I'm spending this week discussing my success and failures regarding the goals I set for 2010. As I mentioned yesterday, the first goal I set was to finish the rewrites on my then WIP. My 2nd goal was to dive into a new project. I had two or three projects on the back burner and couldn't decide which one to proceed with. I'd be working on one, and another one would take over my brain. I kept going back and forth, never getting anywhere with any of them. I wanted to select one, once and for all, and dive into it without looking back.
Well, I did dive into another project, but it wasn't any of the three I was working on at the time. It's a brand new one. The problem is that I only had about a month to work on it before the holiday season hit. Now, I'm feeling a little disconnected from it and wonder if I truly dove in or just dipped my toes in the water.
I'm going to call the attempt at this goal both a success and a failure. Did I really immerse myself in a new project? No. Did I move on, though, and continue to write something? Yes.
What about you? Have you ever had a difficult time really moving on from an old project and diving into a new one?
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Diving In
I'm spending this week discussing my success and failures regarding the goals I set for 2010. As I mentioned yesterday, the first goal I set was to finish the rewrites on my then WIP. My 2nd goal was to dive into a new project. I had two or three projects on the back burner and couldn't decide which one to proceed with. I'd be working on one, and another one would take over my brain. I kept going back and forth, never getting anywhere with any of them. I wanted to select one, once and for all, and dive into it without looking back.
Well, I did dive into another project, but it wasn't any of the three I was working on at the time. It's a brand new one. The problem is that I only had about a month to work on it before the holiday season hit. Now, I'm feeling a little disconnected from it and wonder if I truly dove in or just dipped my toes in the water.
I'm going to call the attempt at this goal both a success and a failure. Did I really immerse myself in a new project? No. Did I move on, though, and continue to write something? Yes.
What about you? Have you ever had a difficult time really moving on from an old project and diving into a new one?
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17 comments:
Yes, I have had the problem before. But I think anything we do on something new we can call a win!
I did write another draft, but I'm havaing a hard time staying focused.
All the time.
My problem is usually not staying with the first one.
I'm in the same situationn with my Nanowrimo novel, except that I, trying to dive back into it rather than start a new project. I love having lots of projects to work on though, so I'm thing of letting myself do everything, rather than focus on just one. Not sure if it will work, though!
That's kind of where I'm at righ now. I have a finished project, an old one I want to completely rewrite, and a new toe-wetter that seems to have taken back burner. I guess I'm just assuming that when the moment is right, I'll connect with one...or maybe I'll just paint something...
This is where I am at right now. I need/want to begin a new project while I suffer through query wars, but I've hit a wall of panic. What if I can't write another good story? *bites nails frantically*
I know what you mean about losing the connection over the holidays. I was going like crazy up until a couple weeks before Christmas and then all the crazy rush of family visits began and I didn't do anything at all. Now I'm trying to get rolling again and finding it really hard to do!
Good luck to us both on getting immersed in our projects again!
I think as long as we try, a goal is never a failure. That to me is the big difference between having a goal and making a resolution. A resolution is an absolute--you either keep it or don't, success or failure. A goal is something to work toward and the success is in the trying. :)
It can be hard sometimes to move on from a project. I'm lucky int eh sense that my brain likes to work on one thing at once--no bazillions of ideas all wanting attention now, now, now. When it's time to start something new, I open my brain up to the story well and see what jumps out. :)
Angela @ The Bookshelf Muse
Oh, yes. Doing a new project is just awful for me. It could take years to get the right idea for one. I think you did well on yours. At least you put down what you had in you at the moment. Great.
Oh, I definitely relate. Sometimes starting that new project is really hard. I've started several, but end up going back to the previous project and editing it.
Then, when I'm writing the new project I can never think of the right idea to get the plot moving. Just keep with it, I'm sure it will become easier.
I love diving into a new project. I usually am so sick of revising that I'd like to never see the current book again!
Congrats on a successful 2010! May 2011 be even better!
Board and work things consumed me in 2010, so I'm looking forward to picking up where I left off AND starting new writing projects in 2011!! Good luck with yours!
As long as you're writing that's a plus! Keep at it!
I've had times like you have. Just keep plugging away. Someday you'll look back and realize everything you have written helped you grow whether you finished it or not.
it's VERY difficult to move on to a new project - but it can be exciting too. It's very nice to hear of others in a similar situation and see their encouragment
My last project took WAY longer than I had anticipated, but I'm so glad I stuck it out. The things I learned from seeing the project all the way to completion were invaluable.
I know what you mean about feeling disconnected. I've struggled getting back into my groove this week.
I just finished my very fist WiP around the middle of December and I still haven't decided what to start next. I'm revising it right now and even though I have several ideas for other stories, I can't seem to pull away from it.
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