Hi guys, I'm new here (did introduce myself in the appropriate section earlier) but for those who haven't seen it, I've just recently starting writing with a commitment to get a body of work together, as opposed to bits and bobs for recreation. My initial intention was to write a novel, and if it were any good, to tout it about like a Simon Cowell record at Christmas. The more I research though, the more I feel that it wouldn't do me any harm at all to try and get a few short stories under my belt. My reasons for this are that I'm finding that the short story is a great way to learn to develop strong characters and situations quickly and with impact, I dare say I'm learning how to edit also due to the parameters required. Also, if I decide to approach an agent/publishing house (and that's a long way off yet, so I will be considering all options), I feel that it would strengthen my expression of interest or submission if I have a little something else to demonstrate my veracity as a writer. Now to cut to the chase, as this post is getting long. As a new writer, I'm trying to be organised and slick. My notepad and kindle go everywhere with me, I have Scrivener and all of its' marvellous tools, I finish my day job and religiously commit to writing each night but I just can't seem to stay on task!! It's so frustrating. I currently have 3 short stories that I'm playing with. What originally started out as my 'novel', has now become a short story. I wanted to be organised and regimental with myself in order to achieve my goals, but I'm struggling to complete work that I've started, and am too quick to move on with other ideas. Should I solely concentrate on one project at a time, and relentlessly bash it out until it's completed, or can you effectively multi-task between a few? Has anybody here been through this, and if so, were you able to overcome it? Thanks!
Just a word of warning - short story publishing credits generally don't help you get an agent or publisher. If this is your main reason for writing them, don't! The payback isn't worth the effort. But if this would just be an added bonus then crack on. There's no "should" - everyone is different. There are plenty of writers who never finish anything, or who never give their all to a project before moving on. Of course, they have nothing published because nothing gets polished enough, but they're happy. I don't work on two projects at the same stage at the same time. I currently have one on submission, one out to betas, and am writing the first draft of another. I didn't start this first draft until the previous one was out to betas. But I don't have this problem of loads of ideas I want to work on. When I do get an idea, I write it down and ignore it while I focus on finishing my current project. I want to be published, and that's only possible if I have finished and polished work to send to publishers. Writing is time-consuming and poorly paid. You have to do whatever makes it fun for you or, again, the payback isn't worth the effort.
You say you're struggling to complete work and keep moving on to other ideas. That WILL be a problem for you, unless you nail it. Bottom line is, as @Tenderiser suggested, if you want to be published you must finish your work. There is nothing wrong with finding the method that works best for you. Stick to one project till it's done? Get several going at once? Whatever works for you. BUT ...if you don't finish anything, you won't get published. So see what you can do to accomplish this. Don't worry about losing new ideas. Just scratch them down and keep them. Even add to them, if something strikes you later, about one of the ideas. But resist the urge to actually develop these new ideas at the expense of your current project—or projects. You could perhaps establish a rotation. Work for a week on one project. Then work for a week on another one, then a third week on a third, etc. But do return to the original, and keep the rotation going? Try out as many approaches as you can think of till you find one that works. It's a very good habit to write every night, keep notes in your notebook, fill Scrivener corkboards, etc. Just as long as you finish what you start. Look at it this way. Not only will you give yourself the satisfaction of 'having written'—which is huge, by the way—but you'll be closer to your goal of getting published. Be confident—at least you're not the type to run short of ideas!
Thanks so much both of you, some really helpful suggestions there, and one or two myths busted at the same time. I like the sound of the rotation suggestion, but as both of you have emphasised, completion is the main goal and this is something that I think I need to keep at the forefront of my mind when I'm getting twitchy to fiddle about too much with what I'm creating. I think possibly this will come with more experience.
