Morgan Wright's Blog
November 25, 2018
Juggling Multiple Writing Projects... Is it possible?
(First Published in the Calendar For Writers 2019-2020)
Most writers have dozens of ideas bobbing around in their minds. Hence, it’s only logical to muse on whether you should try your hand at ‘juggling’, at handling multiple writing projects at the same time.
As to the question of whether it’s possible… the answer is a loud and resounding yes. Though it's true that juggling multiple projects at the same time is laborious, it is possible.
Having said that, if you're new to this, don't take on a dozen projects all at once, even if you’re tempted to do so. Take two or three and see how it goes. You can add more projects along the way once you've gotten the hang of it.
How to juggle effectively…
1) Prioritize, if need be.
Sometimes you'll want to work on multiple projects with time divided equally amongst them. Other times you'll have deadlines to adhere to and you'll need to prioritize one over the other, meaning at least one project will be receiving less attention than the other(s) and at least one will get finished faster than the other(s). Depending on your needs and wishes, plan this accordingly.
2) Find ways to keep your projects separate in your mind- use brain triggers.
*Suggestions on how to go about this:
- Ensure the projects are either in different genres or, if the novels do fall within the same genre, that your storylines and characters are completely dissimilar. If the novels you’re planning to work on are hugely similar to one another, the chances of getting mixed perspectives, unnatural shifts in voice, character mix-ups, plot holes and so on is immense. I did this once when I was just starting out. Suffice it to say: worst idea of the century. So it’s really important for you to identify the key distinctions between your projects early on to lessen the possibility for mayhem. And when I say ‘mayhem’, I truly do mean mayhem.
- Utilize different writing techniques. Using diverse methods such as writing one novel longhand and typing another directly on the computer is a very effective way of keeping your storylines from inadvertently merging. The sound of your pen scratching away on a paper surface vs the typing sounds on your computer keys- these sensory details will serve to trigger the brain in different ways, alerting it to which project you’re working on.
- Divide your time well. A good writing schedule is paramount. For example, if you have two projects and you're writing every day of the week, you could use 3 days for one project and 4 days for the other. Then the next week, you can reverse it. The more projects you add, the better you’ll need to divide your time and make priorities. Don’t work on multiple projects on the same day; the cohesion of your stories may suffer and you could end up with manuscripts in need of major revisions and re-writes that could’ve been avoided with better time division.
- Keep Works-in-progress at different stages. This isn't an absolute necessity in order to be efficacious at juggling but if you have one project at the editing stage and another just starting out, you minimize- if not completely eliminate- the possibility for confusion.
3) Understand the difference between setting aside temporarily and abandoning.
Don't fall into this trap. When you've been working on one novel for a long time and are planning to simultaneously work on another idea, it’s all too easy to dedicate your time solely to the tempting new idea, causing you to abandon the other. Don't abandon your work just because you’ve been working on that one novel so long you can’t see straight anymore. Even if you’re convinced the project you’ve been working on has no potential, you might be wrong. When people are frustrated and consumed by feelings of inadequacy, they lose objectivity and could be tossing out something big. Take a break from it and place your work into the hands of trusted beta readers for an objective view first.
“Working on multiple projects, does that mean it’ll take longer to get each finished separately?”
Well, it depends. On one hand, I'd say yes because your time is divided amongst multiple projects, but in the long run, you'll get finished much faster. Most writers when they've finished writing the first draft of a novel, they'll take an indefinite break from writing and return to editing only once they feel confident enough to do so. This can take weeks and sometimes even months. Your juggling routine, on the other hand, doesn't allow you to take this kind of break. Even if one project has arrived at the first draft and you want to set it aside for a while, you have to continue working on another, and by the time you're used to handling multiple projects, you'll find yourself physically in need of constantly working on new ideas. Rather than taking a break from writing itself, we take a breather from the one project by letting it sit for a time while we continue working on other projects, thus getting the opportunity to gain more objectivity for when we do return to our prior project.
Writing multiple projects works for some, doesn't for others. One thing is certain: Never allow yourself to be forced by your ideas into working on multiple projects if you're certain you can't manage it. Some writers need to focus on one novel to be productive, others need to work on multiple novels for productivity to increase. You have to find your own way to spin your tales.
And don't worry if writing your novel takes time.
The best things in this world generally do.
Besides, there’s always one consolation:
You'll get there in the end.
And that, in itself, is the biggest success of all.
