Question

[Cobaltofdark]

Is bad to bounce betweens two stories or basically write two stories at the same time. Thoughts, comments does anyone else do this?

 

[SamScribble]

Is bad to bounce betweens two stories or basically write two stories at the same time. Thoughts, comments does anyone else do this?

Two stories? What kind of a wimp are you? Five stories - at least - or we'll have to ask you to surrender your badge.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Is bad to bounce betweens two stories or basically write two stories at the same time. Thoughts, comments does anyone else do this?

I think it depends upon your own style and organizational skills.

Many writers have several works "in progress" at the same time. It helps when you get stuck on one story to be able to move to another while the motivation simmers. Some handle it better than others.

 

[tenyari]

If you don't at least jot down some notes or outline for the second, third, and so on stories - you risk losing the idea forever.

But if you totally sidestep over to a new story, you risk never coming back to the first one.

That's a tough balance. And I have more cases of 'first story I failed to get back to' in my own list than 'second story I went over to before I forgot it'...

 

[Cobaltofdark]

I've got the prequel 2nd part mostly mapped out and really ready for the next 3 parts of my story so it's kinda a tug of war

 

[Carnevil9]

I have at least a dozen "in process" at any one time, but I'm never actively working on more than one. When I finally finish one, I go back to whichever one is calling to me.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Is bad to bounce betweens two stories or basically write two stories at the same time. Thoughts, comments does anyone else do this?

Lol. I bounce between so many stories at the same time, I wonder how I don't get whiplash! To keep the stories and characters straight in my head, I go back and re-read what I've written, so I get the feel of the characters and their situation again, before I continue on.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

If you don't at least jot down some notes or outline for the second, third, and so on stories - you risk losing the idea forever.

But if you totally sidestep over to a new story, you risk never coming back to the first one.

That's a tough balance. And I have more cases of 'first story I failed to get back to' in my own list than 'second story I went over to before I forgot it'...

I have the same problem, though I do make a point of getting an idea down and at least starting it, before I lose that train of thought. I have forgotten about a few that I started, though. If the idea was any good, usually I'll go back and finish the story.

 

[SimonDoom]

The word "bad" has no place in this discussion. It's not a moral issue. As a writer, you should do whatever works for you, and nobody can tell you what works for you.

At any one point, I'm working on over TEN stories at a time. I have a backlog of at least 30 stories that I've started but not finished. Is it the best way to do things? Maybe not, but I've published 51 stories at Literotica and I feel like I'm doing just fine.

 

[BronzePlaceWriter]

I work on a bunch of stories at a time. I write commission and also do promotional stuff, as well as SFW writing under a different account and a web novel that is just getting started. I currently have about five or so stories that are actively being updated every week or so, and a few others that have a slower release schedule to prevent burn out.

As SimonDoom said, it's not really a matter of good or bad. Every author has their own personal limits and they know themselves best. Some of us are able to jump between a bunch of different stories and some prefer to focus on doing one or two to a very high level of quality. Neither one is really better than the other, and both have downsides and upsides depending on how good a writer you are.

I know that with what I do, I tend to risk burn out and have burned out pretty badly in the past. I once pushed myself to do a chapter of a specific story every day which was easy enough at 4000 words but I got cocky and ended up doing much more words than I should have. Before I knew it, my desire to work on that project was totally dead and I ended up having to take a break for months before I could go back to it.

Thankfully, my readers were very understanding and most of them waited for me to recover. That story is still alive to this day, some years later.

 

[Cobaltofdark]

Some very solid advice I think I'll work a little on each were the spark takes me maybe even start a completely diffrent project thank you

 

[ElectricBlue]

All of my stories since I published a Geek Anthology thing three years ago have been side projects, interrupting the "main project." I typically have at least two things in active work, occasionally three, with internal plans, "To get back to that one."

As everyone says, do what works for you. Just don't do what Simon did, several years ago, and declare a set of New Year Resolutions. Silly bastard, he's still trying to get over that one!

 

[EarlyMorningLight]

I recently started the one I had planned to write next, then suddenly two more sprung up, and the one I’ve finished pending reader feedback and revisions was the idea that was initially the least formed out of the three.

Agree with the idea that you should go where the muse takes you, within reason. Sometimes you have to take the wheel again to make sure that things get finished.

 

[Voboy]

The word "bad" has no place in this discussion. It's not a moral issue. As a writer, you should do whatever works for you, and nobody can tell you what works for you.

...this...

Sometimes, the questions here puzzle me.

 

[KeithD]

Ah, the neverending search for the universal "only" holy grail way of doing/writing/thinking (and receiving meaningless strokes for it).

 

[BronzePlaceWriter]

Ah, the neverending search for the universal "only" holy grail way of doing/writing/thinking (and receiving meaningless strokes for it).

