Two WIP's vying for your attention?

I always have the same issue. I had it bad in November when I had to produce ample wordage on three different WIPs. One had a request for a full and it wasn't finished. One was going to a publisher and it was short 20,000 words and the third was also going to a publisher and was short about 15,000 words. I worked on all three simultaneously and got them all in on time. You do what you have to do.

I always have this problem so I end up dropping a lot of projects. My approach is to just drop stuff whenever I feel like it. Eventually, I end up with something long enough to finish it and I just go back to the other stories when I feel like it. It's not very eficient, though. Most people will tell you to force yourself to stick with one project, or maybe have two so you can alternate when you're bored. Dropping stuff doesn't work for everyone.

I tend to go with the muse, personally. At least I'll write down notes for the fantastic ideas that occur to me. I've often set down everything else to write a first chapter of something that leapt into my head, and once a story took me over for ten straight days. When I'm at the later stage and I want to make sure that it's smooth and deep from beginning to end, that requires undivided concentration. But as far as getting the first draft out, I'd just go where inspiration takes you. It's so hard to write without inspiration that you might as well take advantage when you've got it.

I flit from WIP to WIP as the whim takes me -- which isn't necessarily a good thing, and I suspect it may be one of the defining differences between hopeful hobbyist and professional wordsmith -- but trying to fight the impulse always works out worse for me in the end.

-Derek

I try to limit myself to 3 projects at a time. If I really start picking up steam on one, I'll work on it exclusively, but sometimes I need a day or two (even a week) to take a break and work on something else. As long as I keep it to 3, then at least I'm making progress on 3, rather than no progress on one or teeny tiny baby steps on 15.

Just...make sure you actually finish something. My problem for the last few years was that I would flit between projects and nothing got done. With a little self-discipline, yes, it's possible to work on - and finish - multiple WIP's.

ETA: I limit myself to 3 first drafts...as you can see by my signature, I'm working on 3, but revising one. Whatever works best for you.

Tnonk said:

However, my muse has other ideas.
So... what do ya'll do?
Grin & bear it?
Take what your muse has to offer, when it's offered?

Click to expand...

From your signature lines, you do have the drive to finish projects. You now have a challenge to that drive. This may well be a learning experience for you--are you the kind of person who can work on multiple projects and still finish them or does the constant distraction end up detracting from your concentration on each piece? Give it some time, but if you find the flip-flopping is slowing progress on both projects, you may want to shelve one and finish the other, then get back to finishing the one on the shelf. Good luck with it. You'll learn a lot about yourself on this one.

And about the quote above. (sarcasm only in part) That thing you call a muse is really you. That means a little self-discipline can override it. And if it really talks to you, it's easy to tell it to STFU.

I have various WIPs vying for attention. My main project is a fantasy serial, the third part so far, with a fourth behind it clamoring to be started (that will just have to wait). I have another serial which I put on hiatus for notes, though it still calls out to me at times. And my third main project at the moment is the rewrite of an old novel of mine; I got partway through, but work on the fantasy serial is taking away my time from that, so it too is on temporary hiatus. There are also numerous shorter works.

That's really all I can do with various works that I just haven't time or heart to work on at the moment; put them on hiatus. Should a day come when my attention swings more toward working on them instead of my current serial, then I will. I have to follow where my heart mostly is, which for a long time has been with my current project.

If you feel you can work on both at the same time without it being too detrimental to either, then you can do that. But if one of them isn't getting any work done on it, you can always set it aside and return to it later. I'd work on the story that's most promising. What "most promising" means to you personally (most publishable, most well plotted out, most exciting at the moment), I have no clue. You'd have to figure that out.

The most important thing is that you finish something, sometime.

Write both. I usually have a priority novel on the front burner, another on the back burner, and then several projects that I make notes on as they come to me.

It depends on how you write, but what I typically do is work on them main novel on the weekends when I have the most time, and the back burner novel during the week when my writing time is just a few hours each day. I also have weekly/monthly word count goals, so if I haven't hit that on the main novel, I stay on that novel until I do. Then I switch over to the other.

The thing you want to avoid however, is switching between work so often you never finish anything. Unless of course, that's what you enjoy and finishing isn't that big a deal to you If so, then write away and have fun. If you want to finish by X date, then maybe set some goals and then work toward reaching those.

Although most writers work on several books at one time, it's crucial to have one priority WIP that you want to complete a/s/a/p. You can work on two or three books at one time, but should always be aware of the priority project. You can make notes on the other works and/or write on same as time allows, but I think it's crucial you always tend to your priority WIP. Of course I'm assuming this is what you want to do. If not, there are no "rules."

I have several WIPs. 2 started in 07 and then "set aside" to take care of personal problems-- to put it mildly. I actually left my MC in a pickle, determined to get him out as soon as I get back to writing it. I don't think it is uncommon for writers to work on things for quite a while, as long as they get other things out in the mean-time.

I write on whatever WIP catches my attention when I sit down. Sometimes while working on one, I'll have inspiration for another and start working on that. Not sure if it's ADHD or just the Gemini in me.