When I was writing my first novel, I couldn’t ever see a point at which I would work on multiple books at the same time.
I couldn’t imagine juggling all the worlds or the amount of research I do for each book. But then I met professional writers like CJ Lyons (who is writing 4 books in 2012) and realized that it sometimes has to be done.
So although I swore I would never do this, I am currently working on several books at the same time, and to be honest, my head is exploding!
These are the books I am currently working on:
- Pentecost,to be rebranded as ARKANE. I’m working on edits for my agent before we pitch to publishers in Sept/Oct, so this is the most urgent. It’s a fascinating process as the book went through several editors before publication and I also updated it after the first few months. Now I am reading it again and finding lots of things I want to improve as well as new scenes, adding depth to characters and more. Plus I know the future story development now so I can make sure the first book has some open questions for those subsequent books.
My edits on Pentecost/ARKANE
- Exodus, ARKANE #3 is in second draft. It needs new scenes, reworking and deepening. My problem with getting this finished is that I may sell the ARKANE series and then this book won’t see the light of day for several years. I did have a deadline for self-publishing it by October, but that disappeared when I got an agent. But I need to get it to the point where I would be happy to publish it, take it through my editor and maybe even beta readers before resting it until we see what happens with publishers.
- Hunterian (working title). This is a stand-alone or the start of a new series. It’s in research and first draft phase and I’ve only written ~2500 words but I obsessively think about it. The book will be a London based thriller/crime novel and would be under JFPenn: Ancient Mystery, Modern Thrill. I love the way this book is shaping up and I really want to work on it exclusively but it has to be sporadic until I can clear some head time.
- Escapist (working title). This is a stand-alone or the first of two. ~16,000 words of first draft done. This is something a bit different and wouldn’t be under JFPenn because it’s probably categorized as contemporary women’s fiction. I’d have to use another name. I had a bit of a manic writing session the other week and the ideas took hold. I shouldn’t have indulged it but it feels like a little bit of fun writing that is turning into a book.
I’m not the only one going through this process either. I was listening to the fun ThrillerPodcast the other day and discovered that my kickass, fight scene specialist friend Alan Baxter had this to say:
“I’m currently working on two novels – one is the sequel to a finished book that is currently looking for a publisher. The other is a project that is very much in my mind at the moment and won’t wait its turn! The first is about 42k words done and the second is only a couple of thousand words written, but I’ve been making extensive notes and plans. As the 42k project is the sequel to something currently before publishers, I’m making that my priority, and trying not to be too distracted by the other one. But when ideas won’t leave you alone, you have to at least make notes and rough outlines of scenes. So I would say that I’m working properly on one novel, while working part-time on the other!” Alan Baxter, dark fantasy author.
How do you work on multiple books at the same time?
So my head was exploding with all the different projects and it was hard to keep them all clear, or make progress on anything. So I asked for some comments on twitter and here’s some of the responses:
Are you sure there’s not a useful connection between them? Combine to make ONE GREAT NOVEL? @ThreeKingsBooks
Write them all. I have two I’m working on now. I’ve had as many as 4 at a time in my head. You have to let the ideas out.@lynnleite
Make an idea book where you can take a little time to put down info about the ideas you aren’t ready to work on. @druchunas
How about making a note of ideas for other two books, but concentrating on finishing the priority one first.@MJHolleyWriter
Plot them all, write chapter-by-chapter summaries and then go back to writing just one. That or work 24/7 til they’re done. @graywave
Keep feeding all 3 until 1 takes the lead (attention, energy). Then focus on that one, get to others afterwards. Good luck!@MsMartha_writer
Red Bull. @misterwakefield
Give into brain, ideas will sort themselves out @reebee01
Put your focus and talent into one at a time, scattering yourself won’t do any good! but keep the ideas noted for later!! @kiiyha
Keep going! Buy a dictaphone; hire an assistant. Better to juggle than be empty-handed @BookRambler
Can u capture ideas for two projects in outline form while only “writing” one at a time? @JenGresham
Hear ya. Done this many times. In the end I prioritised and focus on the one thing that would be done the quickest. @ColinFBarnes
That happened to me. But my creativity trigger is my playlists, so I only let myself listen to one set of songs. @LeighAnnKopans
Just write one trilogy? 
@tomsbiketrip
Caffeine wins for me for every time. P.S Well done. I am struggling to finish the first!@iwanttowriteit
What I always do in that situation is write down key events, maybe write a full scene, so you can go back to it later. @NatashaMcNeely
Work on one in the AM and the other in the PM and vary it with the third. @LindaAdamsVA
How am I actually managing it?
Those were all great ideas, but we all have our own ways of working, right! Here’s how I am managing it.
- I have shelved Escapist for now. I may do NaNoWriMo this year (November) and use that month to indulge this little project but for now it is parked. It doesn’t fit my brand and I need to finish the projects I have started.
- I am primarily working on the edits of Pentecost (to be pitched as ARKANE) for my agent as that now has a deadline of mid September.
- In late September I will get back to Exodus and finish that before October, so it will be the next primary project
- Hunterian research is my weekend fun project, so I am doing field trips and reading books, but just note-taking and not even attempting to get into first draft writing anymore.
So that’s me. I need to get my focus back and, in the words of the great Seth Godin, ‘ship’ some work!
Have you tried to work on multiple projects at the same time and how do you manage it? Or what do you recommend? Please leave a comment below.
Images: iStockphoto and my own plus BigStock Photo Bulb
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Lots of people read several books during the same week, changing books whenever they feel like it. There’s no reason not to switch the books you’re writing, too. This way, if you you hit a writer’s block and stall on one book, or simply get out of the mood, you can switch books and keep being productive.
This doesn’t work all the time, but if the books are very different the change can be both relaxing and stimulating. I once simultaneously wrote a humor book and a technical book. I’m now working on several books about publishing plus a true-crime book.
Also, you may find that a concept or some actual words in Book A can be used in Book B. Or maybe even give you an idea to write Book C.
What was going to be my Book C became my Book B, but parts of B are in C, and A gave me the ideas for D and E.
And, even if you’re working on just one book, you can skip around within the book. If you’re having trouble with chapter 3, work on a chapter that happens later, or go back and edit chapter 1.
It’s also good to let a ‘completed’ book rest for a month or two, and then go back to it and make it better.
Michael N. Marcus
http://www.bookmakingblog.blogspot.com
http://www.SilverSandsBooks.com
http://www.BookFur.com
http://www.Facebook.com/SilverSandsBooks
Doing this now actually. Revising book 1 in the Love, God & Tattoos brand while working on book 3. Now that I’m on book 3 I needed to add scenes to the first two books which is exciting but a pain in the ass cause I can’t seem to finish book 3 until I do so. I’ve also thought obsessively about “I Love Me Some Becky” This book would most definatley be a stand alone and keeps nagging at me on a daily basis. I haven’t written anyting down just cause I really wanted to finish my trilogy at the moment but after reading this post I might start jotting down my ideas just to get them out of my head and LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!
Hi Joanna,
Wow, it sounds like you’re really busy this year! At the moment I’m writing my chapter outlines for my third book but I’ve already had some ideas floating around my head for my fourth book. It’s difficult as you say to fully concentrate on one book at a time when you’re in a situation like this but I’m going to focus on book three and make brief notes on book four when ideas come to me. I think that’s the best thing to do as both books are in the same genre and I think the plotlines will just cross over themselves otherwise.
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