All signs point to me being completely insane. I’ve decided to start writing yet another novella and I haven’t even finished the two I’m working on yet. In fact, I’ll be starting it immediately after I finish this post. Before you send me to the looney bin, you should know that there is a method to my madness.
Here’s how my mind is working at the moment. I have four basic stages of writing: Draft 1, Draft 2, Edit 1, and Edit 2. The goal of starting another project is to have a project in each stage of the cycle at all times. Currently, the ladder looks like this:
Edit 2 – Sadly, nothing is currently this far along
Edit 1 – Sins of a Father
Draft 2 – The trials and tribulations of Cherokee Johnson
Draft 1 – Whitaker’s Island
When each of these progresses up the ladder, a fourth story will be added to the bottom rung. Currently, the fourth is slated to be a story I have dubbed Epoch, but that’s subject to change when the time comes. There are a lot of other ideas floating around in ye olde noggin and one of them may just fight its way to the top of the list before I get to the fourth rung.
Having multiple projects helps keep the creativity flowing. If I’m not feeling Mr. Muse’s juju on one I can move to one of the others. Surely he’ll have something to say about one of the four. Plus, when I finish one I don’t have the overwhelming feeling of how much work I need to put in before I finish another, because the next is already in the editing phase. I need to keep the pipeline full to keep writing. If I allow that overwhelmed feeling to sink in then I can go for months without writing. I don’t want to allow that. I refuse to allow that, thus the four step plan was born. By keeping something always near completion, I don’t notice the amount of work required quite as much and can keep my spirits up.
There is also the novel, The Rain (working title), in the works, but that’s being viewed as an “I’ll get to it when I get to it” sort of deal at the moment so it doesn’t count as one of the steps on the ladder at this time. It’s currently at the beginning of Draft 2, so when the time comes it’ll just squeeze in and halt whatever is below it, just not yet.
If I can stay motivated and friendly with Mr. Muse (if not friendly, at least keep a working relationship going) I’ve got big things planned for the future, but that’s a post for down the line at some point. Right now, I’ve just got to focus on doing what I do. “Keep on keepin’ on,” as Joe Dirt would say. Thanks for the support and friendship, guys. It means a lot.
Love, peace, and chicken grease, my friends.
Adam Ickes 
August 4th, 2012 at 8:50 AM
That’ll stretch you creatively. I’ve written a bunch of stories at once. It was actually better for me contrary to the usual edict to never divide your attention. Good luck getting to the finish line on all 3. Erm, 4?
August 4th, 2012 at 12:19 PM
It isn’t really even that I’ll be working on 4 at once. Technically yes, but I usually try to stick with one until the end of whatever step I’m on with it, then move to another, unless Mr. Muse isn’t cooperating, then I’ll bounce around a bit.