Thursday, February 23, 2012

Juggling Acts



Lately I've been doing so much juggling, I may as well run away to join the circus! But this was mostly juggling my writing, my day-job, my family and friend obligations. Now I've tossed an extra ball (or perhaps a running chainsaw) into the mix!

I've got a half written wip I've been (very slowly) working on, and a Shiny New Idea that my agent sees a lot of promise in, and I'm going to try to work on both of them at the same time. O_o!

While that may not sound like a big deal to some of you, my normal workflow has been to only start on the Shiny New Idea when I've finished a first draft of a Not-so-Shiny Old Idea. I've never worked on two rough drafts simultaneously before, mostly in the interest of getting things finished.

And while my main focus for some time now has been my "aetherpunk", my SNI is completely different. Both are first person povs set in the past, but that's where the similarities end. I'm worried that it will be difficult for me to switch back and forth without losing momentum.

Then again, having my agent be much more aware of my progress on this SNI will probably be a great motivator. I won't be able to spin my wheels and procrastinate as much when I have, not a deadline, per se, but someone who is expecting to see results in a timely manner. Deadlines are good for me, actually. They keep me in line, and keep me honest.

Do any of y'all work two rough drafts at the same time? How do you keep the creative juices flowing for both works? Any tips on staying motivated when you find you enjoy writing one over the other? I'd love to hear them!

7 comments:

Chelly Writes said...

Hey. Good luck with the SNI. I have worked on more than one WIP at a time. Jumping back and forth does suck up a bit of time since you have to get your bearings each time you sit down to write, but it also gives you time to subconsciously think through tough scenes while you're still working on something else.
When you need a break from one WIP it's okay because you have something else to work on. :)

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

I've never really worked on more than one project at a time. I'm really obsessive and once I commit to one thing, I go whole-hog until it's finished. I also get too distracted and find it hard to switch gears. But I know a lot of people who do it. Good luck with both of your projects, my dear! I'm rooting for you!

Cynthia Lee said...

Girl, I can't even imagine what it's like to be you right now. I have no advice to offer, unfortunately, because I would be an absolute mess if I were trying to juggle two WIPs at the same time.

But I do admire your moxie. :)

Krispy said...

I've never seriously worked on two projects at the same time, but I think it's nice sometimes! Like when you're stuck or not really feeling one project, working on the other can help clear your head. At the very least, you're making progress somewhere. :)

I'm about to tackle the two WIPs thing myself. Good luck!

Sophia Chang said...

That's it, Tere, you have GOT to be featured on my new series A Day in the Life. Check it out and let me know if you're interested...I hope it's a yes. :D

Golden Eagle said...

I've tried working on two projects at the same time, but I've found I usually have trouble switching between ideas; I get more done if I can focus in on one thing and finish it without other stuff going on at the same time.

Good luck with your WIPs!

Abby Annis said...

Two projects at once? Makes my head hurt just thinking about it. ;) I've tried it before, but working on one project will usually stall my progress on the other project. Of course, I usually have so much going on that there's only room in my head for one project at a time anyway. And some days there's not even room for one. So, one at a time for me. :)

Can't wait to hear about your SNI!