Pondering some writing questions...

[vg_ford]

So, irysangel was talking about working on more than one project at once. And that got me to thinking...

How do folks work on more than one project at a time? Do you have problems switching from one world (or one form - ie, short story to novel, or novel to screenplay) to another? What tricks/tips do you have to help those of us with one-track minds to learn to be a bit more flexible?

The reason I ask is because I'm looking at upcoming deadlines. I'm on a self-imposed deadline to finish Dreams by April 15th (Lord help me). I need to get cracking on the edits for Seasons, because that needs to be done by April 30th. I have the first episode of Wings that has been woefully neglected, that I need to finish. I have SB that I need to get started on. And I need to start outlining Descent into Darkness and Last Rites.

And that's just the fiction stuff.

So yeah, I'm going to be a busy girl. But I've always had problems writing on more than one book at a time, even though all the advice I've heard is that professional writers always have at least three, if not four, projects going at any one time.

So if you have some tips, I'd love to hear them.

Comments

[snitchcat.livejournal.com]

It's multi-tasking.

You do it at work -- answer the phone while writing an email, then working on a project while in a client meeting and having lunch at the same time.

It's the same as fielding three different phone calls with different subjects, or on the phone with a friend, talking in FM Chat, and answering emails or IMs.

The only change is the focus of the activities.

My WIPs are all at different stages of writing, which allows me to switch back and forth. And I know all the WIPs very well. Generally, if I get stuck on one, I let it percolate fo a while and work on another; if I get fed up with editing that one, or I can't see what the snag is, I switch again. This third WIP may be worldbuilding, thus I get to relax. And the fourth one may be research, or just final polishing. Depends.

Also, I'm working on a mixture of fiction and non-fiction -- some of it is kiddie books, some of it adult stories, and the rest of it, writing articles and research reports.

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

I understand that it's multi-tasking, but don't you find it difficult to not have all your MC's start sounding the same after a while? I mean, how do you deal with switching gears, especially if the gears are from vastly different genres (eg, from dark fantasy to paranormal romance, or high fantasy to steampunk)?

[scarlettarcher.livejournal.com]

Start filing! Organizing. Putting things in a specific order. Write down all the things you know you need to do and set a schedule for them. With all the projects i have to do for VA Design, I always write down the next day what needs to be done. One after the other.

With projects such as these, set aside a specific time frame (such as five hours one night, three hours the next), and keep to that. Tonight, two hours on this novel, two hours on that novel, one hour on that novel. Etc.

I find writing things down, making them visible (such as stacking and filing), helps me get orgnized. That way you can take things one at a time, you know you won't forget things, and you can focus best.

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty organized. What I'm more having problems with is getting into the world, and then having problems switching "voice," as it were, to another project. If I'm writing Sapph from Dreams, she's got a very distinctive voice. When I want to switch to, say, Rhiannon from Wings, who is a very sheltered, very protected princess who is afraid if she blinks wrong, she'll lose control and someone will die, I get upset if she starts sounding like Sapph, who's a smart-alec, among other things. But I find that happening - I get a lot of bleedover. I'm wondering how people get around that.

Or maybe it's a personal problem that I have, and others don't. :) Which is entirely possible.

[jmeadows.livejournal.com]

I have a really tough time doing anything at the same time I'm writing because it requires so much focus for me. I can write with friends chatting in the background, but when I'm really going, I mostly ignore them.

So two projects at once? Not really something I try much. But! And I don't know if this will work for you. I don't have a job so I write all day.

I find that working on something for x-hours--however many I need--works fine. But because I get obsessive about whatever I'm working on, I can't just switch. So I take a nap, or fold laundry, or do something to clear my brain. The ferrets are usually really helpful with that. And when I have my mind reset to obsess over the other thing, I can generally come back. But I need that time between to reset.

Or doooooooom.

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Resetting is something I'm going to experiment with - that was suggested to me by a friend in Chat. Writing for x-minutes, then going to do something else, then coming back to writing. Maybe if I take a good break (like an hour or so), it won't be as hard to switch.

Thanks!

[irysangel.livejournal.com]

I usually suck at it too, don't worry. Normally I can pick at two projects at once, but as soon as one fully grabs me, I normally abandon the other to immerse myself in the 'chosen' project.

