Too Many In Progress Projects?

[writer4hire69]

Does anyone else have this problem? I have a few stories posted, four of which are Chapter 1's to longer stories. I also have a doc of other ideas I want to write and a few of those are also already in-progress as docs. Literally just yesterday, I was in the middle of one story when another idea popped into my head. I had slowed down a bit on the first but now I'm writing through this new one.

On one hand, I feel like I'm failing at completing my stories. I've tried just forcing myself to keep going so I can finish one before starting another but it's like a sort of mood shift. I'm still into the story and want to complete it but I just hit, like, a wall. Jumping into a new story gets me moving again and makes me feel like at least I'm writing. Which I guess is the other hand. I'm succeeding at writing and moving around writer's block.

Anyone else able to relate? Or can tell me how to feel? Cause I don't know.

 

[Privates1stClass]

No, you aren't the only one. I have a number of stories started, but then I ran into a snag and the story didn't go anywhere. For some, the plot fizzled out. For others, the characters were too weak or failed to interest me any further.

I won't post a story unless I'm satisfied with it, so I have a number of stories languishing on my hard drive. Perhaps one day I'll go back and fix them.

I'd say one out of three stories I begin gets finished. Don't feel bad if your percentage isn't over 50 percent. Not every good idea flies. Good luck with the remainder of your stories.

 

[eroticstoryspinner]

Does anyone else have this problem? I have a few stories posted, four of which are Chapter 1's to longer stories. I also have a doc of other ideas I want to write and a few of those are also already in-progress as docs. Literally just yesterday, I was in the middle of one story when another idea popped into my head. I had slowed down a bit on the first but now I'm writing through this new one.

On one hand, I feel like I'm failing at completing my stories. I've tried just forcing myself to keep going so I can finish one before starting another but it's like a sort of mood shift. I'm still into the story and want to complete it but I just hit, like, a wall. Jumping into a new story gets me moving again and makes me feel like at least I'm writing. Which I guess is the other hand. I'm succeeding at writing and moving around writer's block.

Anyone else able to relate? Or can tell me how to feel? Cause I don't know.

No problem with that at all. I currently have two novels, a short story that is turning into a novel and a couple of other things going on in my mainstream writing.

I have three series, soon to be four and quite possibly five going on in my erotica. I have suffered the same problem and while my solution is a work in progress, setting a schedule for my writing is seeming to help. Also if an idea pops up, write a quick summary to get it out of your head and see if that helps to focus on the next story or chapter on the schedule.

The key is to keep the words flowing. At least for me.

 

[SimonDoom]

Oh my goodness, sometimes I feel like I'm the poster child for this problem. I've been publishing stories here for 4 years but my generation of ideas keeps outstripping my ability to bring them to fruition. I have 33 stories published and I have more than that partly written but not completed.

 

[AlinaX]

I often just delete stories that go nowhere. Especially sequel chapters.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

*raises hand*

Yuuuuuup.

I have... fifteen multi-chapter stories on the go. Problem is, my flagship story series, the Alexaverse, is woefully behind and I'm needing to catch it up before continuing the others. I was hoping covid have me more time to write, but what suddenly came up was the need for paid gigs, and my Lit stories suffered.

Which sucks, because I'm enjoying writing these sagas I get going. They make me happy.

I just keep slogging to catch up. My success has been fair to middling.

 

[PeytonMirabelle]

Does anyone else have this problem?

In short, yes. Just for erotica, I have three stories in various states of completion and two others that have been shelved recently--probably for good, since I cannibalized elements of them for other stories.

Jumping into a new story gets me moving again and makes me feel like at least I'm writing. Which I guess is the other hand. I'm succeeding at writing and moving around writer's block.

See, I do this too and I look at it as a positive. With four or five things in progress at a time, if I get stymied on something, I can jump to another one and pick back up. This method may slow down the completion of any one project but my overall productivity stays steady. If that's working for you, I'd call it a win.

Anyone else able to relate? Or can tell me how to feel? Cause I don't know.

I won't tell you how to feel but ... please don't beat yourself up. If you're making progress, then run with it.

 

[NotWise]

Anyone else able to relate? Or can tell me how to feel? Cause I don't know.

