Working on two (or more) projects at once?

[ProfessorBrainfever]

Do you do this, or forbid yourself?

I'm at the point that I have one major project at a time (my stage play or my novel) and then go back and edit the previous one while writing the first. I also have some smaller projects going at the same time (my podcast).

Right now, I'm outlining my next novel.

Is that a no-no? Should I concentrate solely on one thing, and wait until I'm finished with at least the first draft until moving to the next? What do you prefer to do?

[ALB2012]

I am editing book 2 and writing book 3

[Steerpike]

I currently have five or six going. I dislike working on a single project at a time, though at some point I'll force myself to stick to one of them to finish it. On the whole, I like to have multiple projects in the works.

[Devor]

I am currently:

Outlining, Worldbuilding and Character Mapping for a novel.
Writing a set of short stories to set up characters for that novel.
Writing a series of articles for Mythic Scribes.
Writing entries for various Mythic Scribes Challenges.
Considering a side-project to showcase my writing talents.

At the same time, though, if I was pushing myself to write and finish a novel, I'd probably cut some of the others to help with the focus. It'd probably be more along the lines of "I'm working on six or seven chapters at once" or something.

[Ireth]

I always have multiple projects on the go. Currently I have two original novels, one original short story, two fanfictions (and ideas for many more) in progress, and that's not even getting into my long-running RPs or my stage play adaptation of the Silmarillion. (The latter is purely for fun, unless I can actually get the rights to have it performed.)

[T.Allen.Smith]

As long as your actually completing projects then I don't think it matters.

I usually commit to one project at a time until the 1st draft is completed. Once that's done I put it away for awhile (a couple months or so). During that time I will start working on something else.

When the time comes to start editing & revising the 1st draft of the project that's been sitting in a drawer, the writing seems a bit strange. This is a good thing. It doesn't feel fresh in my mind. It doesn't seem like my writing. I find this really helps experience the book more like a reader would and aid in good revisions.

If I can keep enough good ideas in circulation (not always the case) it's a constant cycle.

[Christopher Wright]

I am currently working on three things if you count just stories. If you split them out into various forms of media (i.e., text vs. podcast) that goes up to 5.

Oh, and my day job. 6.

*whimpers*

[SeverinR]

When I started I had 4 books going at once, I thought it was just an explosion of writing, but now I have two going with a third in thought process.
I think I might just like having several stories at once to keep from getting bored or becoming a machine/robot to the single piece.

I think you do have to limit what you work on, rather then just starting 15 stories at once and never getting more then a few chapter in to any single one, stick to a workable number, keep the ideas fresh, and still be productive.

[BeigePalladin]

Its really up to what you feel comfortable with, but I do feel that if you have ideas - no matter what your currently working on - you should at least jot them down somewhere. they may come in useful later even if you don't follow said project through

though I don't think its a bad thing to work on more than one thing at a time; if you throw yourself purely into one thing and dedicate all your time to it you run the risk of burning yourself out or killing your enphusiasm for it, making it a chore and probablty causing you to drop it/put it on hold and work on something else anyway.

so i say start something new if you feel you want to - if you want to finish the previous thing, you still will, but also remeber theres no shame in putting something on hold to focus on one thing if you need to

though as for what projects I have on the go right now (litterary and other):

Designing a full Sci-fantasy universe, including visual graphics and history for a game I'm working on
Working on three main litterary projects (two urban fantasy, one hard superhero sci-fi*) with a further three in the works at various stages of completion
Improving my artistic portfolio and finishing off a few series
Working on a comic book
Working on a DnD 3.5 addaptation of Bleach

so i might be a bit baised towards multi-project XD

* Yes, you read that right :P

[writeshiek33]

i am working two projects at once tghen again one is being done through ghost writer