Are you monogamous (to your writing projects)?

Wedding ringsI was as surprised as anyone to learn that I struggle to stay monogamous … to my writing projects.

In the first blush of romance, I set off with abandon, writing, plotting in my mind (I’m a pantser, so my plot lines never make it to paper/computer). I only have eyes for my new WIP, and, like a love-struck teenager, I focus all my attention and energy on my new project.

And then?

I guess at some point the romance starts to wane. Something more tempting catches my eye, and I’m off pursuing my new flame.

It may be a short story, it may even be another novel.

I once set aside a novel I was quite enjoying because a new idea struck me. I then wrote the entire second novel, before happily turning back to the first.

Were this…er… anything other than fiction writing, I might be disturbed by my apparent inability to stay faithful to my commitments.

But I see these little ‘vacations’ from my projects usually return me to my original WIP with renewed interest and strengthened ideas.

Why fight a system that seems to be working? That said, the minute that my addled brain starts mixing up characters and plot lines, I may have to reevaluate my system.

But this discovery got me thinking about writing habits. What about you, writers? Are you good about sticking to the project you embark upon? Are you tempted by the siren calls of other projects singing out to you from the rocky shores? Or, like Ulysses, are you able to block your ears, ignore them , and stick to your original project?

Tell me what you think.

And, to all writers – monogamous and not – best of luck with all your projects!

8 Comments

  1. 4blogssake on February 6, 2015 at 10:14 am

    monogamous, me? nah. i play the field.
    and that goes for writing projects as well.
    (nudge nudge wink wink)

    • kimberlysullivan on February 6, 2015 at 9:49 pm

      Miss your sense of humor (oops, otherwise know as ‘humour’ where you are now), Terianne!

      • 4blogssake on February 12, 2015 at 12:03 am

        yes!!! my yahoo email now corrects humour – omigod, my computer just corrected it now! how does it know where i am? i barely know who i am, never mind, where! by the way, i moved! in brighton now!!!!

  2. Kim Talks Books on February 6, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    I work on so many projects simultaneously…yes, I cheat on my writing projects. 🙂

    • kimberlysullivan on February 6, 2015 at 9:50 pm

      Ha ha, you, too, Kim? Well, one has to have some vices. This seems a safe one. : ) Hope all your projects are going well!

      • Kim Talks Books on February 7, 2015 at 12:06 am

        Heheh! My projects are all over the place. I wish I could be one of those super-organised people. 🙂

  3. Catherine on February 9, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    Haha! Great post. I’ve read that many writers carry along numerous works, but (unlike my life!) I’m pretty monogamous with work. I don’t like to dissolve my energy and if there are hiccoughs, I’ll go and do some sport until the problem unwinds. I can’t even work on two short stories at the same time – it feels like I am diluting something!

    • kimberlysullivan on February 10, 2015 at 10:51 pm

      Good for you, Catherine. It seems your fidelity has served you well…since you seem to be publishing frequently. Speaking of which, when is the new publication out? I’d better have first dibs on your author interview. : )

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