by Andrea Renee Cox
Over on Facebook, LouAnn Christie recently asked if authors
ever lose interest in the books they’re writing. This got me thinking about my
process and how many projects I’ve worked on. Have I ever lost interest in a project
I was working on?
The short answer is, “Not really.”
But that doesn’t really
explain it well.
When I choose a project to work on, ideas for others still
filter in. Typically, I make a note of the fresh thought, then get right back to
work on my current work-in-progress (WIP). I’ve done this so many times and
have numerous ideas for stories that will never become realities simply because
there won’t be enough time or the ideas aren’t strong enough. But there are
brilliant ones in the mix… at least they will be brilliant once I tinker with
them.
Every now and then, though, a new story catches my attention
so swiftly and thoroughly that I find myself setting aside my WIP and opening
another blank file to start exploring that new tale further.
This recently happened to me. I was taking a couple of days off
to catch up on chores and sleep after a vacation. As I watched television one
afternoon, a commercial I’d seen several times came on and sparked my interest…
but not in the way you might think. Instead of making me want to watch the advertised show, it inspired a story idea that grabbed hold of
me and refused to release its grasp. The more I thought about it, the
faster my mind began spitting out possible scenarios for it. Before I knew it,
I was deciding to temporarily set aside the revisions I was in the middle of to
pursue this different train of thought.
Did I lose interest in the first project? No way! That is
still the novel of my heart, the story that may always be my favorite one I’ve
ever written.
It just goes to show that you can have more than one
interest or project going at a time, yet still have passion and determination
for both.
Have you ever lost
interest in a project?
Do you like to work
on only one project at a time?
Or would you rather
have several going at once?
Share your thoughts
in the comment section!
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2 comments:
I have had times when I do have more than one project going on, but honestly, I do so much better if I stay focused and finish one at a time. That is unless I run into a stumbling block and need a detour to get away from it for a bit.
It's me...the one who inspired your blog today. To answer your question yes! Sad but true.
Years and years ago I into cross stitch and began a bib for my first grandchild. He's 19, in his first year of college and the bib is still a WIP.
Then I got into hooking rugs and began one for my first granddaughter (sister to the above mentioned grandson). This was suppose to be for her first birthday (or any there after). She is now 17 a Senior in high school, and the cute kitty and butterfly rug is 3/4 finished. But I still have it!
I don't do cross stitch anymore because it's too hard on my eyes. Cant count the little squares and I don't like the preprinted picture projects because I can never quite stay on the little x.
I am now a quilt top maker and although there have been a couple that took me awhile to finish, I do finish them.. eventually. I do sometimes work on more than one at a time because I something comes up and I need a specific quilt for a specific person.
I do love the process of picking all the things needed for whatever I am going to do... sometimes my completion time frame is a bit off. Like going back to the bib and rug mentioned above...I could finish them for great-grandchildren right?
Happy to be your inspiration Andrea. 😊
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