Jun 3, 2011

Juggling New Ideas without Dropping the Current WIP

How to keep up with the flow of ideas, without abandoning current project is the Fantastic Friday Writers topic.

I have yet to master this. With a strict time table, I have been able to work on multiple projects for short spurts of time. But as a novel begins to consume my creative energies [which they always end up doing], whatever else I was doing usually gets chucked to the side. I have a pile of partially written projects waiting on my return. When I realize I won't be back for awhile, I go back in and quickly jot down my remaining thoughts on the project to keep my place and jog my memory.

I keep an idea journal as well. Anything I think could be the kernel of a story idea, or become part of a story, gets written in there.

I have an idea of typing out rough sketches and outlines, but haven't done that yet. I do that when revising my novels - write out brief outlines and sketches. I have yet to do it with new story ideas, but will schedule in some time each week or every other week to do that. Now that I thought of it.

PS, I had high hopes of fixing my commenting troubles yesterday only to have them dashed. I see Blogger has had time to create new doohickeys of which we have no idea what they do, but can't fix their problems -- like folks being unable to comment on some blogs or slow loading of the widgets. I've about given up all hope on ever being able to comment normally again.

At any rate, it's a hard thing to juggle. What do you do? I'm interested in hearing what you all have to say and what my fellow Fantastic Friday Writers have to say. Give them a visit.