For my longer stories, I tend to write a chapter of one project and then write a chapter of a different project. Progress on both projects is overall slower, but I tend to avoid burnout on either project this way. The only time it's a problem is when I'm working on more than two projects haha. When I think a story is going to be short enough, I think I'll work on it til it's finished. Secondary question, do you ever suffer from burnout? Like that weird feeling of 'this idea isn't as cool as I thought it was' where you feel the need to drop a project? (not writer's block, this is something else.)
Actively? One. I write an entire draft, then I stop and edit a book I wrote before, then I plan the next book and write that, lather, rinse repeat. I might theoretically have three going at once but only one is being actively worked on at any moment.
What do you do to keep your 'steam' going after the initial hype of an idea wears off and you start getting that 'huh, that was neat for a while' feeling? That's one of my biggest flaws, I get really hype about a project, start writing it, then like 3 chapters in I start feeling like 'well that was fun' I'm starting to think I'm a bit phobic to commitment lol
It's 100% personal commitment. You do it because you want to do it and refuse to fail. You either do it or you don't. Absolutely no one can make you succeed except you.
I have five current WIPs, at between about 15k and 30k in. It's frustrating in a way; the word count would make a decent novel (c: I have two completed works, edited, beta'd, and pretty much ready to push the button on, but one of the WIPs is "same world" and I told myself to get that to first draft before publishing book 1. There may be an element of commitment-phobia, but I think with me there is an element of being a bit of a weirdo. Some days I want to get lost in a world where there are wizards and fantastic beasts, other days I feel the need to be in an English country pub so will work on a "real-world" story. I guess it means that progress will be slower, but I do it for love not money and am more focused on the end result... (at least that's what I tell myself and my superbly patient betas!)
I always work on multiple projects because I can't stop myself. Sometimes consciously or unconsciously I focus on a certain project for a time (most of a day, a few days, a week) but I always end up thinking about other projects eventually. Similarly, I'm usually actively writing notes, plans or novel text for multiple things at a time. For a while, like two years or something, I was mainly prioritising my Son of Cecil project but since I have become doubtful about it, it's kind of in a moratorium. So currently I'm focusing on four other projects which I have some novel text of. My main issue right now is focusing enough to get more work done on those. There is one I consider kind of my main project right now that I have the most of, but I'm having some issue fitting together the plot points for it which is preventing from putting that much focus on just that one. So here I am.
I’ve always continually worked on one at a time, even with shorter works. However, lately I’ve done the exact opposite of what I did before. I’m kinda stuck with each project at the moment so I’ve been switching between editing my original one and working bit by bit on two other shorter ones. I’m probably just tired by the time I get to writing which is why I’m currently stuck.
I work on stories posted in chapters and I have several stories in progress at the same time adding chapters to them as I desire. Since my writing is only to be shared and isn't producing any income I don't have any pressure to work on anything specific at any time. I have only recently started writing stories I've had in my head for several years typing them in and expanding on the nebulous thoughts I had in my head. I'm amazed at how much detail I have to add in order to make them ready to be read. I've found my mind is better at concepts than details but I am having fun learning to write stories as opposed to just thinking about them.
For me, working on two projects in parallel proved to be the most effecient way. One in the morning, one in the everning, easy to keep the pace and work/sleep in between reboot my mind and allow to switch completely. The thing is that if I do more, I just don't have enough time to switch. If I do just one, it only works with the short stories or the ending/beginning part of a longer one. After a week with just one story I literally run into a writer's block: I've written the part I was inspired of, I have a plan for further parts, but the story seems to start loosing it's 3D, and flattens, turns into a routine. In these cases I definitely need a fresh kick from the other story, otherwise I may abandon the current one and just switch to a completely new project. And then it will be extremely hard to return to it after some time.
One current fiction WIP, which is a collection, so technically 9-10 smaller WIPs to build that out. Have plans for another nonfic collection after this. And also with a FT, PT, and freelance job (yes, 3 jobs as a writer), I cannot help but have dozens of WIPs going on at once, all day, every day, seven days a week. Hello burnout, my old friend
I have traditionally stuck to one long form project at a time (novel or novella) while cranking out the odd short story in between bouts. I've tried to, anyways. Hasn't always worked out that way. For the last several months, though, I have bounced between dozens of different stories of every imaginable kind. I work on whatever I feel I might make progress on and enjoy writing at that particular moment. Just trying to get my groove back. I've finished a couple of stories this way, but the others aren't really advancing in any meaningful way, though I am refining things and generating ideas, and getting some more experience.
