Keep 'em in the air: Multi tasking

[Sasha Distan]

Alright then you people, lets have it. How well can you multi-task your writing?

 

I jumped on a new project yesterday and while i DO NOT regret it, it made me take stock of my writing-related tasks and the list is a bit long. Let me elucidate for you:

 

I am writing Cowboy Summer

I am writing Unexpected Liaisons (thanks Myiege...grrr)

I am reviewing the edits for Bad Stereotypes (love to Kitt, my Beta)

I am Beta-ing for The Courier (Go Kilitie, go!)

I have Palace Life on non-permanent hold

 

oh and i work full time and have to care for a horse. why did i ever decide to do this? This is when the muse taps me and grins "you know you don't have a choice"

of course none of this takes into account all the little half started and developing ideas that we all have going on anyway.

 

but all the plates are spinning, the balls are in the air... at least for now

[Former Member]

*snickers darkly* I am not the only one who will benefit, I'm sure.

 

I am multitasking like crazy as well...though I tend to be not nearly as productive whe I do multitask.  It's why I don't like working on multiple of my own projects.  I tend to favor one over the other (typically the one I start later) and then the first one all goes to hell and I never finish it.  But let's take stock just for the hell of it.

 

Rewriting Seth Jepsen, Supervillain?

Writing Her Name was Umbrella

Writing "Bittersweet" whenever inspiration hits me.

Planning shorts from Messy Business

Drafting Fall Anthology piece

Editing Marcus and the Slave (I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ALMOST OVER KILTIE.)

Editing one other project...but she hasn't emailed me in a couple days...so she may have dropped me.

 

...even I didn't know I was that busy until I had worked it all out like that.  Lordy.  The good things is...I have boat-loads of off time coming up next week, so I'm hoping to get a good dent in Umbrella.  The other things are really what I do when I have down time at work.

 

It's a tough business being a writer, no?  Wouldn't trade it for the world. ^-^

[layla]

I could honestly kick myself for the multitasking I have been doing lately. I will be so glad when some of these projects are done.

 

I am writing Broken Prince and Mismatched Eyes

I am writing Roadhouse Reds

I am writing Guitars Part 2

I am writing (in a notebook, nothing typed yet) Ego and Envy

I am outlining Desolation Tour (working title of sequal to Desolation Angel)

I am outlining Cold 2 (Working title of sequal to Cold Confusion)

 

I'm also working on trying to get some of my artwork exhibited, working on a new art project, steadly attending martial arts classes and working part time. Oh AND i'm supposed to be spending a few hours a week starting next week helping rebuild a dirtbike.

 

i need to clone myself but i would never find the time

[Former Member]

I could honestly kick myself for the multitasking I have been doing lately. I will be so glad when some of these projects are done.

 

I am writing Broken Prince and Mismatched Eyes

I am writing Roadhouse Reds

I am writing Guitars Part 2

I am writing (in a notebook, nothing typed yet) Ego and Envy

I am outlining Desolation Tour (working title of sequal to Desolation Angel)

I am outlining Cold 2 (Working title of sequal to Cold Confusion)

 

I'm also working on trying to get some of my artwork exhibited, working on a new art project, steadly attending martial arts classes and working part time. Oh AND i'm supposed to be spending a few hours a week starting next week helping rebuild a dirtbike.

 

i need to clone myself but i would never find the time

 

WHOA.  I'm still working though reading Guitars 1!

[The Pecman]

I've multitasked within a story, sometimes jumping ahead a dozen chapters, finishing that chapter, then returning and writing my way up to that point. 

 

I have had several stories "in development" at one time before, but to me, it's too much of a brain whiplash to try to wrap my head around vastly different characters and then abruptly change to another group of characters.

[CassieQ]

Oh, what the heck.

 

Writing Angel

Writing Crashed

Writing the Fall Anthology piece

Beta work for Myiege

Beta work for Stellar

Beta work for Joann

 

 

Also working full time

 

And I have a housewarming party tomorrow night.

 

But nah, I'm not that busy  

Edited June 29, 2013 by CassieQ

[joann414]

Me!

Beta for layla

Beta for Comicfan

Beta for Myiege

Beta for Scotty

Beta for Naptown

Trying to write anthology

Trying to move the WST forward

 

LOVING  all of it

Edited June 29, 2013 by joann414

[Cia]

Umm... let's see. I am a site admin, lead the WST, plus organize and appropriate content for premium (yes, appropriate, lol). I also handle the Stories mod queue. Oh, and I organize the Can't Stop Reading book club for the site blog (though that is stalling out with participants, so if you have any ideas to help me not fail at that, I'd smother you in  if you shared). A big project for me lately has been the eBook store (do you have an eBook of your own? I can help you post it here! ) and I do cover art as well. I beta read for Renee, Lugh, Myr, Julie, M, plus the occasional story if I can for authors that ask me to review their work on a story by story basis.

 

Writing is trickier. I have 2 partially posted stories here on hold. I have 40k of a MfM story on hold that only Renee has read. I just finished editing a 35k novella and writing and editing a 13k short story that will post as free eBooks later this summer. I am currently working to eBook my premium story, Burden of Secrets, to sell with cross promos with Lugh and Renee's premium short stories. I am, very slowly, posting a serial sci-fi novel, Adverse Effects and this week finished my 26k story, One Night, that I was writing with my blog author group, the Wednesday Briefers (we post 500 to 1k updates each week based on prompts, though participation varies week to week). In my currently writing is a short for the premium anthology (I get more time as the organizer, I'm busy darn it) a sequel to Pricolici and partial drafts to a story for Benny in my Cathera world and another short set in my Heated Blood world. People have been asking for more from Synchronicity too so that might be my next flash story.I have a 40k novella starting to post in premium, Picked at the Peak, that I'll eventually eBook as well. Oh, and I'm waiting to hear back from a publisher on The Experiment, but if that falls through, who knows who I'll go with on a second chance, or I'll eBook it myself.

