Serial Monogamy
Monday, March 8, 2010 Question of the day: I have three or four book ideas roaming around in my head. I try to set a deadline to have a certain amount of pages done by a certain date, because that tends to make me actually sit down and write. Do you find it better to work on one idea (or book as the case may be) at a time and maybe just keep notes on the other ideas or do you work on multiple ideas simultaneously? I realize this is probably more a personal preference, but as I've never written a full book I thought a published author's perspective might prove helpful.
Some authors can juggle manuscripts like playboys do girlfriends, but I am not one of those authors. I am, in keeping with the analogy, a serial monogamist. For me, my protagonist's voice is so important that if I don't give myself the space and concentration to focus solely on that voice, I really lose my way. I struggled with this in the initial drafts of The One That I Want, not because I was working on another manuscript but because I hadn't purged my previous protagonist from my brain, and thus, Tilly, my new heroine, ended up sounding like a weird mash-up of Jillian, my old protagonist, and someone who was trying awfully hard not to sound like my old protagonist. It didn't work at all.
As to whether I keep notes on future projects, the answer to that is also no. To be honest, I swear that when I'm right in the muck of writing a book, I never even think I have another one in me. I always tell myself that this one will be the last because I can't imagine a) coming up with another concept and b) putting myself through this all again! :) So the last thing on my mind is coming up with other ideas. I always feel sort of grateful that I've come up with the one I'm dealing with as it is. THAT said, I do think that a lot of other writers entertain different concepts, and certainly, some writers alternate between manuscripts. I admire the hell out of that, it's just not for me.
If anyone here does juggle, maybe you can post your technique as to how you do so, since I don't think I've been too much of a help in answering this reader's question!
Craft
Reader Comments (7)
I'm horrible at working on more than one thing at a time. I can write a flash fiction story in an afternoon, but anything longer turns my brain to a confused mess. I'm currently editing one novel while brainstorming on another but I'm not letting myself actually write anything new because bouncing back and forth isn't productive for me.
I don't juggle either. Before I actually waded into the swamp of novel writing, I imagined that it might be possible. But once I was entrenched in the manuscript, I realized I could never do it. Very much for the same reasons Allison wrote about. I do keep notes about other ideas though: snippets, scenes, colors, smells. But I am 95% focused on my WIP.
My second book deal was for two books again (yay) so that meant I had to come up with two ideas in a row. Though I'm the thick of writing Book Three, Book Four creeps in now and again with an idea. So, I do jot those down (though, I don't think I need to do. The good ideas tend to hang around anyway).
But I can't imagine writing two novels at once. It's hard enough doing say, copyedits and book launch prep for my second book, talking to book clubs about my first, and writing my third. Downright schizophrenic.
Can't imagine WHY one would want the confusion, but then I can't even read more than one book at a time!
LOL, Larramie - I read more than one at a time either! Much less write one.
I'm having a really hard time switching back and forth between my WIP and revisions for my first novel. I find it's most helpful to set the mood with my surroundings. I make Pandora stations for each book (and soundtracks) and the music helps me get in the mood. I also have pictures that have to do with each book, separately. I change them and leave them on my desk when I'm working.
I keep notes on new ideas floating around in my head...my trusty notebook is always with me (well, most of the time, sometimes I use sticky notes, too). But, I stick with a WIP until the revisions are done. It helps me focus and taking notes on new ideas limits my distractions.