Novel Are you writing one novel, or many?

Hey all,

I've noticed a few people mention they are writing more than one novel, or perhaps have begun a few and are unsure which ones to pursue.

It got me thinking - I'm not sure I have the brain space for multiple novels, much less the free time! So, to all the novel writers out there, how many do you have on the go right now, and how many are unfinished?

If you're writing more than one, how do you split your time, and don't the two get confused?

Just curious!


Maroon
x

 

In my head, there are like 3 gestating...in a couple of weeks after my exams finish I'm gonna make a start on one, and let the other two work themselves out while I write the first one...

 

Well, more power to you!

How long do you reckon it'll take you to polish off the first one?

 

I have two in the works. Whichever one is currently tickling my muse more at the time is the one I sit down to, but they both end up getting "quality time."

 

Well, that puts it in perspective. I'll never moan that I "don't have the time" again!

 

A couple days ago I started on my first book. 1000 or so words in, today I decide I can't let another certain idea just go stagnant. I had problems developing it, but it needs love and nurturing xD wrote the opening just now, so... guess I have two on the go. No more though, can;t deal with that. But like Cogito said, which ever tickles the muse Good luck!

 

Years? Haha...I'm hoping to get a 50k-word draft done in the month of holiday I'll have before I start studying again and have to slow down, but given that I'm a terrible writing procrastinator...well, I don't wanna jinx it but....

Although I do like this idea (even though it sounds retarded when I try to explain it to other people, which is annoying cuz im like hey i have this great idea!! and then theyre liek...oh...uh...cool.....) so hopefully that will give me more motivation to get it written...

 

At the moment, I have 3 in the pipeline, but only 2 of those are getting any attention. One of them is almost half done (at 50,000 words) one a 10,000 and the one I'm currently working on, which is at about 6000.

I also have 2 or 3 which are only one chapter long, but I've kept them just in case. I figure something must have inspired me to write each piece, so I keep them until I find that inspiration again!

 

Bah! Worry not - all the best ideas sound odd when you try to tell your friends about them in a few sentences.

"So yeah, everyone's going to fly round in space ships and there'll be baddies and goodies and robots and princesses, and the baddy will turn out to be the goody's Dad!"

 

I have a habit of believing that I am writing three or four stories at the same time, but in fact, I am wrong. Later on they tend to amalgamate into one story with different subplots.

 

I have one fledged novel on the go and completed two chapters. However, I'm still trying to find my style. I've taken a break from the novel and pursued some short stories. I completed one today, which I've submitted into a competition (3500 words), I have another one brewing which I'll start tonight. And have an idea for one after that as well.

Any time in between will be spent improving the first novel, because it's fleshed out in my head and has a good storyline, and I'd like to keep with it to see it through.

 

Ha! I love that!

Perhaps that's your subconscious's way of getting you to work extra hard on one piece. o_0

 

I have two novels on the go currently, but with loads of ideas inside my head. It can be rather annoying at times, because I'll be busy trying to write the first two novels when an awaiting idea barges in, screaming "do me now! I'm bored of waiting! See, you could do this and this, and that too..."

 

Usually if someone comes in screaming that I give up on writing completely for at least a few hours

But I have two novels at the moment, although I'm concentrating on one far more than I'm concentrating on the other. It's a cultural/family/historical/social/political thing and I don't want to screw it up.
The other is to do with a social thing, as well, though, so I might write some more of it when I get the opportunity.

 

Yeah, you're braver than I am. I thought the same thing but...

 

I obviously have no idea what you mean by that.

 

So true! This has happened to me on several occasions. It's almost like the ideas were all there, swimming around in my mind, but it took a while to connect the dots.

 

I too have two novels working on. Lately i am working more on the last.

 

Wow, I have to say that I'm surprised so many of you can work on multiple novels at a time. I am currently working on one, but I also work on short stories when I'm not feeling inspiration for the novel. Even there though, only one short story at a time.

 

I'm just working on one at the moment. However, it has several subplots and so when one storyline bogs down, I can work on another.

 

I'm working on two right now but it's really just one split into two because the two plot-lines wouldn't make sense in a single novel (one is the MC's past, one is modern-day). Normally I write some sort of fanfiction on the side of any novel I work on, just so that I don't have to focus everything on one novel and start getting annoyed with the characters.

~Lynn

 

I have my novel that I wrote for NaNoWriMo last November, but it was written in such a hurry that I find it hard to unscramble the mess. I take it out and try to make sense of it every once in a while. It needs a lot of work since it was just slapped together.
Also, I spent every free moment I had on it during that month and it just reminds me of how tired I was.

 

Just one more little blip on this subject. Far be it from me to ever give advice as to from which direction to work a story, but I never let my inner voice label what I write, while I am writing it, with tags such as short story, novel, novelette, giant juggernaut magnum opus, etc.

I let it be what it will be.

*pulls on the flame retardant suit*

You may read, in the forums that you visit, that this person or that person is working on 7, 8, 9, novels at once. No. They may have 7, 8, 9, different ideas shouting for attention in their heads, but these are not yet novels, and the likelihood is that they won't ever be.

Be honest with yourself in what you are doing so that what you are doing will be honest and true. Don't let the boastings of others intimidate you. 99% of it is just that, boasting, and not much else.

 

I'm writing two novels at the same time. I'm pretty capricious so I switch between them whenever I feel like it. The fact that both stories takes place in the same place but in a different time helps to keep things in order. other than that, I have alot of supporting material and ideas that keep them well distinct.

 

See, I have no problem with this. I think it's true for most people. Personally, I personally have never really been able to write 'short stories' (very rarely it happens) so even if my novels never actually become novels, I always start out with the intention of making them that way. I honestly think that comes from the fact that I tend to hate reading anthologies of short stories, or short stories that are less than novella length. I just don't like jumping from plot to plot. It's also the reason I don't like shows that are less than an hour long on television. I don't think I ever enjoyed any 30 minute shows, not even sitcoms...because I need a longer plot in order to keep my attention on the story.

Just felt like putting in my two cents' worth.

~Lynn