Spring. It’s like the breath of fresh air before the heat of summer. It brings new life as it shrugs off the shroud of winter. It means a lot of things; spring cleaning, spring break, thoughts of gardening, flowers and warmer weather. It’s a busy season.
I started thinking about my writing. All of the stories I’ve started, some of them I’ve finished and others that are still waiting for the final verdict on whether they’re a happily ever after or not. I started going through all my documents and reading the stories. They’re all different and I have to admit, I love them all.
After filing them in my folders, I picked one at random. This story was something that I’d started in September of 2010. I’d written the story, finished it and after fighting some details that wouldn’t adjust to my requirements, I shelved it. Now though, after looking at it with a fresh perspective, I’ve started the rewrites on it. I’m the type of writer who can’t write on just one story at a time. I like having several open and being able to work on one while I think about another. Some people are able to sit down and work on one story until it’s done. I admire that, but it’s not me. I usually have anywhere from three to six documents open at a time and work on all of them. Does this take longer? Absolutely. But, it works for me. In fact, I’m writing two articles right now.
In my head, I made the analogy about planting seeds and waiting for them to blossom and having an idea and turning it into a story. That was going to be what this post was about – never letting go of the seed/idea, planting it deep and waiting for the right time to come back to it and check on the blossom. Sometimes you have to go through and clean your documents out, maybe put one on the shelf for a while. It’s not quite ready to be shown yet. Don’t give up on it, though. Go back and look at it. You’ll be surprised at what a little bit of time can do for your manuscript and your view on it.
Ideas are everywhere. My friends know that I’m constantly writing down ideas. Some of them are just a word or two, while others evolve into several pages. These are my seeds. Sometimes they bloom quickly and I write as fast as I can. Other times, however, they take more time. They have to be groomed and babied. It doesn’t really matter to me, because I know I’ll finish them and love them and share them with others. That’s what writing is about , isn’t it?
Tell me how you write. Do you plant one seed at and baby it to fruition or do you plant several and try to give them all equal attention?
Courtney Koschel has been writing since she could hold a crayon. She has worked as a journalist, editor, technical writer, and technical editor. Young adult fiction is near and dear to her heart, which is why she writes YA and all of its glorious sub-genres.
Tonia Marie Houston is a mother, writer, poet, bookworm, and blogger. When sheís not chasing her three spider monkeys, she spends her time revising a young adult novel about life after death and second chances. Though she began to pursue her career later in life, she hopes to inspire and motivate other writers to put their best book forward.
This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in North Ayrshire, Scotland, where she wanders the moors in search of William Wallace. She has been a guest blogger on Writer Unboxed and is currently working on the sequel to her YA supernatural novel, Touched by Darkness.
Jamie Raintree writes what she likes to call everyday fairytale love stories, featuring the little moments in life that are truly magical. She lives in Arizona with her husband and daughter and is currently editing her second novel.
Jani Grey is a South African ambivert, writer, reader, optimist, and bacon enthusiast. When her boss isnít looking she writes, revises, or edits YA Urban Fantasies in between work. Sheís sneaky like that. Sheís a NaNoWriMo addict and is currently working on two NaNo novels.
Rebecca Fields is a modern gypsy, roaming from place to place in search of ñ well, sheíll let you know when she finds it. Writing has become a way for her to share her adventures, both real and imagined. Along with her on her journey are her son and an assortment of rescued animals.
Tonia Marie Houston
April 2, 2012 at 8:25 am
I suppose I plant more than a few at a time. For now, I’m revising a YA manuscript. But in the meantime, I have a big seed of a story. I tend it by writing down scenes or characterizations as they come to me. I’ve also worked on several small projects. I’m happy to know I’m not the only one to work this way.
Rebecca
April 2, 2012 at 10:25 am
I’m revising one YA manuscript, writing another YA story and revising an adult fiction right now. That’s pretty much what I do too, just jot down little ideas that come to me. I’m happy to know I’m not the only one too!! Thanks for commenting
bwtaylor75
April 2, 2012 at 9:36 am
I only concentrate on one story at a time. That doesn’t mean I won’t jot down ideas for other stories, but generally when I start something it gets my best and all of my attention. For me trying to juggle multiple plotlines and characters can be dangerous if you let several stories bleed into each other. But then again, I’m an outliner and stickler for every tiny detail I can squeeze out of my characters and story. I simply can’t do that if my head is muddled with extra character personalites from different stories.
Different strokes for different folks, right? As long as we know what works best for us, we’re already halfway there.
Rebecca
April 2, 2012 at 10:29 am
Exactly! I think it would be a little boring if everyone wrote the same way. I love that everyone does it differently and yet can end up in the same place. I wish I could be more of an outliner, but I can’t even fool myself into believing that about myself. All of my stories are very different and when I switch gears to work on a different one, I usually have an “aha!” moment which sends me back to the other one. Thanks so much for commenting!
Victoria-writes
April 3, 2012 at 3:20 am
I tend to focus on one project but I’m always jotting down story ideas. I think you have to or you forget. We have to strike while the inspiration is hot!
Rebecca
April 3, 2012 at 6:01 am
Absolutely! I think each idea is a gift and it’s our responsibility to write them down. It took me a long time time to learn that one
Thanks so much for commenting!
Heather Reid
April 3, 2012 at 4:50 am
Wonderful post! I love that you’re able to work on multiple projects at once. I can’t. I’m a story monogamous. I can only delve in to one story at a time. Like Brian though, I do jot down ideas. I’m also a pantster which is slow enough. Adding multiple stories into the mix would be a nightmare for me.
I love learning about everyone’s process! So facinating. Thanks, Rebecca.
Rebecca
April 3, 2012 at 6:08 am
Thank you! I rather enjoy working on more than one. If I focus on one and get stuck, I kind of panic. I have to be working on something all the time. It just keeps my brain happy. All the stories and characters are so different that it’s easy for me to keep them separate – but, I also read several books at a time. I usually have anywhere from five or six going at the same time. Really not sure what this says about my brain.
Thanks so much for commenting!
Nicole L. Bates
April 3, 2012 at 8:17 am
I can only write one story at a time. I feel strongly compelled to write until a story reaches a satisfying conclusion. I don’t like loose ends. I do like to take breaks from the WIP and edit other stories, but this doesn’t take the same level of absorption. My “creative-time” is consumed by the characters that are developing. I love your opening descriptions Rebecca, and it’s fun to read the other comments. Great post!
Rebecca
April 3, 2012 at 3:50 pm
I don’t know what it is, but I write more and better when I work on more than one. It seems like I’m definitely in the minority, but that’s okay
Thank you for the compliment and I appreciate your comment!
Courtney Koschel
April 3, 2012 at 7:43 pm
I have several projects in my folder, and I keep an “idea” notebook with me all the time, but I typically only work on one at a time. I get really focused on whatever I’m working on, and it consumes me. One of the best parts about writing is that everyone’s process is different, and there’s no right or wrong way to do things. Thanks for sharing
Rebecca
April 3, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Exactly. We all write differently and that’s part of what make the process so fun. Thanks for commenting
Jamie Raintree
April 29, 2012 at 11:06 pm
I’m a one seed at a time kind of girl for the most part. I like to immerse myself in the story as completely as possible. When it comes to non-fiction, though, I seem to write better when I’m working on several things at once. I never knew this until I had so many blog posts to write, I HAD to work on them all at once. Lol!