Having Multiple Projects on the Burner
I am loving to write more and more as time goes along. I was thinking about this the other day and my thoughts led me to the following question: what is it about writing that most excites me and keeps me feeling such a high level of satisfaction from my work?
For me, the answer is that it allows for multiple projects going on at the same time. I always enjoyed switching among subject areas when doing homework growing up. I likewise always participated in multiple extracurriculars and thrived in times where I had a lot to do and continuous deadlines approaching.
Sure enough, that's the same thing that gets me jumping at any chance to write. For example, in recent weeks, I have put some final revisions to soon-forthcoming publications. In the same week, I would likewise start first outline sketches of new articles or find a random contest and submit an essay to try my luck. In other words, in the writing world, there are not only different genres to try, but different medium as well as different stages of the writing process. I can drop one submission in a person's email box and instead of waiting to hear back, I can begin tinkering with another contest entry or a new creation altogether. When something comes back for revisions, I can drop writing for a while to do edits or proofread a colleague's work.
In short, I enjoy writing not because I have a particular story or creation I have to get down because of an inner compulsion, but rather, because I enjoy the tick tick tick of the clock, the challenge to put a quality product out by deadline, and more over, because I know that there are more opportunities and stages of the writing process awaiting me. That next stage is unknown, but alluring nonetheless. Success or failure-bound, the best thing a writer could do in my opinion, is to have multiple projects on the burner. It's amusing, extends the mental agility and skillsets of a writer, and moreover, it keeps one learning on the job so to speak.
For me, the answer is that it allows for multiple projects going on at the same time. I always enjoyed switching among subject areas when doing homework growing up. I likewise always participated in multiple extracurriculars and thrived in times where I had a lot to do and continuous deadlines approaching.
Sure enough, that's the same thing that gets me jumping at any chance to write. For example, in recent weeks, I have put some final revisions to soon-forthcoming publications. In the same week, I would likewise start first outline sketches of new articles or find a random contest and submit an essay to try my luck. In other words, in the writing world, there are not only different genres to try, but different medium as well as different stages of the writing process. I can drop one submission in a person's email box and instead of waiting to hear back, I can begin tinkering with another contest entry or a new creation altogether. When something comes back for revisions, I can drop writing for a while to do edits or proofread a colleague's work.
In short, I enjoy writing not because I have a particular story or creation I have to get down because of an inner compulsion, but rather, because I enjoy the tick tick tick of the clock, the challenge to put a quality product out by deadline, and more over, because I know that there are more opportunities and stages of the writing process awaiting me. That next stage is unknown, but alluring nonetheless. Success or failure-bound, the best thing a writer could do in my opinion, is to have multiple projects on the burner. It's amusing, extends the mental agility and skillsets of a writer, and moreover, it keeps one learning on the job so to speak.
3 Comments:
I agree. I've also found that the more things I'm working on, the more ideas I get. It seems to stimulate the muse. When I worked in television, I always worked better when I had deadlines. Writing on spec requires so much more discipline.
I completely agree with you on the point about getting more ideas when working on multiple projects. That is what has been happening recently. In some ways, I wish I could bottle it all as it happens, but at least, I'm jotting some notes. Hopefully I can remember some of them in full later when I have more time to write!
*Back to a project with a deadline of tomorrow I go* Thanks for the comment. I'll check back for any others after my article draft is submitted.
I have been a happy multi-tasker since I was a child. I love going from one project to another, all in various stages of completion. Having more than one thing to work on keeps everything fresh and interesting for me.
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