New Project Excitement: Use It

We all know how it goes with anything new in our lives whether it’s a person, animal, or an object. It consumes most of our attention for at least a short while and pushes everything else to the periphery. The obsession may be short or long lived, either way, it’s exciting while it lasts.

If you’re a writer, there’s nothing more addicting than a new project, especially when you’re in the middle of fighting with an “old” one. It could just be me who reacts like this but I highly doubt it.

A few weeks ago I wrote about when characters get you down while writing. I was in complete avoidance mode with my work in progress for various reasons. Furthermore, I wasn’t getting any writing done at all aside from blog posts. In an attempt to maintain my focus I refused to move on to any other projects until I got my WIP where I wanted it to be –wholly drafted. I’d get sparks of ideas for other stories and write them down but I wouldn’t explore them at all.

Weeks and weeks and weeks of this went on to the point that I was getting annoyed about even drafting posts for Anxiety because I didn’t want to talk about writing when I couldn’t do it. I reached the end of my tolerance; I explained my conundrum and asked for advice.

Commenters told me to distract myself. Plain and simple. The suggestions ranged from working on other stories and returning when I regained my equilibrium to character head hopping to doing non-writer activities. I looked at their answers and thought, “But all the productivity lists out there tell you to slog through and focus.” Then my common sense kicked in, “Writing SOMETHING is better than writing NOTHING.”

Again: writing SOMETHING is better than writing NOTHING.

It’s seriously obvious when you realize it, not so much when you’re stuck. Since then, I succumbed and have written about 3500 words planning and starting a completely different project than my WIP. It was so liberating and exciting! I haven’t stayed up till 3 am to work on any piece in ages –I just couldn’t stop typing. I’d missed that feeling.

What’s more, I already have plans to get myself back into the WIP, which I do intend to focus more on than any of my “marginal” projects because I want to have a draft by the end of this year. I’m not terrified to set that goal again because I’m going to let my mind wander to the other projects when I get bogged down. I want to stay consistently on the writing course this year. If project hopping is the answer then I will do it without guilt.

So, moral of the story: use new project excitement if it helps you get words on the page. Focus is important but if you get stuck to the point that you’re standing still what the hell good does it do you in the end? Let your focus wander and then kindly pull it back when you’re ready.

Happy writing!

 

*Image source.

 

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