Right now I'm working on three things A play that shouldn't go past three pages. The script to a comic I never plan on drawing or sending to a publisher. A SS that might turn into a novel. So, I probably won't post much of it. So, do you ever find yourself wanting to work on more than one thing at once? Do you budget your time, or what? I'm kinda working on one for about five minutes at at time ... so, who do you deal with stuff like that.
I use Outlook to set daily tasks. I prioritize tasks and put time slots for them into my daily schedule, leaving slots for contingency items as well. It also means I have to prioritize tasks off my daily list, unfortunately. I have too many interests, not to mention externally imposed commitments, to do everything I wish!
I'm working on: -7 scripts for my friend's summer movie project -All the writing for an ongoing webcomic that another friend is making -Two wannabe novels -A collection of dark short stories -A novella that might be put in the above collection -And I've got ideas for more novels, books, and stories then you can imagine. And my computer is busted while I do all this, so I'm patching everything together from four different computers, none of which is my usual one. So generally, I just sit down and write whatever I feel like writing. I'm a teen (mostly) so my moods swing often and I wind up getting a lot of work done on a lot of different projects. So basically, just write whatever you feel like writing at the time, and everything'll eventually get a move on.
I'm trying to steer clear of doing multiple projects so that I can complete at least one of them. I've been finding that by doing this, it motivates me to complete my current project so that I can start on the next one. However, I've been writing several short stories along with my main project (A novel with 20,000 word count right now) since short stories takes less time to complete and I can send them for critiquing and submissions to magazines quicker. I've never been a very organized person so the idea of working on a multiple novel wouldn't work for me.
I tried to juggle my music, my movies and my writing at the same time. Made time slots: 2 hours for my guitar, 1 hour for my scriptwork, 2 hours for my writing (its summer so I have lots of hours), plus atleast 100 pagse and a movie a day. I was dead soon. So I decided to concentrate on my writing. Give it a shot for a couple of years, if I'm not good, then just quit. I've decided to write less now and read more. I have a lot of reading to catch up with.
Do any of you guys work on more than one major project at a time? I'm considering working on 2 novels at the same time, but I'm still unsure.
I do at times, but that's providing they're in different genres. If I wrote two fantasy novels at the same time, I'd get majorly confused.
No, I don't. I've focused on one novel or one short story at a time. When I've finished a first draft and completed some revsion, and then it is out with my crit partners and/or I'm getting a little time away from the project, I'll work on something else, usually an article. The first reason is that I tend to lose focus and the writing doesn't seem as on target with several projects. It takes me longer when I sit down to get back into a project if I have several going. The second reason is that if you're working on one novel, say it takes you 15 months from outlining, researching, writing the first draft, doing edits and revisions, the polishing it for submission, after fifteen months, you'll have something ready to go. If you're working on two novels at the same time...then logically the minimum would be 30 (or 2.5 years) months before anything is ready for submission. Now, some may write faster, and even if it takes only 9 months, that still means it would be 18 months before any project is ready. With the speed (actually lack of) things tend to move with submissions and publishing in general, I see it as better to work on one story/novel, get it out there and then the other. A more efficient use of time. Terry
I'm always working on lots of things at once. I currently have two major WIPs, a novel rewrite, and various shorter projects in the works. There's nothing wrong with multitasking BUT you have to keep in mind that it doesn't work for everyone. For me, I don't pay an equal amount of attention to each project. I just work on various things at the same time because sometimes I get bored with one and want to do something else. Naturally this works better for somebody not actively seeking publication, where a deadline to finish something might be a lot more important. If you're looking into publication in the near future, I would not suggest this. I'd never confuse two works I'm working on, even in the same genre, because they're all so individual to me! It would be like mixing up two of my kids. :redface: If you feel you can pull off working on two things at once, give it a shot. It might work for you, it might not. But be aware that you might not be able to devote the same amount of energy to both or you could tire yourself out. Like I said, this works better if you don't have a deadline.
I occasionally will write a short story while working on an outline, but I don't work on the writing sections of two stories at once. I tend to think in a very linear fashion and working on two seperate plotlines often will confuse me.
I only work on one. If I happen to get an idea for another one, I just make a mental note of that new idea.
I always have a lot going on. If I come up with a new idea, I type it out and see how it goes from there. Right now, I'm working on a novel, but I also have side projects- like short stories and etc going on. For me, it helps to have a lot of stuff going on, that way, I don't "drain" out (get tired of working on one thing.)
i always have... i was usually working on up to a dozen things at once, when i was a paid writing consultant at the same time as i was turning out a novel, plays, lyrics, etc.... and still do, now that i'm mentoring/helping aspiring writers, while working on my own stuff... that said, my being able to do so relatively effortlessly may have something to do with the fact that i'd had 7 kids and always had to juggle lots of stuff at the same time... ;-)
I work on one novel at a time (not that I've ever really made progress on any!), but in the back of my mind I have plots of other stories I will write in the future. I also write short stories for my friends or when I'm bored in class.
Yes, as a matter of fact, Im working on a super series right now. So far, I'm writing three novels as once, but since all of them takes place on the same timeline and in the same place, I don't get confused.
Currently in progress: 1 general fiction novel in clean-up phase 1 general fiction novel in writing phase 1 category romance novel in clean up (deadline next week) 1 category romance novel in writing (deadline in December) 1 erotic novel (proposal already approved) Monthly newsletters, an article for a local weekly paper, and an article I'm writing on spec to submit to bridal magazines
I just recently decided that working on multiple projects would be beneficial, both in terms of productivity and creativity. That way, I can let one rest for a while but still have something to work on. It also seems to help for contrast, in that it forces me to consider what makes one piece of writing stand out from another. But I don't think I'd be able to work on two huge projects at the same time, e.g. two novels. Currently, I have a novel and a few short stories in progress.
I've always been in the habit of working on several novels at once. More recently though I've started trying to focus on just one novel at a time. If I need to take a break from that one I'll go play around with a short story or peice of flash fiction for awhile. I find I finish my novels much more quickly if I take them one at a time.
I tend to be working on one project but have ideas for other projects or completely new ones pop into my head while I'm working. It meant I used to have a real problem concentrating on one thing, but now I've gotten into the habit of making notes of things that occur to me and going back to them later, so I focus mostly on the one project I'm working on. I also have the same sort of system as mooncloud, in that if I lose inspiration or get stuck on one project, I work for a while on another and then go back and forth between them. Like mooncloud said, it helps with productivity and creativity. I think leaving one project to work on other one helps you get a little perspective for when you go back to it.
For me, just a couple of short stories that will be posted on here in due time. I'll get into detail later but I have to run for now. Let's hear em..
My current projects: * A really really long fantasy serial based on Ojibwa mythology, the third in the series. Currently on Pt. 182. * Mentally planning out the fourth in said series. * A really really long anthro/erotica serial (kind of on hiatus for notes). * Rewrite of a novel I wrote long ago, part of a series. * Various shorter stories and novellas in various stages of writing. I might be forgetting some stuff. *shrug*
- Working on my first novel and hopefully staying with it until the end. - In the planning stages of 2 other novels in which I hope to write in the future. - Editing several short stories and poetry of mine. - Story and Poetry ideas hit me all the time, so I'm often working on one of them. It probably isn't healthy to try and write 3 novels at once as well as short stories and poetry, but...oh well.
Right now I'm trying to come up with a trilogy length plot line for 013, and I'm still doing occasional revisions of 003. I've got my fourth draft of The Book of the Moon on hiatus for some brain storming with one minor plot hole I've uncovered. That's about it...
