Do you have more than one Work In Progress (WIP) going? I do. I have a space opera novel I’m working on. I have a fantasy novel I’m working on. And I have a novella I’m working on. I find myself juggling my time between these three projects. But recently I’ve realized a best practice exists for working on multiple WIPs.
What’s the secret to working on more than one WIP at once? Make sure they’re in different stages.
My space opera is in its fifth draft. It’s further along than the others, so I am more detail oriented about it. My fantasy novel is only in the rough draft stage. I only work on it occasionally, and I’m not spending as much time on it as my space opera. Eventually, it will become my main project when my space opera is either being edited or finished. The novella is being written one scene at a time. I know what’s going to happen, but I work on it even less than the other two. It’s still in a rough draft stage.
But something that really helps me when I need a break from my other WIPs: a pantser project. Because the others are in various stages of completion, I miss the writing with abandon. No outlines. No worries about how good it is. This pantser project helps me remember the fun of writing without caring how good it is. Someday, it may or may not be worth publishing. But for now just write without caring about its quality.
So, I encourage you to have one side project. A pantser project. This is especially helpful if you are more of a plotter. Take my advice: a pantser project is good for you.
Friday’s Findings
- Tips for Writers: Dynamic Writing
- The Chronology of Story: Foreshadowing
- Fiction University: An Easy Tip for Tightening Your Novel’s Plot
- 10 Things Every Author Must Do to Be Successful
- Why Dialogue Is Important in Writing
- Writers’ Center | Kirkus Reviews
Photo by Los Muertos Crew: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-black-shirt-juggling-blue-pins-8895403/
Andrew M. Friday 
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