Multi-WIP

Hillgate · Feb 4, 2007

I know I may be strange - at least my wife thinks I am - but I can only work on one thing at a time. I've noticed, with admiration, how many people in the cooler seem to have multiple WIP going. I just can't do it. I've tried but I can't. Not even editing/polishing duties.

Is my inability to multi-task unique, or am I one of many?

Coffee beckons

scarletpeaches · Feb 4, 2007

Well, you ARE a man...

Anthony Ravenscroft · Feb 4, 2007

I'm of the opinion that the only reason I get any good ideas at all is because I'm trying to finish something else.

Hillgate · Feb 4, 2007

Ideas

The man thing probably has a lot to do with it Scarletpeaches, I agree!

Anthony - I do get ideas whilst I am finishing or normally editing a finished work but I find I can't commit more than a few lines to paper. I certainly couldn't write two works in parallel. That was the thread of my thread if you see what I mean...

brunoshouse · Feb 4, 2007

I can only focus on one wip at a time. I may write notes or ideas for other projects, but I could never have two novels going at the same time. (and for the record, I'm a girl)

Hillgate · Feb 4, 2007

brunoshouse said:
I can only focus on one wip at a time. I may write notes or ideas for other projects, but I could never have two novels going at the same time. (and for the record, I'm a girl)

Thank you brunoshouse! And thank you for confirming you're a girl!

Saundra Julian · Feb 4, 2007

I have five unfinished WIP, three I'm actively working on and I'm editing two completed novels...just seems to work for me. I never get bored that way...

brunoshouse · Feb 4, 2007

I know the name is decieving. Believe me, I don't even look like a Bruno.

Nickie · Feb 4, 2007

I'm also working on two WIP's at the moment - while putting notes on paper for another one. Always worked for me - but I agree that it must be something that women can do more easily than men. We're used to doing different things all at the same time!

Nickie

dragonjax · Feb 4, 2007

I have two "active" WIPs right now. Last year, I had two WIPs, but I wrote a chunk of one for a few months, stopped and wrote a chunk of the other for a month, then returned to the first to finish it, then completed the second novel.

This year (er, now), I'm flipping back and forth between two novels, doing the occasional short story, and in another week, I have to write a synopsis for a contracted novella.

For what it's worth, I didn't "multiwrite" until after I sold my first novel.

scarletpeaches · Feb 4, 2007

For the sake of variety (and not having my head explode) I often have two things on the go at once. They're NEVER at the same stage, though. I'll have a first draft going while I'm editing my previous piece, for instance. That way, when my brain stops working on WIP1, I can put on my editing hat for WIP2.

Works out quite well, 'cause I never have a 'doing nothing' period. I finish editing something and promote the first draft to the position of my editing project, while I'm writing the first draft of my next opus. *snort*

thethinker42 · Feb 4, 2007

Hillgate said:
I know I may be strange - at least my wife thinks I am - but I can only work on one thing at a time. I've noticed, with admiration, how many people in the cooler seem to have multiple WIP going. I just can't do it. I've tried but I can't. Not even editing/polishing duties.

Is my inability to multi-task unique, or am I one of many?

Coffee beckons

I always have numerous projects going on. I usually only write one draft at a time, and it tends to get most of my attention, but I've always got other outlines in progress, other stuff to edit, etc. At least then if I get sick of my current project, I have other books to work on.

johnzakour · Feb 4, 2007

If I don't have at least 5 WIPs going at once I'm not happy. It's really hard to be a professional writer and have just one WIP going at once. (Unless of course your writing about a wizard named Harry, and even then I'd guess she has other irons she's poking around the fire with.)

Hillgate · Feb 4, 2007

Just me and Brunoshouse, then?

ChaosTitan · Feb 4, 2007

I tend to juggle several projects at once. Variety is the spice of life, right? For the last half of '06 I was co-writing a book, solo writing another, and editing a third (and wrote a short story).

I never feel guilty about it, as long as I manage to complete something every few months. Never use 'too many ideas' or 'too many projects' as an excuse to never finish anything.

Hillgate · Feb 4, 2007

I agree with variety as the spice of life! I expect to be in development hell soon and that's when I start tearing my hair out but if/when it happens I figure I'll be able to afford the best wigs money can buy

ShannonC_77 · Feb 4, 2007

I have two novels going and then also do non-fiction freelance writing. I find that if I'm just doing one there is a higher chance I'll get bored. This way, if I'm not in the 'mood' to work on one certain WIP I can just switch over and hopefully the creative juices will be flowing for the other.

readlorey · Feb 4, 2007

I have three WIPs and a few other writing thingies going on. I tend to get bored real easy. I'm that way with other things as well.

I can manage to sit still and watch TV, but I use that for vegging out while thinking about stuff like writing or whatever. I also like to watch the history channel, discovery channel, and other interesting channels where I can learn something I don't know.

Oh, and I am 100% woman. At least in this lifetime. In the others, wlllll....that would be a whole different thread.

IrishScribbler · Feb 4, 2007

I can work on multiple projects...sort of. When I'm editing/revising, I usually start the rough draft of another project, or at least the research and pre-writing stuff.

Right now, though, I'm trying to really concentrate on Deirdre of Sorrow.

jodiodi · Feb 4, 2007

I usually have several things going on at once. I have about 5 first drafts that I need to do further editing on and 3 pieces that I'm actively writing on the first drafts of.

IrishScribbler · Feb 4, 2007

jodiodi said:
I usually have several things going on at once. I have about 5 first drafts that I need to do further editing on and 3 pieces that I'm actively writing on the first drafts of.

Whoa! That'd be way too much for me! I wish you luck and salute with respect!

Sage · Feb 4, 2007

I used to work on many stories at the same time when I did fanfic, but since writing with the hope of being published, I have been unable to truly work on more than one WIP at once. I do occasionally give up on one to work on another & eventually go back, but I haven't been able to dedicate myself to two or more WIPs for a long time.

LightShadow · Feb 4, 2007

I have a primary WIP, but if it is driving me batty, I work on other minor projects just to keep myself writing, until the groove returns for my main manuscript/story.

virtue_summer · Feb 4, 2007

I'm a woman and I can only focus on one story at a time. When I try to do more, it just doesn't work. I get bounced out of my "zone." I give everything I have to my current story.

Siddow · Feb 4, 2007

I'm a female juggler.

Yet, I only work on one project at a time. I just don't finish it before I'm skitting off to something else. I do return to the abandoned project eventually, but I always get ideas that need my attention RIGHT NOW.

Maybe I'm just ADD.

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