Is it "cheating" to switch WIP's?

Feathers · Dec 19, 2007

Right now I'm about 23,000 words into my WIP. I have a great plot, a clear view of where I'm going and what to do next, but I keep having days where no one will let me write, and I've been getting procrastinators writers block because of it. I like the story, I'm just too lazy to hunker down and write it.

Now, suddenly, I got this amazing new story idea--brilliant, beautiful, etc, and i'm just gushing with inspiration--for the new story. Normally I don't switch WIP's unless I was unsure about the story to begin with, and I had concluded it needed to percolate some more before I wrote it. So for me, switching now, right when things are getting hard on my WIP, would be like cheating. Taking the easy way out. I have no excuse to switch. Both stories would take a while to write so it's not like I could just hurry up and finish one.

Should I switch? Would it be cheating? How do you guys feel about switching midway?

-Feathers

scarletpeaches · Dec 19, 2007

I've done it, and have no problem with it. It delays your timescale for finishing anything, of course; that's the main worry. But cheating? Nah. Go with whichever WIP you feel like.

There may come a point when you realise you have to commit to one, and one alone, until you reach the end, though.

reenkam · Dec 19, 2007

I usually write half a book, then switch to another and do half of that, then back to the first or another one before the first, etc.

So if it's cheating, I cheat all the time.

It hasn't hurt me, though. *shrugs*

maestrowork · Dec 19, 2007

It's only cheating if you never finish any book because you quit halfway.

As long as you finish what you started, you can do whatever you want.

Feathers · Dec 19, 2007

Well, that's what I'm afraid of...that If I hop around too much I'll never get anything done. It used to happen when I was younger and I'm a bit uneasy about opening the door to that, especially after I worked so hard to shut it.

-Feathers

mikeland · Dec 19, 2007

It doesn't strike me as "cheating," but it isn't necessarily a good idea either.

Remember, the new idea always seems fresh and exciting and less troublesome than the one that actually requires you to put 1000-2000 words on paper each day.

Personally, I never switch projets mid-stream unless I know I'm going to drop the first one for a long time. I have a pathological need to finish things, so I need to be really stuck to stop.

If you're truly stuck, drop it and move on. But it sounds like you're just having a frustrating spell. If you like the story and know where you're going, then don't stop.

It's not like the people who are interrupting you on the first project are going to disappear for the second one. 23,000 words is a nice chunk of change. I say power through the laziness and stick with the project.

Feathers · Dec 19, 2007

Mike, that's what I keep telling myself: That i'm just being lazy and new ideas always seem amazing. If it felt like a short I'd just get it out, but it might get complicated...

Dangit, I'd almost decided! :tongue

-Feathers

James D. Macdonald · Dec 19, 2007

You can write two at the same time as long as you finish both.

There are entirely too many people who have let the dread mid-book stop them. They have twenty half-novels but no completed novels.

Don't let yourself become another of those unhappy folks.

ORION · Dec 19, 2007

James is right.
For me that 20,000 word point is when I ALWAYS decide that a new premise is always far more attractive...for me it's a struggle during that 20,000-40,000 period but I've discovered that if I just jot down my new premise or idea for a novel and stash it aside I can always come back to it. It is SO important to just finish a novel and start the next one.
And you learn so much from revising and editing each project.

Straka · Dec 19, 2007

When I'm writing a WIP, and get past 30 pages, I always stick with it to the end. But when I'm in my editing mode I'm a bit of a man-whore

IThinkICan29 · Dec 19, 2007

Feathers...if this is your first novel I wouldn't "cheat" as you call it. Mainly because finishing a novel is a feat in itself. If you get stuck or bored, sure...but really, really, figure out why you feel inclined to start something else. I've been down the, Ideas-A-Plenty Road only to discover that I was just procrastinating. I've found that moving on to other projects before finishing my WIP leads me to the strange land of unfinishness-ness. I tend to lose the mojo associated with that project for some reason. What I've learn to do to curb this urge is to go back to my outline, read over my character sheets/bios, and find inspiration. Once I type "the end" then I move on to something else, usually an outline or character sheets for another idea. If I'm not near my computer or locked in to my dedicated writing time I jot ideas for future projects in my raggedy notepad, but I don't dedicate any time to tackling a whole new something. I'd probably lose the little mind I have left if I did.

geardrops · Dec 19, 2007

I have a file called "thoughts and plots." I write whatever is bugging me mid-project in that file. Then I go back to what I'm working on.

I've found that, personally, getting that thought on paper gets it out of my system and I can continue where I left off.

Cranky · Dec 19, 2007

James D. Macdonald said:
You can write two at the same time as long as you finish both.

There are entirely too many people who have let the dread mid-book stop them. They have twenty half-novels but no completed novels.

Don't let yourself become another of those unhappy folks.

Let me just quote this for emphasis.

Look at my signature, and you'll see why...

seun · Dec 20, 2007

Feathers said:
but I keep having days where no one will let me write

Could you elaborate on that?

KTC · Dec 20, 2007

I switch all the time. I have to grab the thoughts as they occur or I will lose them. If I have an idea for another project, I'll stop the WIP and go on to the idea. I always have multiple WIPs. I thought everybody did.