How this one is working for me so far: both have pretty detailed outlines of what goes next so I don't have to think hard about it. I end each night at a 'clean break' (end of scene) so I can start a fresh one the next day and not try to figure out where I was the night before.

I'm also prying myself away from the internet when I get a good chunk of writing done. I can't multitask at all, and if the internet is there, I end up checking LJ 90 times in an hour and getting 2 paragraphs done. So I set up a laptop in another room, no internet connection, no TV, no hubs, no distractions, and I sit down and write whatever comes to my head. Re-reading what I wrote the night before helps me jump-start too.

Hope that helps?

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it does. It sounds like what I'm approaching now. I'm working on the no-internet too - when I was at treatment today, I got 2k done with no internet.

Much as I adore chat, I think it's time to give up a good portion of it. *sigh*

I have detailed outlines, so maybe it's not going to be as bad as I'm making it out to be. I just know that before, I had a heck of a time, and everything ended up sounding the same. Bad.

Thanks!

[irysangel.livejournal.com]

I'm good with Chat as long as people want to war with you. For some reason, wars always get me going. Unfortunately where I hang out lately, nobody wars but me and it tends to make me gab more, write less :)

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Where do you hang out? I'm warring right now in FM Chat.

[irysangel.livejournal.com]

Mostly on Yahoo now :)

[catrinp.livejournal.com]

Is it possible to work on more than one project? Sure. You're multitasking now anyway.

Your current projects are; a book, a real life job, a home life, a social life. So how do you spend time of each of those? Do you allot certain parts of the day to each project? Or do you let each project find it's own time? Or a combination.

I have many projects going, including many writing projects. My job is allocated time, my children's commitments have their set times. Other tasks find their own times. Some have deadlines (like home duties), others are floating (like writing).

Specifically writing tasks, I divide them into thinking, writing, learning, and editing.

Thinking about the writing is done when I can find quiet times; in the shower, driving (especially by myself); or during chat times. If I know I’m about to do one of these quiet times and I don’t have a problem to think about, I’ll read the last bit of the story to refresh my memory.

Writing is done after I have solved a problem or know how to advanced the story. New stories usually follow the thinking time.

Editing is often done prior to writing or thinking. I’ll re-read what I have written and edit as I go. Or because of a new bit of writing or some thinking I’ll go back and edit, correct, adjust a previous scene.

Learning, well learning is all the time.

All these tasks need to be done for each current project. I’ll deliberately choose which project to work on. To switch to that project I’ll re-read the last scene, or a scene that I know takes me into the story again. From there I can let the story and characters encompass me.

Sometimes a project will rear it’s head and demand attention, even if I have decided to work on another. Usually that is because I have had a difficult problem that has been hard to solve. Then I let that project have its time.

Organisation and flexibility are the key. Be organised, in your mind, if not physically. Allocate time to projects, yet remain flexible to shift when necessary.

Good luck and take time to sleep.

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Sleep? Sleep is for the weak! :p

Seriously, I'm organized physically. It's the flexibility I'm having some problems with.

Thanks for the tips!

[peartreealley.livejournal.com]

I don't multitask too often, but I'm usually speedy enough that it doesn't matter.

However, when I DO multitask, I do it by not working on the same stages of two projects at the same time.

IE.

While editing (excluding massive revision brainstorm), I can start worldbuilding/plotting the next story.

I generally cannot work on something else while first draft writing. The story should (and I want it to) eat my brain. I want to be thinking about it while at work, in the car, etc.. In these cases, the only multitasking I get done is to start brainstorming the sequel I'm not supposed to be writing :D

But here's the thing with multitasking and writing. If you're multitasking your writing, chances are, you're doing a little of both in the same allocated time, rather than a lot of both. In order to multitask to accomplish more, you need to allocate more time into these projects so you're not just doing half and half, but doing full and full. I don't recall anyone mentioning this little important bit :D (But I am still waiting for the latte to kick in...)

I find, for me, it's generally better to just focus full bore on one project and get it done in three months than focus on two and get them done in six. My brain is happier and I get the same amount of projects done just as fast. If you want to multi-project, you need to also put more overall time into the effort.

On a final note, when I have done and found creative multitasking to be effective most is when you give yourself some space between the projects. IE, edit in the morning before work, go to work, write in the evening. Brainstorm on your lunch break. Edit after work. Etc.

