Managing Multiple WIPs

[SwordSong]

I know this is a super common problem for writers, but how do you manage/juggle multiple story ideas? Write & publish them all simultaneously? Focus on just one? Work on multiple drafts but only publish/update one regularly?

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

I work on two. I write one until I run out of ideas, then switch to the other.

 

[L1aei]

I know this is a super common problem for writers, but how do you manage/juggle multiple story ideas? Write & publish them all simultaneously? Focus on just one? Work on multiple drafts but only publish/update one regularly?

Yeah, don't publish them all at once. Better to focus on one until completion, and the others can sit and wait their turn. This way, if you get anymore bright ideas, you could keep throwing them into those WIPs. And while they are on the sidelines, you do not have to be nearly as concerned about revising earlier chapters in the event you spot an required improvement or retcon.

Also, think about this: what happens if you need a break and all of those WIPs are just hanging off of a cliff, waiting for you with the rest of the audience?

 

[SwordSong]

Yeah, don't publish them all at once. Better to focus on one until completion, and the others can sit and wait their turn. This way, if you get anymore bright ideas, you could keep throwing them into those WIPs. And while they are on the sidelines, you do not have to be nearly as concerned about revising earlier chapters in the event you spot an required improvement or retcon.

Also, think about this: what happens if you need a break and all of those WIPs are just hanging off of a cliff, waiting for you with the rest of the audience?

I don't know how some people on Tapas or Wattpad or here seemingly manage to have multiple series running together with regular updates.

The last time I tried posting something on Tapas was for the 2024 Action-Fantasy contest where you had to submit 20 chapters of content within 3 months (although I entered late so I only got one). Only managed to get 5 chapters in before crashing out because I really can't operate on the "writing by the seat of your pants" process some people do, posted a hiatus notice, before deleting the whole thing because I had to make major revisions on it.

And now I have like 5 more ideas for different stories, although some of them are similar enough.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

When I had time to write regularly, once I had at least 10 chapters in a story, I posted the first two here (or elsewhere, depending on my whims and where I thought it would fit), and tried to keep 5-10 chapter backlog for each active story (have about nine stories below ten chapters, and five over that).

 

[SwordSong]

I think I write too slowly for even that, unless I update less frequently.

Meanwhile average rate for web series update seems to be once a week?

 

[Rachel_Leia_Cole]

I literally have OCD. So my brain won’t let me start another project until my current one is finished ? It’s annoying cause I end up with hundreds of notes I have to hang on to for goodness knows how long. And trying not to lose them. I’m writing book 3 of a 4 book series, with ideas for volumes of short stories afterwards. I really want to jot down some of the stories, but my brain is like nope, can’t do it ? So it’s me and my hundred notes piling up till completion.

 

[Wamba2K]

I have so many ideas, and most are them are stupid. My strategy is working on whatever I think of until I don't like it anymore and posting whatever I like.

 

[SwordSong]

At this point I don't dare to post anything that hasn't been finished yet because it seems like every time I'm inspired to continue, I have to re-read the old chapters to make sure the tone, style, characterization, worldbuilding is consistent and make adjustments when there's some rough edges.

 

[MFontana]

I know this is a super common problem for writers, but how do you manage/juggle multiple story ideas? Write & publish them all simultaneously? Focus on just one? Work on multiple drafts but only publish/update one regularly?

I'm working on three in parallel at the moment, and have countless others bouncing around in my head that I'm just randomly jotting down notes for, and those notes (mostly about characters and plot ideas) may eventually turn into a story if/when one of my other major projects are finished.