I’m writing this very much for myself. Trying to work something out. You are welcome to come along…
Years ago, when people asked me why I wrote, my flippant answer was, ‘Because I can’t play the piano. Or juggle.’ It was a bit true though. Since the scribbling gave me so much pleasure why would I persist with the piano? Or the juggling? More than one ball frankly & I’m pathetic.
In all the years I’ve been writing – pre- & post-publication – I’ve never tackled more than one story at a time either. My inclination has always been to focus on a single project – work on it until it’s my best endeavour. (Unless it’s no endeavour at all, in which case – kill it.)
Before Ghostbird – my first book – came out, I had an idea for two more stories. One, I quickly realised, wasn’t meant to be written & I dumped it. The other story (Working title: Underwater the Stars Shine Brighter) was more persistent & before long I was deep into it.
Enter the idea for Snow Sisters – out of left-field & itching to be written. In the end, it nagged & won the argument. Consumed, I set aside UTSSB.
I could have tried to write both. It’s a well-known fact: writers do this all the time. They say they like something else to turn to when the current WIP sags or they need ‘a break’ from it. This has never happened to me. It’s one at a time & sorry, new story, you will have to wait your turn because, ‘too many balls, okay?
With Snow Sisters published, I turned my eye to dear UTSSB. It was the least I could do. And damn if it didn’t happen again. (Hello, book about dancing & with a ghost* – of course I’ll write you!)
Having completed Wild Spinning Girls* – lined up for publication in February 2020 – I have returned to UTSSB yet again albeit with renewed enthusiasm. In fact, I’ve rewritten loads of it & it’s now a contender.
If you’re still with me, dear reader, you can probably guess what’s coming…
Yet another one – out of whatever field stories grow in.
Only this time, it’s different. I’m actually writing them both at the same time. I say ‘writing’ – I’m working hard to refine & finish UTSSB because I like it & I want to & it’s been so very patient. But I also have 7,000 words of the new one down & I want to write that as well.
Am I finally learning to juggle?
Asking for a me…
Making it up as I go along 
I would flit like a fairy since youth, occasionally immersing myself (often that work turned out better). I’ve tilted in the last few years, towards the latter. Asking the creative muses to come out and play, now the kids are a little older, means I can work for longer stretches (between meals!). I love working in this way, it feels good and I can see the progress more swiftly.
I’m glad your new projects are flourishing alongside one another! It sometimes helps to switch between projects, for a breath of fresh air. Happy scribbling!
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Interestingly this came up in an author event yesterday with Alis Hawkins (from the Teifi Valley). She writes one book at a time so that the characters voices and language patterns are clearly in her head.
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This has always been my modus & for the same reasons. I don’t like the intrusion, which is why this current dilemma is – well – a dilemma!
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I think there’s a big difference when one story is in the revisions stage and one is starting out. I wouldn’t try to do 2 rushes of creativity side by side any more – younger me did, but younger me was nothing like as tired… but it sounds like the work on one book is mostly technical, so it may be a different sort of thing going on…
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Not really – at 78k or so, I’m still creating as much as revising/rewriting… The new one is a mere 7k but so terribly tempting…
Which is why I’m struggling a bit – with the juggling. 😉
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in which case… all is mystery 🙂
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If I had read this over a year ago (at least!) I would have agreed with you that writers don’t ‘juggle’; that each precious project should hold your undivided attention until you write ‘the end’.
But now… after a chance discussion in a writers’ forum online, I outlined my woes at having more than one story battling for my attention. Another author, who frequently juggled, told me to just start writing both. Then I discovered others in the conversation who were consummate jugglers with several balls in the air. I had stumbled into a clearing from my ‘hermit in the woods’ writing existence, where writers were masters of multiple quills!
Now, if a story begs to be told, I pick up another pen and give in to it. It is true, it’s a weird sensation but an exciting one! Enjoy your journey!
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Thanks for commenting, Elaine. In spite of what I’ve written here, the juggling goes very much against my instinct. I still feel I ‘should’ be focused on the story with the most mileage (78k now). Think I’ll follow my nose for a while & see what it tells me! Or will I…? 😉
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As long as you don’t try to write whilst using a unicycle!
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