Working on Multiple Stories?

So, I've been majorly procrastinating on my big project lately, and have random plotbunnies jumping at me from all sides. I'm considering starting up a second story as well. This got me to wondering about the merits of working on one story at a time versus maybe two or three at once. I tend to like having a few things to jump back and forth between, but it can be a bit distracting sometimes, and I've heard some people say that they can only get things done if they do them one at a time. So, any thoughts? How many stories do you work on at once, and which do you think is a better strategy?

Find out if your ideas fit in your current story; and if they don't then write some short stories or flash fiction to excise them from your mind.

I find that when I am interested in another big project the first one gets forgotten.

That actually tends not to be an issue for me- I usually drop stories not because I'm too busy working on a secondary story, but because they end up being a horrendously bad idea.

I know there are people on here who do this, but I've never understood how they can pull it off.

Every writer's different. Some can work on several stories at a time efficiently; others work much better when they focus on a single work. The only right way to write is what works best for you, so if you think you want to try writing multiple stories at once, give it a shot. If you feel that working on multiple stories keeps you inspired and writing, then stick with it; if you feel that writing multiple works at once impairs the quality or you end up focusing on one, then go with sticking on a single work.

As for myself, I focus on a single story. If I'm stuck in some way, I'll hop over to writing or editing another story until I have inspiration for my main project.

I heard this one novelist juggles twelve projects at a time—and manages to publish at least one book per year.

I guess it's all about keeping momentum.

I may think about multiple stories at a time and make notes on them, but when it comes to actually writing I focus on one at a time. Different stories require different approaches by virtue of their varying characters; in my experience, for example, I doubt I could go from one story (starring a snarky, anti-heroic, unfettered hitman) to another (starring an idealistic cape/Butt-Monkey) very easily. Juggling both stories at the same time — and the worlds therein — might cause tonal and organizational problems.

If you think you can manage, I welcome you to try. It's all about knowing what you can do, and what you want to do.

Personally, I have about six stories going at once right now and it's fine.

However, I would recommend writing a little of your plot bunnies out, and then if you feel overwhelmed or like you're losing sight of your larger story, maybe step back for a while. And you might try writing out lists of characters names, settings, and dialogue for other ideas. It's helped me keep everything straight.

At current I have one Universe (the Endless Conflict universe) under construction with the first book approximately 72% complete as far as draft is concerned. (Maybe a bit more I'm not quite sure.) I have a design being built for story flow and items and stuff being built for a Metroidvania style game called Macrocosm. That one is approximately 1% complete from conception to finished executable. (I do not expect to finish the design by this year's end let alone code or graphics or music.) I also have a couple of kids' books in pre-production and planning, one aimed at younger kids while the other (Towards The Valley of Flowers) is aimed towards roughly the 3rd grade maybe 4th grade audience. I don't expect to finish either by year's end.

Overall, pretty low productivity if you ask me but I'm also juggling bills, a full time job, and other things. The only thing I expect to finish this year is the draft for the first book of Endless Conflict. I may or may not finish the first round of edits and peer reviews as well.

All of this is contingent that somehow I don't get a stroke of good fortune like a better job with less stress or win the Powerball or what have you.

I tend to end up doing so regardless of my efforts not to. Still, I usually make perceptible progress on them all; or did until Let's Plays came along and they ate all of my writing and gaming time.

EDIT: I should note, though, that until Night Life I was really working from one old draft that was too clogged to make a single story out of, so I split portions off to create A Numbered Existence and kept the majority as In The Service.

edited 28th May '12 9:20:56 PM by Night