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| Photo by Max Jason Peterson |
I’ll just say it: I love having multiple works in progress (WIPs). I’m
aware that my method of creating works of art (written or visual) doesn’t
appeal to everyone. But for me, working on multiple projects helps me make
steady progress, continue to advance my artistic skills, and enjoy the pleasure
and challenge of my own creativity, without getting stuck as often as I might
otherwise. It also helps smooth out some of the ups and downs in productivity I
have experienced when concentrating on only one project.
Although I have lots
of projects planned, I typically tend to focus on two to four that I give top
priority as far as what I’ll finish first. This isn’t set in stone; I do often
work on other things in between, particularly shorter works. I’m also creating
both writing and art projects, which are quite different skills, so I try to work
both into any given week. With art, I typically focus on illustrating one chapter
at a time, so I might be painting one piece or as many as six, but all are
usually part of the same theme or storyline.
To start out, don’t worry if you only have one WIP. More ideas will come
as you work. Once I started collecting ideas for stories, poems, and artworks,
I found myself gathering more and more—probably far too many to complete in one
lifetime. This is a good thing, though. It gives me the freedom to choose to
work on the things I find most compelling or relevant for me in that moment. This
is important, because enthusiasm can help carry a creator through the hard
parts—and there are many.
Likewise, since my projects tend to be long (novels or highly detailed
paintings), my completion rate is better if I have more ideas to choose from;
the ones that excite me most are likelier to sustain my interest for the long
haul. This is especially important for projects that carry a greater degree of
difficulty—whether that be a heavier emotional burden, a lot of research, or
learning new skills. Finally, by picking the projects that inspire me the most,
I hope that the ideas that rise to the top will also be those of most interest
to readers, and that my energy will translate into a more memorable experience.
Given my time constraints, I can’t wait for “inspiration to strike.”
Instead, I line up projects that I know will inspire me enough that I want to
work on them. If a particular project isn’t speaking to me that day—especially
if the thought of it makes me feel too tired to write or make art—I consider
whether it’s time to switch, depending on the reasons. Sometimes it is
important to just power through: like when I’ve reached part of the narrative
that’s emotionally challenging or requires me to push my abilities to the
limit. But it might be time to switch if I need to wait to approach the material
when I have more energy or information. Maybe I need time to collect reference
shots, do research, or brainstorm for better story solutions.
While these are definitely part of the creative process and not a reason
to grind to a halt, switching over for a day or two until you have time or
energy to complete them can help you keep your creativity flowing and help you
avoid feeling stuck. I’m not saying that one must create every day: but
the more times when you want to create, and are able to do so, the more
confidence you’ll have that you can create when you want to. And this
definitely helps when you’re facing the blank page or a challenging part of
your work.
Having the option to switch really does help me cut down on artistic
blocks or exhaustion. After writing an emotionally draining chapter for one
novel, I might need to focus on something lighter for a while to recharge and reawaken
my sense of fun. Plus, taking a break between sections of a novel to write a
poem, polish a short story, or make a small watercolor sketch can be refreshing.
Completing things successfully boosts my confidence and satisfies my urge to make
beautiful things. This translates into greater energy when tackling new skills
or longer projects. “A change is as good as a rest” for me, creatively speaking.
Generally, I do try to work in my projects in blocks whenever possible. Though
I always have something going on with both art and writing, my aim with each is
to finish a certain goal before moving to another project. (With art, the goal
might be illustrating a chapter, which can include multiple pieces, but they’re
related.) So I try to keep going on the project I switched to until I reach a goalpost,
such as to edit a chapter or write a certain amount of rough draft. I set these
goals myself before starting. It’s important to pick achievable goals, because
you are training yourself to succeed.
Though I believe in the power of multiple WIPs, it’s important to not
simply bounce between projects without finishing your goals. Switching too often—especially
if you’re doing it to avoid hard work—can prevent you from sinking in deeply
enough to make real progress. Pick a project and commit to it. (If you need to
switch a few times at the beginning because whichever project you selected just
isn’t working for you right now, that’s fine. Just be sure to settle in with
the one you finally pick.) There’s another good reason for this: each time I
switch, I need to refresh my memory on all the details about plotlines, characters,
facts, and what I’ve already covered. So switching too frequently is
inefficient, due to this startup time, especially with longer projects that
have more to reload.
However, when the time comes to switch, the change is helpful not just
to my mental state, but to the quality of the project. It gives me the chance
to approach the work afresh. Rereading notes and previous sections to pick up
the story threads often generates new insights and better story solutions. And,
as an added benefit, it’s generally helpful to get some distance from a draft
before editing it; switching projects gives you the time to come back with
fresh eyes.
I find it helpful to create a lineup of which projects I’m concentrating
on to finish first, and the order I’m working on them. This way I always know which
WIP to work on next, and often this helps me dive in without spinning my wheels
so much. And because I’m expecting it, by the time I switch, I’ve often collected
additional ideas for the next project that provide momentum as I plunge back
in. (Note: When ideas come to me for any project, I do stop to write
them down. It’s frustrating to forget them, and this also helps me get started
when I return.)
All this being said, sometimes one needs to take a break from creating
altogether. This, too, is part of the creative process—letting yourself have downtime
to enjoy life, relax, immerse yourself in your favorite media, appreciate nature,
or take comfort in loved ones. Be kind to yourself.
And enjoy your creativity!
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