I avoid this problem like the COVID. When I start a story, I want it done before I move on. Anything else has been a mistake. That doesn't keep me from writing notes on new stories, but I don't want to put an in-progress story aside and divert myself into writing a new story.

I've been able to send stories off to editors or beta readers and use that time to start new stories, but if I put a story down to write something else, it becomes really hard to pick it up again.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I avoid this problem like the COVID. When I start a story, I want it done before I move on. Anything else has been a mistake. That doesn't keep me from writing notes on new stories, but I don't want to put an in-progress story aside and divert myself into writing a new story.

I've been able to send stories off to editors or beta readers and use that time to start new stories, but if I put a story down to write something else, it becomes really hard to pick it up again.

Maybe you have more discipline than I do. Usually, I have two or three that are "active' at any one time. Then I have to decide if it's going on Literotica or someplace else - that may depend on whether it can pass muster with Laurel or not.

Eventually I do try to catch up with any unfinished projects. However, I don't feel like I have to put pressure on myself. I get to it when the time is right. I started writing stories right after I had major heart surgery, so I sometimes feel like I'm living on "bonus" time anyway.

 

[HeyAll]

The Lit Contests really help me with that. I generally aim for 4 stories each contest so that gives me a deadline to work with.

Without the contest, without a doubt, I'd have less stories.

 

[oggbashan]

When I was diagnosed with lung cancer and only given months to live, I posted almost all of my incomplete stories on Literotica. (Oggbashan stew parts 1-4)

Since then, and now I am in remission with death date at some unspecified time in the future (depending on Covid!) I have kept my in progress works to a minimum. I have one I am reconstructing because my main computer died and about four other long term projects I haven't touched for a year.

That is manageable. The previous position was impossible.

 

[mfan2112]

I have two longer pieces I have been working on, although one might be dead, or at least in a coma.

Then I have a folder with a bunch of 1 page documents each containing a story idea. I'll add to these if I get an idea to flesh one out further. That is often a clue to me to write that story next.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I don't think there is an author/writer who doesn't have this problem. Although there maybe one or two, but I don't know who they are.

I must have a hundred unfinished ideas and twenty unfinished, that I would/want to finish, parts that I work on continuously, well a couple of hour each day.

 

[KeithD]

I count 37 works on my current "project status" list showing the status of works currently in progress (from writing to having been published). These include both stories and books, with some stories also included in anthologies in progress. Of these, 6 works listed are of something on which the writing hasn't started yet. A few of these have been on the list for years without having been started--but an index to them exists if/when I feel like taking them up. Over this Christmas period, two that have been on the list for over a year each got written and moved to a stage closer to "published." One of those was one of my Winter Holiday Contest stories this year.

I don't consider anything an in-progress project until/unless I start writing it, though. Once I do start writing it, I've thus far always carried through and finished it. I don't let those I haven't started yet bother me much. If I put them on the list, they no longer take up "what about this?" space in my brain.

 

[B_Couric]

Hah, I've got multiple stories not quite finished that are basically the same plot, with different emphasis depending on how I'm feeling. I'll never publish them, but I enjoy writing so I don't care.

 

[Hypoxia]

Although partly-written stories and lesser stubs may lie about, I generally put effort into only one at a time. But right now I'm up to two, a novella being beta-read, and a stroker I started cooking a few months ago. Writing and editing more than one ==> schizo.

 

[infusednotes]

It seems like a lot of others have this problem also. I know I definitely do.

I sometimes even end up with 2 or 3 idea/ stories merging into one or overlapping.

 

[latecomer91364]

For erotica, I have tons. For other stories and scripts, I have usually 5 at best. The cream rises to the top. Plus, I sometimes see a project come to fruition that trashes something I was working on.

 

[Reshbod]

My problem is that while I'm working on one story, I find myself rushing to finish so I can start on the next one. This is annoying because I tend to short shrift the current story and don't spend the time to make it the story I envisioned before I started it.

Then when I move on to the next story, I find I do the same thing again. I'm currently working on one story that I am really trying to avoid doing that. So far, I'm doing ok. Hopefully I can stick with it.

 

[gordo12]

I'm the poster child for too many in progress. I write one; then, when I hit a slow point, I pick up another one. It certainly does no good if you're trying to finish on a deadline. Yet, the time to think often brings me good ideas for continuing.