Expando-file of stories: Any remedies?

alpha-omegaorganizer.com/

At some point in a writer’s career, there’s an overflow of stories that defies the laws of physics. Sometimes, we just have too many, and it’s not always a good thing.

J, how can that be? Too many stories is better than not enough.
Hah! You know so little.

Writers are bad at focusing on one story for more than a few months at a time. J.K. Rowling is just a beast. An anomaly. And, she probably had some issues, too.

I used to think that I would only write one story, or at the very least, in one genre. That changed after I wrote my first book and completed its second draft...my mind exploded and pushed me into a new story. I only wrote maybe twelve pages, but the process was so enjoyable that it made me rethink my skills as a writer. I had changes stories and genres. And, most writers will, even if they never publish that work.

So, what do you do with this excess flux of ideas? You can do two things: ignore, or succumb to at least letting the story begin. It’s probably better to do the latter. The former is almost impossible. You can probably let it go for a few weeks, but after that, it’ll gnaw at you. The Hamster of writing likes to gnaw and fill his cheek pouches. Feed him before he eats you!

Once those cheek pouches are somewhat satisfied, you’ll feel better. You’ll know that if somehow you end up finding writing to be a chore, or are stuck in a story, you’ll always have others to fall back onto while you get your mojo for that story back. Let it happen. You’ll only hurt yourself otherwise.

But, what do you do with all of those shiny new projects collecting dust while you hammer away on current_project? Well, you give them some thought, but you don’t completely take them up and make them active, unless you have to. And, by have to, I mean you are hitting a block on current_project, or new project has some great developments. So, the answer is: it depends.

Yet, in the end, it’s whatever you want, really. I believe in letting inspiration strike. I also believe in finishing a story. So, give the organization method a shake up and see where it takes you.

Comments would be appreciated. And a Facebook “like”. You’ll kill an Angel if you don’t.

-J.