How do you choose your next project?

[vranger]

I've got a list of things to be written, all of which I'd love to write next. Picking the next one is easy. At one time I had three projects I'd started and left for years. The first one I finished was my first novel. I wrote four more novels after that while the other two "started projects" sat. Last fall I took up one of the unfinished projects, and that's the book I just finished.

Next I'll finish that last neglected project, which luckily is a short one. It's a fairy tale that should run no more than a 20-25K novella. It will be nice to have cleared that backlog!

After that it's less clear. LOL The third installment of the fantasy series? The sequel to the urban fantasy I just finished? One of three standalones I'm interested in? The good news is: Once, those stories were a pipe dream. However, now that I've learned to plow through and finish, I have confidence I'll get them done.

Thinking this over made me wonder how others decide what to write next. Do you have a list of projects in mind? Are they on a priority list, or in a grab bag?

[Theglasshouse]

In my case I need to do research since I like to write science fiction. I need the research first. Second maybe read a story change the characters, the antagonist and protagonist and the theme. Theme has to do with the meaningful experiences of the human "mind". I use a system that I hope works for me. I give each character a theme and that creates agendas at cross purposes. I combine two old ideas into one maybe two to make a new one. I recently bought putting the science behind science fiction so I will use that. It will require a story I really liked. I also think synopsis of a novel or story will help writers combine two ideas to make a new one. As for the character I try to think of insecurities, moral codes, and more.

[bdcharles]

They choose me, really. Whatever inspires me, or whatever I happen to be daydreaming about is fair game. I have a few items on the go. In terms of priority, it's first come first served, at first. Then it devolves into what I feel like working on, what needs something doing, where a particular piece might fit. A grab bag, really

[Cephus]

I used to have that problem. Invariably, I'd write the last thing I came up with and ignore all the rest. I decided to put together a writing plan, whereby I scheduled all of my books and anything new I came up with, it went at the end of the line, therefore everything got done in a reasonably timely manner. Now, I've got a list of books 25 long (I think, I just looked at it yesterday when I finished writing a book) and it will take me about 4 years to get them written, by which time, I'll have another 25 in the queue.

[TheMightyAz]

At the minute I'm just picking randomly from genres and either have something in my head immediately or start writing and hope something comes along. It sometimes works out great and other times, like now, is a struggle. While my aim is still to write a decent story, my motives are more to do with style/voice right now.

When I do eventually start writing properly, I'll usually let an idea float around in my head for months before I actually start committing it to paper. That might sound like there would be months with nothing to write about but that's not how it works for me. I usually have overlapping stories, some ready to write, some almost ready to write and others gathering momentum in my head. So I'm not normally stuck for ideas. All the short stories I've written lately could so easily have been novellas. That's my only regret to be honest. Sometimes I feel as if I'm wasting good ideas for practice.

What I'm thinking of doing is writing short stories as if they're chapter one but making that chapter self contained. I should have done that with MotherHUD.

[indianroads]

The loudest voice in my head usually wins

[vranger]

I used to have that problem. Invariably, I'd write the last thing I came up with and ignore all the rest. I decided to put together a writing plan, whereby I scheduled all of my books and anything new I came up with, it went at the end of the line, therefore everything got done in a reasonably timely manner. Now, I've got a list of books 25 long (I think, I just looked at it yesterday when I finished writing a book) and it will take me about 4 years to get them written, by which time, I'll have another 25 in the queue.

And I thought I was facing a backlog of ideas. LOL I'd better put on my thinking cap and lengthen my list if I don't want to look like a poor cousin!

[JBF]

I keep half a dozen or so in the standby cloud. Usually those can be spun up into something approaching coherence, usually on fairly short notice, as long as I can clear a few hours to sit still.

In the interest of disclosure...it's somewhat easier when 90% of your stuff takes place in one universe with a recurring group of characters.

[Takeaway Junkie]

It's amazing to hear everyone having so many ideas on the back burner. I have 3 books i want to write, after i figured out how to overcome this first one and all 3 will be part of a trilogy retelling key events from book one but from different view points, styles and voices.

I was reading another thread here about styles and creating new styles which was really interesting, i have many ideas surfacing, its just i have set myself goals to complete so one needs to be disciplined to finish my second draft before all else.

I write short stories 1-2k to pass this troublesome stage in editing and have a novella written i will revisit, it needs desperate work.

[Cephus]

And I thought I was facing a backlog of ideas. LOL I'd better put on my thinking cap and lengthen my list if I don't want to look like a poor cousin!

Ideas are easy, it's why I laugh when someone shows up in a writing forum and asks to provide ideas for a cut of the profits. Any writer worth their salt has more ideas than they know what to do with, if they just keep their eyes open. I've had a list of ideas for many years and I add to it nearly daily. Then, I go through it a couple of times a year and see what gels and that's where all of the books come from. Ideas are everywhere. You just have to pay attention.