I do have a couple incomplete shorts, but I wouldn't really call them "in progress" because I've set them aside because I haven't a clue where the story is going.
[This message has been edited by Patrick James (edited October 30, 2008).]
Novel WIPs - 5 total:
- 1 in Editing Phase
- 2 around 60k words, 1 around 24k, 1 around 12k.
- 2 'officially' shelved for now
- 1 that's really 'active' (written all 24k words in a week)
- 1 that I work on when I'm burned out (the 12k one)
Short Story WIPs - 5 total:
- 2 in Editing Phase
- 3 still being completed
Flash Fiction WIPs - 0 total:
- But I do have one that... I guess... is being reviewed by a publisher.
In addition, I write in my little journal that I lug around with me whenever the mood strikes. Guess that's a overly-verbose answer.
EDIT: Oops. Forgot one.
[This message has been edited by Rhaythe (edited October 30, 2008).]
I have 4 Short Stories/Novellettes/Novellas-in-Progress: 1 Novelette out to critique (which I usually do when I finish the first draft); 2 are in rough outlining/beginning stages; 1 is "cooling off", to be edited soon.
and 2 Flash Fictions want me to write them.
As far as concentrating, I work on my Historical (which is at almost 53,000 words) every night. I try to work on my collaborative outline once a week (I'm waiting for my co-author to get back to me, at present).
The rest come and go in spurts. (No pun intended.)
While my Historical is cooling off, I'll focus on a few shorts and extrapolate on my collaborative effort. While actually penning my portion of the collaboration, I'll work on the ouline to the lengthened Fantasy novel. As I'm penning that, I'll outline the sequel to my Historical. 'Bout that time, My current WIP should be cooled off enough to edit.
1- a YA fantasy short story that i love but cant seem to organize and finish. im on vacation from it.
2- a strange short story about death that i dont care to work on too much because i find myself crying and depressed (its mostly a theraputic work). im on vacation from it too.
3- a story outline that im not sure i want to pursue after doing some character development and brain storming. it would need some research. its on the shelf under "some day".
i, like rhyathe, carry a journal with me with ideas, weird thoughts, story possibilities, and experiences written in it.
after nanowrimo i have several stories ideas worth pursuing and may revisit my WOS.
I like having a lot of projects happening at once. At the moment, my novel is causing me no end of trouble, so I'm doing the short stories instead. I find I don't have trouble switching back and forth, but everyone writes in their own way.
One of my determinations to become a better (and more efficient) writer is to work on one new project at a time. For novels, I give myself 2-3 weeks for world-building and story outlining, then one week per chapter / section, then 2-3 weeks for revisions / consistency read-throughs / visualization read-throughs / final proofreadings. For short stories, I give myself 2-3 weeks to finish the entire thing, depending on whether I’m writing in a world I’ve already created or am starting with all new everything.
That said, this is what my newly revised list looks like:
Novels-in-progress:
• 1 science fiction
Novels-in-waiting:
• 3 science fictions
• 1 young adult (pending the success of the one I’ve already finished)
• 1 mainstream-esque mystery
Short stories in progress:
• Technically none, since I’ve put them all aside until the novel is "finished." Looks like I won’t be competing in WotF for another quarter or so.
Short stories in waiting:
• 3 science fictions
Short stories in repair or disarray:
• 3 science fiction
• 2 mainstream
This list does not include the short stories I have on the drawing board. I don’t even remember how many I have.
S!
S!...C!
I have 2 7k shorts that need a second go round
A 2k story almost ready for crits
And 3 Novel ideas fighting for my attention (I will use one of them for NaNo)
I also have a 5k short that sounds like a good novel outline
Works on the shelf- many and various- they will come off when they are ready.
It's tricky, this writing business. The only cure is more writing. Good for you for getting started. Keep it up!
2 short stories doing the rounds;
3 short stories in final polish;
2 short stories awaiting major revision
3 short stories in rough draft
2 or 3 novellas in backstory, awaiting confidence I can tackle them
I work on the one whose characters clamour most for attention, who have most idea where their story is going, or who most convincingly threaten to quit.
quote:
sometime I have to lead my character by the hand .... other times he seems to drag me along as I try to catch up with an idea he came up with it seems.....is this normal and is writing the only way to feel better?
I think this is absolutely normal. When I started I thought I had to finish one story before starting another, and found this was neither fun nor the best way to learn--I learn new things with each new story because the characters and events take it to unexpected places.
Zac chimed.
"And then you invented me," said Zac.
"Yup," I said, wondering where he'd drag me this time ...
Cheers,
Pat
[This message has been edited by TaleSpinner (edited October 31, 2008).]
Realisticaly, some of those haven't been touched in years and probably won't be, but I would say that there are at least 20 novels and 20 short stories that I do intend to complete and thus could in theory pick up and work on at any time. And elements from the others may be plundered and redeployed.