How many stories do you work on at a time?

[Reverse_Cowboy]

I was just curious to see how many stories other authors work on at once. I often find myself becoming inspired and starting a new story before I have finished all the chapters to a story I had already started.

I also sometimes do this when I get writer's block with a certain story. I find that sometimes, by taking my mind off the story I'm blocked on, I end up getting new ideas for it. I'm then able to continue it or re-write what I have to make it even better.

Right now I have 9 stories on my desk that I have started and % others that I'm fleshing out the ideas for. How about the rest of you?

 

[erikvanerik]

I also sometimes do this when I get writer's block with a certain story. I find that sometimes, by taking my mind off the story I'm blocked on, I end up getting new ideas for it. I'm then able to continue it or re-write what I have to make it even better.

I always do this with my longer stories, get caught up in the new storyline, and forget to finish the first one. Currently I have about three novels started for this reason! The more I work on a new one the more terrible I think the last one was!

For shorter stories (3 to 5 pages) I usually crank them out before I start a new one. Those aren't long enough for me to get bored with.

 

[LadyJeanne]

All my stories are short, but I still start new ones without finishing the others. It happens. Short attention span and procrastination rule my day.

Welcome to the AH!

 

[impressive]

Several. Have 3 active ones now and about half a dozen inactive.

 

[Softouch911]

I try to keep at least 3 in different stages of draft from. That way, if I don't feel like the creative rough draft stuff, I can go to revision, or I can go to proof work ... depending on mood.

I keep a Word file of story ideas. Right now it has 36 in stages from a few sentences to 3 or 4 paras. Most won't develop into stories, but that's where I go when I need to fire off an idea and where I plant a new idea to let it perk for a big before actual drafting.

But I'm anal as hell.




Softouch

 

[ABSTRUSE]

BAck up your files!!!!

I'm done now.

 

[oggbashan]

I have spent today reviewing my submitted work and cleaning out superseded drafts.

Stories currently being worked on - 6
Stories that should be worked on - 26
Sequels that should be written - 9
Ideas only at outline stage - 12
Posted stories needing edits - 49

And I'll probably start a new one that isn't on that list.

Og

 

[sophia jane]

I have three brewing right now, with no desire to work on any of them.

SJ

 

[mithragoddess]

Its a tricky thing

Im currently working on 3 stories, two eroticas and one novella... i always copy them to a hard drive and soon ima start burning them to CD and printing hard copies... i find that it is good to work on multiple pieces but when you get stuck on them all... it will kick you in the ass.
I find reading other peoples work and seeing what they have done sometimes helps but sometimes puts me farther back.. it all depends on your mentality and how well you can multitask

 

[English Lady]

I try and do one at a time, though I did pause on one story to get my Earth Day entry in. I also need to edit my novel (oooh i am so not looking forward to that*L*) and I have a list of ideas for a series, which came to me late at night a few weeks ago

 

[yui]

Lots. Thirty or more. And maybe a third of those only need a paragraph or the "perfect" last sentence to be complete. I get stuck in the edit/re-write phase and it becomes a rather vicious cycle because I tweak incessantly and nothing get finished.

And welcome to the AH, new people!

Luck,

Yui

 

[carsonshepherd]

I work on one. Once the mood and inspiration is broken, I seldom get it back. Very few thigns ever return from my back burner.

 

[yui]

I work on one. Once the mood and inspiration is broken, I seldom get it back. Very few thigns ever return from my back burner.

Carson, your av is distracting me. Can I touch his tummy, too?

/threadjack

 

[sophia jane]

I work on one. Once the mood and inspiration is broken, I seldom get it back. Very few thigns ever return from my back burner.

I'm like this too, especially with poetry. Maybe that's why I'm not writing anything now.

SJ

 

[carsonshepherd]

Carson, your av is distracting me. Can I touch his tummy, too?

/threadjack

I know! *slurp*

*rubs his yummy abs... with tongue*

 

[Guest]

I try to keep at least 3 in different stages of draft from. That way, if I don't feel like the creative rough draft stuff, I can go to revision, or I can go to proof work ... depending on mood.

...

Softouch

Yep, same here.

 

[ElizabethWest]

I have started about five on paper and have another idea rattling around. Probably why I can't get anything accomplished on any of them.

 

[Kyle Beguiled]

I've only got one I'm working on right now, but I stay so busy I hardly have time to write.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

All my stories are short, but I still start new ones without finishing the others. It happens. Short attention span and procrastination rule my day.

Welcome to the AH!

Nicely put. That applies to me too, save for the "stories are short" bit, which I couldn't manage if I had to. My last one broke four pages and I couldn't have edited it down to save my life (paid for that in reads and votes both...).

I have a "Literotica" folder in my Word. Within it I have a "Submitted" folder and a "In Progress" folder.

Submitted: 6 stories
In Progress: 27 stories

And that's just my Lit. folder.

I writ eslow enough that it's difficult to call any of these save for my "Magic In America" entry active, but they'll all be revisited and worked on more (and more, and more...) before I'm finished with them.

Q_C

 

[Cherokee Rose]

I have a short attention span also, so I have to make myself finish one before I start another, otherwise I'd never get anything completed!

 

[rakastuja]

I have three now.

I write in impulses... I dont like writing if it just dont come out naturally. Then on other hand, if its coming out I can easily write close to 20 pages without even taking a sip of water. Finishing stories is always a pain. They look and feel good immediately after I have written them but if I read them after a week or a month I feel like I would need to rewrite whole thing again.

 

[rgraham666]

Used to work on only one at a time. I'm changing that now.

Finished first draft of my latest (finally) sent it off to my editor. While I'm waiting I'll either start my mind control story or crank out a quick piece of smut.

And I'm always bouncing around ideas in my head. Scenes, dialogue, characters are always in there, clawing to get out.

Make it stop!

 

[kendo1]

I have three now.

I write in impulses... I dont like writing if it just dont come out naturally. Then on other hand, if its coming out I can easily write close to 20 pages without even taking a sip of water. Finishing stories is always a pain. They look and feel good immediately after I have written them but if I read them after a week or a month I feel like I would need to rewrite whole thing again.

Very true.
I'm working on three different ideas just now. I keep a folder full of ideas.
I try to leave the finished ones for a while and come back to them to re-edit and re-edit and......

 

[yui]

And I'm always bouncing around ideas in my head. Scenes, dialogue, characters are always in there, clawing to get out.

Make it stop!

This is me! Only I kind of enjoy it.

 

[maggot420]

This is me! Only I kind of enjoy it.

This is me too.
I have alot that are almost finished. and one that im supposed to be working on but havent been.
i have one story that ive been working at on and off for 12 years. its still not even close to being finished.