Woods Full of Story Trees

I’m blessed to have several writer friends close enough to meet with and it seems we are facing the same conundrum. What story to focus on next?

I mean how do you really pick? It’s like picking a favorite tree in the woods. Do you go for the big project and tackle it? Or do smaller projects to get that boost of accomplishment? Or work on whatever project is on your heart that day?

I’ve come up with a few metrics and I hope they make your decision easier as you move forward in your writing career.

1. Deadlines trump everything. If you’ve given your word to have something done you better suck it up and do it. That’s the way it works folks, sorry.
2. Excitement levels make a difference. If you are super excited about a story it will change the speed of writing and the quality of what you write.
3. Length of projects is important. A 70k word novel will take longer than a short story. So think about what time of year it is. Are you going back to school soon? Is work about to hit crazy level? Did you just have a kid? These things make big projects more difficult to complete because they sap your energy. Don’t step back from the challenge but do plan accordingly.
4. Personal strengths matter. What are you really good at? Are first drafts easy and freeing but editing is a challenge? Or visa versa? Think about the stage each project is in and what it’s going to take from you to complete it.
5. Don’t sit and think too long. Some of us get lost in the woods because each tree is beautiful. Pick a tree and climb it! AKA- Pick a story and finish it.

Good luck climbing all the trees and keep me posted on your progress.

Happy Questing!