Tuesday, January 13, 2015

JUGGLING MORE THAN ONE PROJECT by James Mihaley





Working on two books at the same time can be dangerous and exhilarating.  Obviously the peril lies in diluting your creative energy and by doing so, neither novel may ever be completed.  However, it is not uncommon for a synergy to form between two projects swirling around in one author’s brain that can enhance both stories.  Sometimes the best thing you can to a book, particularly when you’re stuck, is to put it down and let it breathe.  A beautiful way to distance yourself from a project is to start working on another one.  It’s like a farmer rotating crops.  A farmer will plant corn one season and soybeans the next because the soybeans put nutrients back into the soil that the corn has taken out.  When you come back to your original story you may find yourself rejuvenated.  You may perceive with crystal clarity what the problem is, what you need to revise.  Give it a shot! 

If you’re having trouble with your novel or feel that you need to take a break, consider the possibility of devoting a week or two to a new story, something that has hopefully been incubating inside your imagination for a while and is ready to come out.  Then you’ll have two projects, a book in its early stages and one that is closer to completion.  The one that’s almost finished is always your main focus.  Most of your creative energy is flowing in that direction.  However, on those days when you’re not feeling it, pick up your other book and some fun!

3 comments:

  1. I'm totally juggling but spacing it out. I don't want to burn out quick!

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  2. Oh, I am a master at book crop rotation, believe me!

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  3. Argh! I was on a plane and was working on the screenplay for BK 2 and the MS for BK 3. I wrote about twenty pages of the book...in script form! I had to go back and basically rewrite the whole thing. Oops. It is scary when someone from one story sneaks into another behind your back. You have the chase them back to their own! (Marissa does this on purpose and it is fabulous...but that's a different story!)

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Thanks for adding to the mayhem!