Writing two stories at once?

[teacup]

Hey everyone.
I'm currently rewriting the first half of my WIP (it was terrible to be honest) which is planned to be a trilogy. I have many other stories ready to write, and by ready I mean pretty much completely ready. I've been happy to just carry on writing this WIP and keeping the other stories out for now, but now I've come up with yet another story.

And so this is my question:
Should I keep it away as I have with the others, stop my WIP for a bit whilst I write this new story, or write the two alongside each other? (Or does it not make little difference at all and it's just my call?)

This new story will only be one book and I have no idea how long yet, it could be rather short though, meaning it might not disrupt the writing of my current WIP too much. For some reason this story is much harder to resist than the others, I just really want to write it. It is also probably the likeliest candidate for a movie (don't know whether any of these will make it, but if any I think it would be this one - in my head it seems a damn good movie, and a damn good book too.) It is not exactly fantasy, but it is to do with dreams and psychology somewhat so the settings could be fantasy like.

Thank you

 

[Ireth]

As someone who has at least three stories on the go at any given moment, I'd say it's your call. ^^

 

[Feo Takahari]

Decide what you want to finish first, and create a schedule for what you'll complete when. If you're behind or on schedule, work on that story. If you're ahead of schedule, work on whatever you want. (It may be most advantageous to pick a counterbalance, e.g. working on a happy story when ahead of schedule on a depressing one.)

 

[Penpilot]

I there with you man... haha. We all work differently. It's your call.

I remember an old story about either Asimov or Bradley I think. In the days before computers, they would have several typewriters in their writing area, each with a piece of paper in the roller with stories in various stages of completion. Each time they would get stuck on one story they would move on to the next until they got stuck again.

For others like me, I like to work on one story at a time, finish it, then move on to the next. But I've been learning to squeeze in short stories while I'm finishing up the edits to my current novel. I also had plans for what my next novel would be all ready to go. Then a second idea for a novel popped up and then third, which isn't unusual, but these ideas were dropping in a lot more fleshed out than they usually are, so I'm putting myself up for a challenge, three books at once. Let's see how that goes.

So figure out what you're comfortable with, poke around and see if working outside of your comfort zone appeals, and figure out which works best for you.

 

[Steerpike]

I usually have three or four going at a time. That works best for me.

 

[teacup]

Thanks everyone.
I think I'm going to just write this one whenever I want to, that's what I've been doing with my original and it's turned out good so far. I'm writing the beginning so far and it's going well (which is odd for beginnings) so that's good. It doesn't seem like it hinders or harms anyone's other works so I will write them side by side.

I don't like working in schedules, Feo, but I will put more time into my original which is much closer to being finished (obviously) so thank you.

 

[Addison]

I agree with Ireth. I too have several stories in the making. One more complete than others. If more ideas keep coming, I obligingly give them my time, see if they can go so far in any direction. I focus, ask questions, search for answers until they've given me everything they have to offer. I write the rough sketch, making notes of more detail. I write them either in a composition book, notebook, or a word document. That break from whatever the main project is really helps.

But it's really your call as to which story you write for how long to whichever point.

Here's a tip for writing, whether on paper or computer. If you're writing at night, or any time, don't end your writing time with a complete paragraph or sentence, or maybe even scene. Then go do whatever else, your day job, night job, class, exercise whatever. Or sleep. Do it for so long then come back. The mind, especially writers' minds', hate incomplete. While you're doing the other activity it will be brewing, wrestling and fitting together the end of the incomplete piece and more besides.