Multitasking is nothing new for most authors. You write a draft, polish it up, and either start shopping it to publishers and/or agents, or proceed with self-publishing. While you’re in the process of doing that, you typically move on to another book. Then, once it is published, you juggle marketing, book events, and that next story all at the same time.
At the beginning of my career, this prospect intimidated me. I thrive off of doing a single task at a time. I even have to finish one part of a meal before I bite into the next part, with a drink in between. Because of the patience that the publishing industry entails, however, I’ve had to break out of my single agenda habits.
When it came to the idea of writing two projects at the same time, I used to rule that out altogether. I dipped my toes into it about ten years ago, when I was creating the third and fourth installments of The Unde(a)feted Detective Series. As I shared in A Vacation for the Imagination, a harsh winter made me want to envision being on a cruise, so I played around with Undercover Babymoon before I was done with Accidental Allies. In all honesty, though, that only lasted for a few months, until the spring weather finally warmed me up.
After I finished Undeveloped Memories last year, I wasn’t in a hurry to release another novel in the time frame I had been working with for the past few years. Because of the lax schedule, I opted to go easy on myself, but that didn’t mean stopping writing at all. I still wanted to work toward my next release, but I also craved a little side project, if you will, for myself, regardless of if it’s ever published or not.
To meet both goals, I decided to devote the time I allot for writing through the week to a primary work-in-progress, with the intention of submitting that for publication. When circumstances allowed, I would use my weekend writing time to craft a story that’s been building in my mind for the better part of a decade. That way, I could still have fun with my personal project, while not wasting a year on something I may never make public. Granted, these efforts were helped by my ability to dictate the majority of my writing, as I couldn’t have undertaken such an effort when all of the typing fell to my one good hand due to the effects of Cerebral Palsy.
Whenever the subject has come up over the course of this year, people always ask how I can keep the different plots straight. In truth, I had the same worries going into it and initially expected one manuscript to take over, much like what happened years ago. Except for a few times when I clicked on the wrong file or when I wanted to finish a certain scene and took a Saturday here or there to do that, I actually found that the two storylines balanced one another out and boosted my creativity more than usual.
Though both mysteries, the plots are very different, not permitting for much unintentional crossover. Despite that difference, the developments in one helped me formulate some of the twists in the other. I attribute part of this to having a space of several days to mull over upcoming developments rather than being tied down with an everyday routine. The caveat I found was forgetting what I had in mind the last time I touched it, especially with my weekend one, which sometimes went several weeks without being opened during busy stretches.
I also enjoyed what the process did for my wordsmithing. Sometimes, we as authors get into a rut of using the same word time and again. When you’re distributing your writing on multiple works, you don’t run that risk as much. Plus, if you think up a good one you haven’t used before, you can stick it in both when appropriate, which tickles a word nerd like me! Again, however, keeping track of where you said this or that can be tricky.
When I neared the end of my weekday manuscript, I put the weekend one on hold, needing to ensure I kept focused on the pivotal climax. As I did my self-edit, I found a few holes I needed to revise, which, I suppose, may have been the result of my diverted concentration. Since it happens with almost every first draft, though, I don’t deem it a major complication.
All said and done, I savored the experience. It may sound like a chaotic, overwhelming strategy, but it refreshed me, grounding me in my favorite part of my career: writing stories! I’m not sure if I’ll do it again, but it proved to be just what I needed for this point of my writing journey. Whatever your pace or objectives for your individual project(s), find the rhythm that fosters your joy, even if it’s a bit daunting in the beginning.
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