 

Thank goodness I don't have a job outside of being Suzy homemaker plus taking care of (read: not giving in to the urge to smother them with their own pillows) bratlings, aged 6 and 9, who are currently on summer break. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish checking my PMs and site tasks so I can get up in 5hours to pick up a nephew to spend a day with him, my hubby and kids, 2.5 hours away at a waterpark. Did I mention I have a 3k chapter to have for posting on Sunday I haven't started yet?

 

LOL

 

And before any of you do it, it is not polite to ask me if I'm crazy. Just accept that it is patently obvious and hide your wide eyed looks and head shakes behind my back so I can at least blithely pretend to not know it's true as well.

[Sasha Distan]

Umm... let's see. I am a site admin, lead the WST, plus organize and appropriate content for premium (yes, appropriate, lol). I also handle the Stories mod queue. Oh, and I organize the Can't Stop Reading book club for the site blog ........

 

But Cia, you don't count. We all know you're some kind of magical android who runs off words....

[Aditus]

Let's see:

I'm thinking of/drafting/starting to write my very first GA story 'The Chameleon'

 

I'm revising two of my older stories. 'Red Running Shoes' and well, an X-mas story.

 

I'm re-editing/writing a story with a friend she intends to publish it. 'Matchplay'

 

I'm finishing the third part of 'The King's Mate' which will lead to revising it, I just know it.

 

And it all takes me far too long because English isn't my first language and I hate, hate, hate making mistakes. Yes I know everyone makes mistakes, but not My mistakes. ;)

Oh yes work...I always forget work.

Edited June 30, 2013 by aditus

[Andy78]

God help me:

 

Trying to write The Ddraig-Cyfrinachau and failing miserably - haven't posted a chapter since last summer

 

I haven't looked at From Russia With Love, as I want to finish Ddraig first

 

Writing a story based on one of my older prompts provisionally called The Prince which is surprisingly going well and being beta'd (45k and climbing)

 

Writing another story called The Vampire Murders which is in write and being beta'd (40k in draft and climbing)

 

About a dozen short stories in various states (ranging from 2k-10k), but none anywhere near ready for posting

 

Oh yeah, and I work full time and have a hubby to look after

[Slytherin]

 

Oh yeah, and I work full time and have a hubby to look after

It sounds like he might have to look after you, Sheep

[Cia]

So in all of our cases should the term really be multi-tasking ... or literary ADD?

[Mark Arbour]

I've got all kinds of challenges in real life, but I manage to keep two series flowing along, publishing at least one chapter a week for each of them.  They're both different.  The CAP Series is more contemporary, and is easier to write because there's less research to do.   The Bridgemont Series is based in the late 1790s, and requires a lot more work. 

 

I was worried when I started writing Bridgemont that it would be tough for me to do two separate series at the same time.  Actually, I've found that it helps me, because when I need a break from one set of characters or setting, I can switch to the other. I find that I swing between the two in 3-7 chapter spurts, when a particular storyline appeals to me.  My participation in anthologies is pretty stark, because I have to be stuck on both my stories, where I need another distraction. 

[Sasha Distan]

God help me:

 

Trying to write The Ddraig-Cyfrinachau and failing miserably - haven't posted a chapter since last summer

 

I haven't looked at From Russia With Love, as I want to finish Ddraig first

 

Writing a story based on one of my older prompts provisionally called The Prince which is surprisingly going well and being beta'd (45k and climbing)

 

Writing another story called The Vampire Murders which is in write and being beta'd (40k in draft and climbing)

 

About a dozen short stories in various states (ranging from 2k-10k), but none anywhere near ready for posting

 

Oh yeah, and I work full time and have a hubby to look after

 

I didn't count all of the stuff which is "on hold" in my do-this-later file. dude you rock.

[Thorn Wilde]

I'm trying to finish Lavender & Gold (which is slow going, unfortunately, haven't really written anything new in over a week), going over Bad Stereotypes, making a set-list and rehearsing for a gig, which isn't so much, I guess, but I'm also waiting to hear back from a job I applied for, which is nerve wracking and really scary and is making me agitated and unable to focus.

[joann414]

Love, love, love, Lavender and Gold Thorne:)

[Former Member]

I always seem to get really sick when I really have things to do.  It's awful.

[Sasha Distan]

I always seem to get really sick when I really have things to do.  It's awful.

 

can we say psycho-symptomatic? oh sweetie...

[Thorn Wilde]

Love, love, love, Lavender and Gold Thorne:)

 

Thank you! <3

 

I always seem to get really sick when I really have things to do.  It's awful.

 

I'm not doing so well myself, at the moment. Last night I had an upset stomach and felt really, really sick. Today I'm a little better, but still not feeling awesome...

[Uplifted Spirit]

I used to work on a couple stories at a time, but my son told me I wasn't focused enough, and he was right.  I now write one story at a time while editing a previous one.  I've found that the original writing is the easy part.  The editing is the hard part.