Have you ever suffered from temporary book amnesia? That disorientation you feel when you finish a really good book, look around the room, and wonder for a moment where you are and how you got there?
Kind of like half the atoms in your brain are still in that fictional world?
I’ve experienced this phenomenon all my life, but now it's climbed to a new level. I’m currently writing book #3 of the Northern Lights Series. Meanwhile the first book, THE ALASKAN CATCH, comes out in August, so I’m working on excerpts and articles for marketing that book. The second book, A GIFT FOR SANTA, comes out in December and I've been working on frontmatter and am expecting edit notes for that one any day.
All the stories are related, but have different characters and plot lines. Plus, I have a couple of different non-writing projects that need my attention. Sometimes, I find myself staring at a my keyboard, trying to remember what I'm supposed to be working on.
All the stories are related, but have different characters and plot lines. Plus, I have a couple of different non-writing projects that need my attention. Sometimes, I find myself staring at a my keyboard, trying to remember what I'm supposed to be working on.
I know lots of writers have multiple projects going at any given time, but my approach has always been to immerse myself in one world at a time. That’s no longer an option. I'm going to have to learn how to transport from story to story without getting lost. Not that I’m complaining. Writing multiple books for Harlequin is a dream come true, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity. I just need to develop better juggling skills.
How about you? Do you read or write more than one story at a time? Any tips for organizing multiple projects? I'd love to hear them.
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I've never been very good at reading in more than one world at a time. If I start a paperback at home and later download a kindle book over lunch break, I often wind up finishing the kindle book, then going back to the paperback. Not always, but most of the time. I guess it might depend on how distinctly different the worlds and characters are.
ReplyDeleteWriting, on the other hand, I tend to do in chunks. Some days, I feel like pouring over last revisions in the first manuscript. Other days, I'm in world 2 or 3 and I write accordingly. That said, I have lots of unfinished projects and not a lot of time to do much in any of them. I doubt I've ever entered one world of writing, worked for a few hours, then plopped myself into the next world. I would have to take a breather in between, something to restart my brain. Maybe a walk or an episode of a sitcom but something not related to either project.
Either way: major props for multitasking. Keep up the good work!
A walk in-between sounds like a good idea. One of my many goals is to get more exercise and outdoor time. I think I'll try that. Thanks!
ReplyDelete