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Writer's pictureCait Marie

Adventures in Writing: Working on Multiple Projects at Once

Writing more than one book at a time has become second nature to me, just like reading more than one book at a time, and this baffles a lot people. So, this week, I thought I’d share how I do this and give some tips for working on multiple projects at once.

To start, I want to stress that my process is unique to me. It’s not going to work for everyone. I hope you gain some new ideas to try, but if you can’t do any of this, there’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone works at their own pace.

Which brings me to my first point… I like to keep busy. If you read my last post, you know I juggle a lot. I write and read a little bit every day on top of it all, and yes, I jump from story to story.

That being said, there’s usually one book that’s priority that gets most of my attention.

For example, most recently, I was writing Marking the Date and Secret Guard. The latter was what I tried to work on more because it’s my thesis. However, I also have the attention span of a toddler who’s had too much sugar, so I need more than one thing going at a time. I like to switch back and forth.

My first tip if you’re wanting to try this: Start with two different genres.

I usually have one contemporary romance in the works along with a fantasy. That way, if I’m not feeling like writing the heavier fantasy one day, I can switch to the lighter story and still be productive. Or vice versa.

These are the two priorities, but I have dozens of stories started and occasionally get inspired to write one of them. When that happens, I don't fight it. I get the scene or chapter written, or I won't be able to stop thinking about it, and then I return to what I should be working on.

Second tip: Have some sort of outline in place for each story.

By having a set outline, it’s easier to remember where the plot is going, what you’re wanting to write, etc. I personally use chapter-by-chapter outlines for each book. They’re not super detailed, but they have the main points of the chapter.

This type of outline also lets me write out of order, but that’s a topic for another day.

Third tip: Create a playlist for each book, series, or genre, as well as a Pinterest board.

When I’m not in the mood to write a certain book but know I need to, I turn on the music I associate with it and hop on Pinterest. Adding pins to my book aesthetic boards really inspires me and almost always makes me eager to write.

If you can’t write with music on, just listen while looking at Pinterest and then turn it off if needed.

You can check out my Secret Guard board here!

And finally: Let yourself write based on your inspiration or mood that day.

Sometimes, forcing it just leads to writer’s block and frustration. If you’re able to jump over to another story and get those creative juices flowing another way, it might help in the long run. It definitely helps me by giving me more freedom and allowing me to always be productive.

 

Have questions or topics you want me to share about? Leave a comment or use the Contact page and let me know!

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