Do you think it is possible to have more than one novel in the making at once, as I have thought of another idea while writing my first novel, or is it just taking on to much at once, should I just make notes of the ideas that I come up with for the time being until a finish this one. A know there is no correct answer as such for this question but a would just like your veiws on it. cheers.
I've finished three bodice-rippers and two erotic novels while I've been working on my current general fiction novel. Some people can; others cant. Lots of people will tell you that nobody can properly concentrate on more than one work at a time. The only way to know if you can or not is to give it a try. If you try it, and find the novels bleeding together or just no significant progress on one of them, that tells you you may need to focus on just one.
Sure, though I wouldn't advise it. Thomas Pynchon was working on a number of books at once when he had The Crying of Lot 49 published.
The same thing happens to me. I always get great ideas when working on my current project. I usually just write them down and get other ideas, but i try not to actually write them at the same time. I agree that it is entirely possible to do more than one, but writing one takes incredible discipline, you must pay attention to detail in every aspect, and i find it easier to focus on one at a time.
Definitely feel free to write more than one at a time, I actually think its a lot better to do this than focus on one. If you get too involved in one novel (with one particular pov, tense, structure, etc...) then often you will stop thinking about different approaches you could use or different techniques you could try. So if you're writing a novel in 3rd person past, write a short story in 1st person present and look at the different solutions to the same problems. I think a lot of writers get stuck in one particular mode and write all their fiction in that way, but if you think carefully about the different capabilities of 1st/2nd/3rd or past/present/future, you'll see that some are able to do things others can't.
I've done it, although the second was written when the first was already at the third or fourth edit by which time it was beneficial to set it aside for a while. When #2 was finished as a first draft, I went back to the first one.
it's the norm for many writers, to have several projects on the fire at the same time... and i wouldn't worry about how many words you write per day... as long as you write something, on a fairly regular basis, you're getting there... most professionals don't measure their work by words, but by pages... the old standard goal used to be 10 pages a day... for a full-time writer, that's still a good number to aim for, imo...
I personally will not work on more than one novel at a time. I get more done if I focus on just one. However, I do take breaks and write a short story while writing a novel. Right now I am working on a screenplay and my 4th novel. The other day I wrote a short story, 1,600 words. When I get inspired to write one of my short story ideas, I have to stop and write the first draft right then. I can usually write the first draft in one sitting unless it is 5k or something.
Of course it's possible. I do it... somewhat. By that, I mean that I'll spend most of my time concentrating on one story, and when I get bored or lose my will to write on that one for a while, I'll start working on one of the many others I have locked away in my head. Thinking about it like that, I suppose I'm technically working on three novels right now, plus a couple of fan fiction (just for fun).
Wait...what? My first draft has taken me over a week, and I've only just gotten the first ten chapters really down to my liking - it's also 50,000 words. I've heard of this method to writing, where one sits down and writes a very narrow version, very short, and then they go back and expand - is this similar in theory to your first draft? I considered doing this for my novel, but in all honesty, I was too afraid I would leave something vital out. But it still sounds somewhat interesting. I'm just incredibly impressed. A first draft in one sitting, first and second halves, all completed. A whole first draft. Wow. Seriously. (not being sarcastic, truly impressed)
Rose is corect. I was talking about a short story under 5k. The first draft of a novel takes me about 1-2 months. My first drafts are pretty much the whole story, and I don't have much to substract or add from them. Mainly what I have to do when editing is fixing SPRaG and rewriting some sentences to flow better.
