Restarting Shelved Projects?

[Andy]

What have you found was the best way to return to a project you'd previously dismissed?

 

[MacGreg]

Let it sit for awhile and see if it sparks interest again. Some stories just never leave you, even when you haven't touched them in years. That's when you know they're worth revisiting. Then, you can beginbegin again with a fresh perspective.

Edited November 29, 2016 by MacGreg

[Valkyrie]

Re-read the story and any notes you may have jotted down about it.  It would be a good idea to find a beta reader to review it too and assist with where the story may need revising or help with ideas about how to continue it.  Good luck! 

[Cia]

Re-reading is always first. I tend to make inline comments about changes/new ideas/etc... and if it grabs my attention, I start writing again. If it doesn't, I save it and move on to something else so I can come back to the story idea later.

[Krista]

Re-reading is very important. You need to realize why you shelved it to begin with. Obviously it was shelved because something happened. If it was just time constraints or too much on the plate for you to finish at one time. I have a few small projects (Anthologies mostly) that just needs some time before I can sit down and write them. I just don't have time. With stories like those I doubt restarting would be that bad. But also when I put something on hold it is because I honestly don't feel interested in that particular story anymore and it isn't something that I'm committed to - or posting for readers here. 

 

If the idea within the story still appeals to me, then I try to re-work what I have, to work for me. If I can't, then I start all over, but I don't try to do an exact re-write either. I implement new ideas, or maybe change a few characteristics of characters to bring something new to an already thought through and older idea. If something already feels dusty and shelved.. it may take some new ingredients to bring it back.

 

If it is something that you feel you've outgrown.. then it is best left shelved. I bet we all have stories like that. Just take them off the shelf.. put them in the shoebox and put it in the back of your closet for reminiscing later and move on to other things. You can outgrow a story, it happens as we learn and grow or change as people who write stories. If something is shelved for that reason, it is just too demanding on time and energy and you still may end up not liking the story or the outcome.

 

Restarting anything takes an interest, if it isn't there, then it just isn't there.  

[Sasha Distan]

I prefer not to re-read. If a concept keeps on bugging me, I like to start again with a blank document as though I'm writing it for the first time. Then after the initial rush is over, I go back re-read the old document and compare the two. Sometimes the initial rush doesn't fade for a good long while and then when I read the old thing, I discover if I's re-read first, I would have written something completely different.

 

A Wolf And His Man was an old concept I came back to. The original sketch was only a couple hundred words, and I didn't re-read it until I had written five full chapters of what got posted here. I'm glad of that fact.

[Mikiesboy]

I wrote the first chapter of After The Past many years ago. And I save everything. Every once in a while I go back and look things over. This March I was ready to write Dave's story. Until that date I wasn't ready to write it but it's turned very well and it's been very well received. 

 

I think you'll figure it out, it will feel right whether you want to re-read it, think about it or whatever. No way is better than another. Do what feels right to you.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Mikiesboy