Cranky · Dec 20, 2007

Sebby said:
I switch all the time. I have to grab the thoughts as they occur or I will lose them. If I have an idea for another project, I'll stop the WIP and go on to the idea. I always have multiple WIPs. I thought everybody did.

I believe you. You have finished at least one book, though, haven't you? More, even, but I'm pretty sure you've finished at least one.

Claudia Gray · Dec 20, 2007

I agree with the consensus -- it's too easy to switch to the bright, new, shiny idea that hasn't shown you all its complications yet. But every bright, new, shiny idea ultimately becomes a half-finished WIP with plot threads that aren't tying up as you hoped, or character development that you're not sure about, and a thousand other difficulties to overcome. Everyone has to learn how to stick with that half-finished WIP and turn it into the finished, polished book that it ultimately can be.

There are people who switch happily between WIPs and are able to finish them all; others can't. (I can outline and brainstorm on several different projects at the same time, but I've found I can really only be writing one.) Only time and practice will reveal whether or not this is a balancing act you can accomplish. My personal advice in this case would be to jot down ideas about the new, shiny concept but keep working hard on your first.

davids · Dec 20, 2007

maestrowork said:
It's only cheating if you never finish any book because you quit halfway.

As long as you finish what you started, you can do whatever you want.

Double dittos!!

Susan Breen · Dec 20, 2007

Is there any way you can use the new idea as a subplot in the old idea? Otherwise, I'd vote for staying with the thing you're working on.

Raphee · Dec 24, 2007

I have committed to one WIP at one time. Over the past one year I have worked on the same. Have been revising it now for five months and into Draft No 3.
It seems I can't do any more revisions for now. So I have taken a breather and started a fun novel This isn't anything serious, just some fun writing and experimentation till i can regroup and refocus my revising and do it properly.

It is essential that you finish your MS. I would say that for all of us new writers. We risk losing our belief and confidence that we can finish projects. Don't run that risk.
That brilliant idea can wait its turn.

nonamesleft47 · Dec 24, 2007

Make all the notes you can of those hot ideas and file them away. I save mine as "story idea" and then the date in Word on my laptop, I list the characters, a short outline or a synopsis of the story, never more than a page or two. Then continue on with the one you are working on. I have 8-10 ideas waiting in the wings at any given time.

I did the same thing you are thinking about doing with my first novel attempt, took me a year to finish it, never finished anything else either. Until I dedicated myself to it and worked only on it. On the second one I dedicated myself to it, kept just filing those ideas and dreams away and finished it in 3 months. I've taken time off revising them because I had so many short story ideas that I needed to get some of them out.

The novella (maybe novel length) I am working on right now is an idea I've had for at least 2 years and never wrote anything down about, it just kept coming back until I finally got tired of it coming to the surface and started working on it. That was two weeks and 30,000 words ago. Good luck!

Elodie-Caroline · Dec 24, 2007

Without looking at anyone else's replies first; how can you be cheating? If there's something else that you feel compelled to write, write it, you're not doing yourself any harm by this.

I was three-quarters the way through my very first novel, when I suddenly had the inspiration for another story. I put the first one aside and started the new one. I have finished the newer one and have done a sequel to it; except I'm adding the sequel to the original. Once I know this is as finished as it can possibly be, I am picking up the one that I put aside.

Elodie

a_sharp · Dec 24, 2007

nonamesleft47 said:
Make all the notes you can of those hot ideas and file them away. I save mine as "story idea" and then the date in Word on my laptop, I list the characters, a short outline or a synopsis of the story, never more than a page or two. Then continue on with the one you are working on. I have 8-10 ideas waiting in the wings at any given time.

This is really good advice. Don't toss the new idea wholesale, but likewise, don't indulge it either.

What I do is bang out a quick synopsis of no more than two pages, and maybe write a first chapter. Put it away. Get back to my WIP and get my head around the original story again. I resist the temptation to think about the new idea. It's extra socks stuffed in a drawer. 'Bye.

Under my MyBooks folder I have about 30 sketches like this. Right now I'm plowing forward on my current project without a sideways glance. Because I know once I look left or right, I'm done for. Seems I've got a lot of company.

a_sharp · Dec 24, 2007

Inspiration or drift?

One more thought. Each new spark of story idea for me rings an alarm that says "exercise your mental discipline now." That goes for the first draft process as well as new works. I try to stick with my basic story idea because it's easy to wander astray with a new plot twist or character idea or a zillion other things. Some are good, some not, I have had to learn to read my own habits and be my own traffic cop. For some, winging it all the way through to the end works, but for many of us, a good idea of how we want our story to end is necessary to guide us through the morass of new ideas that crop up, picking only the cherries.

Inspirational mid-draft bursts happen to us all, because writers are creative creatures. But we need to develop the strength and sense of purpose to rightly place those ideas as either true inspiration or drift. The decision is always yours to make.

Stijn Hommes · Dec 24, 2007

No, don't switch. If you leave WIPs because a new idea has you inspired, you'll never finish anything because you'll drop it once the initial spark is gone. Just put your butt in the chair and finish what you started.

Just write down a few notes about the other idea and don't allow yourself to write it until you're finished.

Is it "cheating" to switch WIP's?

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