Multiple outlines and the value of time

This is my first thread other than an introduction, so please go easy on me folks.

I'm bothered by something, but it's not a conventional trouble in the classical sense of the word that I'd like to discuss.

What bothers me above all is time.

I watched a movie a few years ago called 'In time'. It addressed a future whereby one's efforts were rewarded for time credits. In essence, if your labour didn't accrue enough time, the clock was ticking to your death.

The movie addressed the theft of time, the leverage of time, and the benefits of it.

As a race, we measure our existence by it. We even measure our universe by the notion. What plagues me about that whole measurement is that, until our birth, we had no concept of it.

My miniature Yorkshire Terrier, laying twitching on my lap as a dream floats innocently through her, acts only on the passing of day to night. She has no concept of time. She has no concept of when. The wee dug never knew that the precious time of our forefathers sculpted The Pyramids and scraped out the Nazca Lines, and no doubt she doesn't particularly care.

So, anyway, I find myself with multiple stories wandering through me at the moment. One is a continuation of a piece I put together that demands a sequel, one addresses the implications of the looming cashless society that will see the mathematics of capitalism square up to the universal basic income conundrum, and one addresses the theft of time to enrich the already privileged; a thing that will most probably tear society apart.

The question is, do real writers slap all three out randomly, or do they manage their most precious commodity with militaristic precision?

I want to write all of them, but I just don't have the time.

I'd say to stick to one story, and only hop to another one when the first has reached an impasse, but always remember: one finished is better than three unfinished. Have time off at transitions as well.

Also, the last two stories you mentioned could be fused into one perhaps? Or maybe not all three have to be novel-long. Have you considered novellas or short stories?

I considered a novella for the story adressing a cashless society. How do you even give a novella away? It sits around ten thousands words, but it met tragedy too soon. I suppose that's the way it goes and I'll just have to learn from that.

The story based squarely on time is nudging my main obsession out the way right now, but I hope it doesn't.

Do they have greenhats in the writing industry? I'm sure that I'm one.

Learning to write means learning what works for you and what doesn't. Different writers do things differently. The only way you're going to find out what works for you is to try. I suggest you keep things simple and start with just one story.

goldhawk said:

Learning to write means learning what works for you and what doesn't. Different writers do things differently. The only way you're going to find out what works for you is to try. I suggest you keep things simple and start with just one story.

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The thing is, @goldhawk, I wrote a 49,000 word medium length e-book that dragged me inexorably into that universe, independently published it, and I'm now struggling to drag myself back out.

I think that's why I found myself here, so that I can practice different things; shorts, challenges, talking to practiced writers.

GCJ said:

The thing is, @goldhawk, I wrote a 49,000 word medium length e-book that dragged me inexorably into that universe, independently published it, and I'm now struggling to drag myself back out.

I think that's why I found myself here, so that I can practice different things; shorts, challenges, talking to practiced writers.

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Don't see those 49k words as wasted - writing is all about practice and learning what works. I work across projects quite regularly but rarely simultaneously. So I edit one then work at the other to a point where it needs time, then go back to the other. But I have 4 books out and another put soon and I still find my process changes with my frame of mind and project.

Take your time to find your process. Not anyone else's - just yours.

Good advice. I knew at the time it wasn't finished, so I went ahead and put it out there. On the upside, I can call it a sequel.

GCJ said:

The question is, do real writers slap all three out randomly, or do they manage their most precious commodity with militaristic precision?

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Yes.

Well, probably not randomly, in most cases. But it depends entirely on the writer. Some do one thing at a time, and others bounce around. You have to figure out which way works best for you. Perhaps you write one until you get stuck, then go work on another while that one wanders around in your subconscious.

GCJ said:

The question is, do real writers slap all three out randomly, or do they manage their most precious commodity with militaristic precision?

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Your situation sounds normal. I think writers experiment with different projects - finishing some, abandoning others - then find themselves focusing on something that can hold their passion.

I did used to stick to one book at a time (!) but my mind kept coming up with ideas for t'other book when I worked on the first. Sure, I'd write them down in my 'whatif' file, but when it became overwhelming, I had to put the proper words on paper. At the moment I go between three wips. It works very well for me in preventing writer's block, though occasionally I discipline myself to stick to one, if I impose a deadline to get one of them finished.

This might be anathema to some. What works for you, works for you!

Good luck with it all.

It looks like my experiences, as a relatively new writer, are fairly normal then. That's a bit of a relief, because if everyone else had a slick masterplan that they stuck to rigidly then I'd be worrying over the issue.

Go with the flow sounds reasonable to me.

Didn't Isaac Asimov flit between projects the instant he got bored with something... and his body of work is impressive.

While emphasising this is all about what works for you, I've usually got more than one project on, because sometimes my mind is with one thing and not another. In the end, it will result in more story than concentrating at one at a time... I hope!

cyprus7 said:

Didn't Isaac Asimov flit between projects the instant he got bored with something... and his body of work is impressive.

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If he did, he's a lucky chap. I've always been a bit obsessive over my pursuits, and the thought of leaving something unfinished grates at me.

The Big Peat said:

While emphasising this is all about what works for you, I've usually got more than one project on, because sometimes my mind is with one thing and not another. In the end, it will result in more story than concentrating at one at a time... I hope!

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That's a great thought. Having too many ideas is far better than having none. I'm going to have to get myself a notepad to offload some of my daydreams into some semblance of organisation.