Ever have one of your stories take up all of your writing time?

[Tuxedo Mark]

I primarily write in a series-of-short-stories format, and I have a few series that have been going on for three years (I've managed to finish only one of them so far).

A few months ago, I got the sudden inspiration to write a story that, while the subject matter is fairly "small" compared to my various series, I felt was worthy of a full-length novel (100,000 words, actually).

Between work, sleep, chores (not all of which I believe are needed, but I live with my mom), pets, Netflix, anime, video games, a TV review blog, and Internet videos (recording and watching), I don't have much free time left over for writing. Recently, this novel has taken up all of my writing time at the expense of the next installments of my ongoing series.

Anyone ever have this happen to them?

 

[ThinkerX]

I am pretty much a 'one project at a time guy.' At time's I can elect to do a bit of light editing on another project, or take a few days off to write a short story or do some research, but mostly whatever tale I am working on at the moment has my full writing attention.

 

[Penpilot]

I usually write one project (Novel) and plan another at the same time. I slip in a short story from time to time, but basically, yeah, it's write one thing at a time.

For me, writing is at the top of the list of things to do before I do anything else. TV, Movies, video games don't get touched until I've done my writing for the day. So if you're trying to find the time, maybe those are some of the places you can find it. I mean, if you have shows recorded, they'll always be there for you.

It's just about making a choice. Do I want to write, or do I want to do something else right now? There's no right answer, just what's right for you. You just have to realize there are trade-offs. For me, I can't fit everything I want to do into one day, so I prioritize. The stuff at the bottom of the list generally doesn't get touched because it's not as important to me. You just have to figure out a priority ranking for yourself, where writing fits into that ranking, and how much time you will devote to it. Then, within that time, you do as much writing as you can.

At least that's the way I handle things.

 

[CupofJoe]

I think if you have time to do 10 other things as well as writing you don't need to worry too much.
If you get on a writing jag so that you can't remember what day it is or when you last ate, showered or changed your clothes...
Then you may have a problem.
I usually have a main WiP and a couple of prospective/failed ideas floating around at any one time.
TOO MUCH writing is not my current problem. Any writing would be good.

 

[Svrtnsse]

I'm also a one-trick pony - or one-WIP writer. If I take a break and start on another story, then that story will take over and start taking up all my time and the old one will get forgotten. It's also gotten to the point where the writing is starting to eat into my gaming time, and into other things I used to do for fun. I still do that too, but not nearly as much as I used to.

 

[Kazzan]

To get anything done I have to focus on one story at a time. Current story I'm writing does take up all my writing time, though I have some short story ideas on the side, but I cant start writing those until I finish my current project.

 

[chrispenycate]

I'm just the opposite (to the originator of the thread). I'll be ploughing through a major work, and suddenly magnificent ideas for another of my WIPs, of a new original story, of a challenge, of a factual article about something I know… will flood into my head, and refuse to leave space for the main work until they are at least jotted down.

Since I am never likely to be published, this is not a great problem. If I were constrained to a deadline it could be very problematical. Even a later scene in my ongoing story which delivers itself, knife-edge clear into my conscious from wherever it has been lurking, developing, can be seen as a distraction from the main forward momentum of the story - shifting onto a completely different gearbox, from technically precise details of life support aboard an orbital habitat to light, supposedly humorous tales of my elfin safety officer requires a shift as great as changing languages (hey, that's an idea. I could write the space habitat in French, and then translate it) is bound to give somewhat of a jolt as the clutch goes home - but perhaps it will shake loose some hitherto passive concepts that have long been gathering dust deep within my psyche…

 

[ChasingSuns]

Personally I have one that takes up my main focus, and something on the side that I lightweight work on just to keep my mind from getting burned out on the primary project. I can't go any further than two at a time without risking a drop in productivity.