Those are my jumbled thoughts on multitasking :D

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

On a final note, when I have done and found creative multitasking to be effective most is when you give yourself some space between the projects. IE, edit in the morning before work, go to work, write in the evening. Brainstorm on your lunch break. Edit after work. Etc.


That's what I think I might be trying. I don't normally do the multiple books at the same time well, but this time, I've got deadlines, so I'm learning. :)

Thanks for the suggestions!

[cucumberseed.livejournal.com]

Not so much a mindset as a scheduling sort of thing. I'm not sure how much this will help you since I've only really been doing this with poetry and flash, and have been horribly neglecting anything that you can fit on more than 5 mass market sized pages, but the best way to describe it is like this: my dad used to buy a single kind of frozen vegetable - the California Blend (brocoli, carrots and cauliflower). I hate frozen cauliflower, but I was obligated. It found its way to my plate, which meant it was going in my stomach if I had to sit there all night.

Eat the cauliflower first, fast as you can, then slow down and enjoy the rest of dinner.

I go for the thing that's chore-like, short or discrete first. Set a goal (e.g. write one poem, regardless of quality) finish and move on to something else. Save the things that are open-ended for last (e.g. I want to get 1700 words, but I'll write until I can write no more), and try not to push at the end. Push in the beginning. Let the rest ride.

I'm going to be starting a long porject again soon, so I'll let you know how it works out for me.

Now, off to take my own advice (and maybe get some work they pay me to do done as well).

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Eat the cauliflower first, fast as you can, then slow down and enjoy the rest of dinner.


Interesting metaphor. :) Too bad I like cauliflower. :p

Seriously, I know what you're saying. I sat down today and quantified my goals, and then put them in order of importance. So we'll see how that goes.

And a long project? Patchwork???

[shanrina.livejournal.com]

Usually when I have the chance to work on more than one WIP (although I don't right now because I'm so swamped it's hard to make any progress on just one) I try to schedule separate days and times for both. Well, to the degree that I schedule things anyway, which is as little as possible. I also do my best to try to keep them staggered, so if I'm writing one I'm worldbuilding the other, or if I'm writing then I'm at different places in the story. Beginnings are always a terrible experience for me so I doubt I'll ever be able to work on two beginnings at once just because they're so energy-consuming, but I can work on the beginning of one and the middle of another.

I'm not sure if you set up separate playlists for your stories or if you're the type who can listen to a few songs over and over again while writing (I am, very much so) but I'd try setting up different playlists for each WIP as triggers to help you switch from one to the other. Right now I'm writing one story almost exclusively to Garbage, Flyleaf, and (God knows why) Paulina Rubio. Other back-burnered WIPs have different songs and I'm getting to the point where my mind is getting really disciplined about those songs=those WIPs.

Good luck!

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm going to try the different playlist things as well - Dreams seems to flow best to Phantom of the Opera, oddly enough, and I need to get the christmas carols cranking again for Seasons and Rites.

Staggering them as well - I'm only actually WRITING one at this point. Everything else is either editing or worldbuilding right now, so I'm hoping to be able to learn to switch.

[onyxflame.livejournal.com]

I don't write enough to have multiple WIP's, but I liken it to rp. I've frequently had multiple chars going at once, and I can tell you what causes problems in properly rp'ing them.

The hardest time for me to get into a char's head is when I haven't played her in a while. I have one on a mud I haven't played for months and I've almost totally forgotten how she acts. (Then again I have another one who I know better than myself and could still play her without a problem even after several months.)

Next to that is when I've been concentrating on one char for a few weeks, and then I try to switch. If I'm going to get into someone's head quickly, I have to only spend a small amount of time playing someone else, otherwise I get so involved in the way the other char thinks that coming back to the one I want to play is like translating Swahili.

So basically it's all a time thing. I can do it much easier if I play 2 chars in one day, than if I play one char for a week and then play the other char for a week. (Though this is hard to do because once I get involved with a char I want to STAY there until the current conflicts/interesting bits get resolved. :P)

Hmm, maybe this isn't so far apart from writing after all. When I rp, I know what to have my char say because I hear it in my head. When I'm writing, I know what to have the char say because I hear it in my head. The problem is getting to know them well enough to do that regardless of other distractions. ;)

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

The problem is getting to know them well enough to do that regardless of other distractions

Yep. That's the problem. :)

Thanks!