Forum: Author Hangout

How do you approach the situation where you're happily finally "in the zone" writing a story and getting chapters ready to go... and then a new story that's completely unrelated just seems to flood into your mind and start filling out characters and scenes.

I don't want to lose story one, or two, and I don't want to 'get stuck' again.

This is both a general 'discussion point' for all authors on their various methods for juggling multiple stories, as well as my own specific question. But it will be a better topic if it's more general and less about just me. :)

For me, I'm an author who's spent the last few years trying to 'break' a near 20 year case of writer's block that happened when I grew very angry with the direction people took in a 'shared universe' I was involved in. The smart me would create a whole new 'pen name' and move on, but the actual me is doing otherwise.

I get a LOT of ideas, and I hate losing them if I can sense that they 'have legs'.

Back in the day people used to talk a lot about having a 'hopper' full of unfinished stories - that often never got finished. I guess that's the common answer.

Another idea would be to just 'write one chapter' - put it out there, and the pick it up later. But I'd hate to leave readers in a lurch.

I strike while the iron is hot and start typing the story as fast as I can and keep at it for as long as I can. Mind you, this process will often result in missed meals, lost sleep, and sore fingers from typing.

I can't work on two stories at the same time so I generally jot down some notes about the new idea and come back to it at a future date.

Saying that, that's not what I did with my current WIP. I was writing a new novel when an idea popped into my head. I thought I would enjoy writing the new story more than the first one so I put the first story on hold and have been writing the new one ever since. I was only on Chapter 3 of the first one so it was easy to put aside.

I tend to write one chapter, enough to capture the core of the idea. Most likely everything after the first chapter is going to change anyway, given the way my ideas solidify.

The exception is the story I'm working on now. It was the new idea that interrupted the story I was writing, and it was insistent enough that I ran with it.

Another idea would be to just 'write one chapter' - put it out there, and the pick it up later. But I'd hate to leave readers in a lurch.

You write a chapter, but you simply save it on your drive, then come back to it later. That way you're not leaving your readers in a lurch. Some will get fleshed out - some won't.

I have Files and first chapters for an even dozen stories right now that I've thought of while I've been writing ATH. Hell, the whole idea for ATH came to me when I was writing Legacy of a Legend back in 2016. I wrote four different 'first' chapters for it as things would come to mind, which I was writing Legacy and Love Never Changes. I've got a story in Mushroom's 'Night of Madness' that has two chapters complete that I'd like to finish at some point.

By having those other stories available on your drive, that also means when your muse for one thing takes a break, you can see if something else hits you.

Jonh Dalmas, who has written many books from science fiction, to poetry, to forestry practices, photography, and Nordic myths used to attend science fiction and writer's conferences here in the Pacific Northwest. He enjoyed talking with amateur writers (and just about everyone else it would seem).

Perhaps his best advice for Writers is: WRITERS WRITE!

Mr. Dalmas expanded upon that. Suggesting that an aspiring writer should set aside several hours at least three or more days every week to WRITE. He recommended if you feel "writer's block" on your WIP, switch to something else that interests you. Write. Write anything. Just write. Even grocery lists, background about any of your stories. A diary, or a review of someone else's writing, even if you never publish or otherwise share your writing.

I have more than a hundred WIP before I started publishing my current story here on SOL. The story I hoped to write got gummed up on required approvals, and access to sources to confirm my wartime diaries and other notes. So, I began writing some fictional stories about warfare and veterans.

Putting stories on SOL requires me to follow through on my commitments. Feedback and constructive criticism from readers has improved my writing.

My process for writing is to assemble notes about When in time, where, and most importantly WHO my characters are. I have often imagined some scenes, or a major part of the plot. Rarely do I foresee what will become the first chapter of the story. I do write down everything I can remember about a dream or other inspiration.

When I get writer's block on my primary story, I work on another project. Sometimes it is further background, or alternative dialog. Sometimes I write about a character(s), stuff that will not likely get published or put online. Stuff that helps me understand a character better.

Having an outline and a timeline are important to me for developing my plot. Both are separate, as are my notes. I then begin writing my chapters. Once I have at least a dozen chapters written, reviewed, and prepared to post; also, the Plot is completed {subject to revision} I then consider putting them online.

So, I have planned time set aside for writing my Primary WIP, and also time set-aside for proofreading & editing.

If I am having difficulty writing my WIP, I may do a little review, or other work on the background/character notes, or other writing that will help my primary WIP progress. If none of that is sparking, I will work on another WIP story.

I have more than a dozen binders with notes in sheet protectors, most are for a particular story, including my Primary WIP. Several are general notes about modern weapons and tactical gear, vehicles, and such. Another is for WWII. At various times I will pull one out and browse the materials, sometimes spurring me to make an update to that folder, or a related story.

Unscheduled time I will write about other stories (or catch up if I missed scheduled writing time). Today I am browsing on my phone, waiting for my current chapter to post on SOL. Earlier today some friends and I attended a funeral service and then gathering of friends afterwards. I have fallen a bit behind attending to matters that could not be scheduled.

Once I see the new chapter post, I will make notes of the errors that seem inevitable and make corrections creating Chapter 27.1; then I will get back to writing that I was supposed to do earlier today. Tomorrow is proofreading, and revision to Chapter 28 that I should be sending to my volunteer proofreader by the end of the week, so that I may post it in early June.

Memorial Day weekend means commitments that will prevent me from writing as scheduled (as does Christmas, Veterans Day, and annual activities in August each year). While it is good to have a schedule, it is also important to have some time off several times during the year!

Considering how much I have gotten off track from my projected posting schedule, I am not sure if my "writing schedule" is good advice for others. However, my commitments to my friends, and to fellow veterans are my focus. Writing is a secondary priority. If I were being Paid to Publish, I would have to reevaluate my priorities.

Putting my stories on SOL has really increased the time I spend writing (proofreading, editing, etc.) Feedback and constructive criticism has resulted in greater improvements than multiple college classes, writers' workshops, etc. Having people actually READ my stories has inspired me to writer more!

(My fingers are tired; time to see if Chapter 27 has posted.)

So in reply to myself. My story that had just finished chapter 6, with a plan to publish if I could ever reach chapter 10 (it's a serial meant to essentially not have a defined end, so the goal being to get 'a story arc' out)...

Got interrupted by a new though the other day.

The day before yesterday I turned out 30 pages of a new story in one day. Though this one will need to be held back and published together with it's "short story sequel" as that's the part where it 'turns up a notch'. Hopefully I can get through that one as well, and not spend another decade stuck in a block. :)