Calendar for Writers: 2019-2020: A Two-Year Notebook for Your Creative Writing
by Morgan Wright
Most writers have dozens of ideas bobbing around in their minds. Hence, it’s only logical to muse on whether you should try your hand at ‘juggling’, at handling multiple writing projects at the same time.
As to the question of whether it’s possible… the answer is a loud and resounding yes. Though it's true that juggling multiple projects at the same time is laborious, it is possible.
Having said that, if you're new to this, don't take on a dozen projects all at once, even if you’re tempted to do so. Take two or three and see how it goes. You can add more projects along the way once you've gotten the hang of it.
How to juggle effectively…
1) Prioritize, if need be.
Sometimes you'll want to work on multiple projects with time divided equally amongst them. Other times you'll have deadlines to adhere to and you'll need to prioritize one over the other, meaning at least one project will be receiving less attention than the other(s) and at least one will get finished faster than the other(s). Depending on your needs and wishes, plan this accordingly.
2) Find ways to keep your projects separate in your mind- use brain triggers.
*Suggestions on how to go about this:
- Ensure the projects are either in different genres or, if the novels do fall within the same genre, that your storylines and characters are completely dissimilar. If the novels you’re planning to work on are hugely similar to one another, the chances of getting mixed perspectives, unnatural shifts in voice, character mix-ups, plot holes and so on is immense. I did this once when I was just starting out. Suffice it to say: worst idea of the century. So it’s really important for you to identify the key distinctions between your projects early on to lessen the possibility for mayhem. And when I say ‘mayhem’, I truly do mean mayhem.
- Utilize different writing techniques. Using diverse methods such as writing one novel longhand and typing another directly on the computer is a very effective way of keeping your storylines from inadvertently merging. The sound of your pen scratching away on a paper surface vs the typing sounds on your computer keys- these sensory details will serve to trigger the brain in different ways, alerting it to which project you’re working on.
- Divide your time well. A good writing schedule is paramount. For example, if you have two projects and you're writing every day of the week, you could use 3 days for one project and 4 days for the other. Then the next week, you can reverse it. The more projects you add, the better you’ll need to divide your time and make priorities. Don’t work on multiple projects on the same day; the cohesion of your stories may suffer and you could end up with manuscripts in need of major revisions and re-writes that could’ve been avoided with better time division.
- Keep Works-in-progress at different stages. This isn't an absolute necessity in order to be efficacious at juggling but if you have one project at the editing stage and another just starting out, you minimize- if not completely eliminate- the possibility for confusion.
3) Understand the difference between setting aside temporarily and abandoning.
Don't fall into this trap. When you've been working on one novel for a long time and are planning to simultaneously work on another idea, it’s all too easy to dedicate your time solely to the tempting new idea, causing you to abandon the other. Don't abandon your work just because you’ve been working on that one novel so long you can’t see straight anymore. Even if you’re convinced the project you’ve been working on has no potential, you might be wrong. When people are frustrated and consumed by feelings of inadequacy, they lose objectivity and could be tossing out something big. Take a break from it and place your work into the hands of trusted beta readers for an objective view first.
“Working on multiple projects, does that mean it’ll take longer to get each finished separately?”
Well, it depends. On one hand, I'd say yes because your time is divided amongst multiple projects, but in the long run, you'll get finished much faster. Most writers when they've finished writing the first draft of a novel, they'll take an indefinite break from writing and return to editing only once they feel confident enough to do so. This can take weeks and sometimes even months. Your juggling routine, on the other hand, doesn't allow you to take this kind of break. Even if one project has arrived at the first draft and you want to set it aside for a while, you have to continue working on another, and by the time you're used to handling multiple projects, you'll find yourself physically in need of constantly working on new ideas. Rather than taking a break from writing itself, we take a breather from the one project by letting it sit for a time while we continue working on other projects, thus getting the opportunity to gain more objectivity for when we do return to our prior project.
Writing multiple projects works for some, doesn't for others. One thing is certain: Never allow yourself to be forced by your ideas into working on multiple projects if you're certain you can't manage it. Some writers need to focus on one novel to be productive, others need to work on multiple novels for productivity to increase. You have to find your own way to spin your tales.
And don't worry if writing your novel takes time.
The best things in this world generally do.
Besides, there’s always one consolation:
You'll get there in the end.
And that, in itself, is the biggest success of all.
Calendar for Writers: 2019-2020: A Two-Year Notebook for Your Creative Writing
by Morgan Wright
