going like that.

So, now I concentrate on one project. If I get any cool ideas for another, I write it down in PlotCraft with all the ideas, scenes and dialogues I have thought of and then return to the current project. When I type 'The End', I do some preliminary revisions, then let it drop while I write the first draft of Project 2. When I finish Project 2, I do the preliminary revisions on that, then edit thoroughly Project 1. Then I start with Project 3 and so on.