I remember when I was a younger writer. I tended to question myself a lot on things like that. ''Am I doing the right thing''? ''is this how it is done?'' ''Am I making a fool of myself by pretending I know what I am doing?'' to be honest, if I had actually had a community of fellow writers I could go to and make a thread like this, it probably would have been much easier for me. Instead I had to figure out most of the answers through trial and error. For the longest time before I was really confident in myself, I was real easy to shake and had a very hard time seeing quality in my own work even if others did.

It took a very long time for me to realise that there really is not one right thing that you can do to be a writer. Everyone is different and takes a different path. I think threads like this and questions like this are good and help people to grow and mature as authors.

 

[Cobaltofdark]

I remember when I was a younger writer. I tended to question myself a lot on things like that. ''Am I doing the right thing''? ''is this how it is done?'' ''Am I making a fool of myself by pretending I know what I am doing?'' to be honest, if I had actually had a community of fellow writers I could go to and make a thread like this, it probably would have been much easier for me. Instead I had to figure out most of the answers through trial and error. For the longest time before I was really confident in myself, I was real easy to shake and had a very hard time seeing quality in my own work even if others did.

It took a very long time for me to realise that there really is not one right thing that you can do to be a writer. Everyone is different and takes a different path. I think threads like this and questions like this are good and help people to grow and mature as authors.

Thanks I was asking about others process that others use. No one way is best but if you aren't shown options then you have no choices lol.

 

[KeithD]

but if you aren't shown options then you have no choices lol.

Unfortunately, no. You haven't "gotten it" in writing until you stop relying on being "shown" how to do anything and acquire the skill and self-confidence to work it out for yourself without going to the committee for help.

 

[Cobaltofdark]

Do I need to make my own pencils and paper from scratch to or is this that no true scotsman argument.

 

[EarlyMorningLight]

Unfortunately, no. You haven't "gotten it" in writing until you stop relying on being "shown" how to do anything and acquire the skill and self-confidence to work it out for yourself without going to the committee for help.

If you don’t think that writers have things to learn from each other, why do you spend so much time in a place called “Authors’ Hangout”?

 

[Cobaltofdark]

If you don’t think that writers have things to learn from each other, why do you spend so much time in a place called “Authors’ Hangout”?

Virtual hugs ty lol

 

[KeithD]

If you don’t think that writers have things to learn from each other, why do you spend so much time in a place called “Authors’ Hangout”?

What makes you think I'm not imparting information/useful guidance on the Author Hangout? I can pretty much guarantee it's based on more experience, training, and skill than you're giving--since you want to be nasty about it. Let's look at each other's portfolios here, hot shot. I think I have more of a reason to be on the Author's Hangout than you do, if you want to start suggesting who has a right/reason to be here.

https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=6433736&page=submissions

Yours is a pretty lame attack to fall back on when you don't like something someone else posts and you've been here for, like, ten minutes. Ergo, where do you get off questioning why anyone else--especially a big contributor to the site--chooses to post to the AH?

 

[SimonDoom]

Ah, the neverending search for the universal "only" holy grail way of doing/writing/thinking (and receiving meaningless strokes for it).

I think it's less a matter of needing a stroke than that many people feel unsure about what they are doing and either want some reassurance or want to know if there's a better way to achieve their objectives, whatever they are. You are unusual in the degree to which you are comfortable about what you are doing. I admire that attitude, but it's not how I feel. I'm still trying to improve, and despite whatever "success" I've achieved I'm constantly aware of the ways I fall short of my objectives. But I've been doing this long enough that I don't think there's any easy formula for improvement. You just have to write.

 

[KeithD]

But I've been doing this long enough that I don't think there's any easy formula for improvement. You just have to write.

And . . . you wind up pretty much where I posted.

The closest thing to a holy grail of writing development goal you're working toward is self-confidence, finding your lane, and self-sufficiency. It's certainly something that can be attained and doesn't need to continue to develop when submitting to a free-use Internet story site. No, you don't have to continue chasing the mythical "better." You can enjoy having reached self-confidence, finding your lane, and self-sufficiency. It doesn't even have to meet anyone else's definition of success.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I think it's less a matter of needing a stroke than that many people feel unsure about what they are doing and either want some reassurance or want to know if there's a better way to achieve their objectives, whatever they are. You are unusual in the degree to which you are comfortable about what you are doing. I admire that attitude, but it's not how I feel. I'm still trying to improve, and despite whatever "success" I've achieved I'm constantly aware of the ways I fall short of my objectives. But I've been doing this long enough that I don't think there's any easy formula for improvement. You just have to write.

I agree. Writers write and writers read, or they never get any better.