Why you should work on multiple projects at once

It can sometimes seem as though one writing project at a time is too much to deal with. Finding time in the day can be difficult, and the thought of adding in another project seems practically impossible. Yet there could well be benefits to working on multiple writing projects at the same time.

One is that it can help to keep your interest up. Sometimes, when you’re writing the same thing for a long stretch of time, interest in it can start to fade, particularly if whatever it is is proving itself to be a little more challenging that you originally thought it might be. Having another writing project that you can look at from time to time can make your other project seem more novel and interesting when you go back to it.

Another reason to work on two things at once is because it means you can be productive even when you’re procrastinating. You might be avoiding one project with all the might of your being, but it’s OK, because you’re working on the other one instead. You’re fulfilling your need to avoid something that’s currently difficult, but you’re also avoiding the inevitable guilt by doing something else that’s productive.

You’re also building up your repertoire; one of the best marketing tools for a novelist is another novel. If you’ve got two novels on the go at the same time, it might take you longer to get them finished, but you’ll still have two books at the end of it. And imagine the satisfaction that could bring. One project could also help with inspiration for the other, giving you more space and opportunities to be creative.

Finally, if one project goes belly-up for some reason or other, you’ll still have something to fall back on. Sometimes that safety net is just what we need to get on with business.

What do you think?