[Wulfen]

I've been writing for a long time, but never in a serious fashion, and never long enough for it to 'stick'. I'm working to change that, as I love it; I don't know that I ever appreciated the difference between wanting to write and being a writer until now. I wanted to be a writer, but for most of my adult life that was as far as it went. Now, I think, I am finally beginning to grasp exactly what that entails.

Now, my problem: I've got two ideas for novels, in different genres. I initially started on an urban fantasy, but now that I'm about 1,500 words in, I'm starting to think back to my other idea, which is more of a steampunk setting. I'm torn on which to proceed with. I think both will need some additional research to flesh out history and other details, but I wanted to start writing a preliminary draft just to get in the practice of writing every day.

Any ideas or suggestions here? Do I scrap both until I get a firmer grasp on which I want to go with? Do I hold off on one versus the other? Am I going too fast, possibly, since I haven't completely fleshed out either world? Maybe try to mix them together somehow?

Thanks in advance for any feedback, I appreciate it!

[Laer Carroll]

Don't ask us. Ask your soul. It will tell you what to write about.

Your ambition to write every day is a good one. Only people who write are writers. All others are pretenders.

I suspect if you write a little bit of both ideas you will soon find that one pulls at you more. You will doze off to sleep or wake from sleep musing about that one particular idea, or cluster of ideas. As time goes by that cluster will grow, almost without you intending it to. And that is your subconscious demanding you to bring those ideas into the literary world.

I suspect you need to find a character to inhabit one of the clusters of ideas. Once s/he begins to seem real you will want to make him/her/it more real. Often s/he will want something important to hi/r and, almost without you intending it, s/he will set out to get that something. And so your story begins.

[tmso]

Ohhh, I like the idea of mixing them together. But that might get you in a mess. Why not work on them both? When you get tired of writing on one (or stuck), then write on the other?

There's lots of ways to go about it. I have my main novel series I'm working on, but when I get stuck there or need a break, I write a short story. So far it has kept me moving forward and eventually, stuff gets done. :)

[CrastersBabies]

Having been in this situation, I just switched back and forth on the ideas until I gained momentum on one. Then, I ran with it. :)

Worst case scenario? You have a good chunk on the other project already written. Not a bad deal.

[virangelus]

Ray Bradbury once said: If you can NOT be a writer, then write.

Giving that, I think this quote applies in this situation here. If you simply cannot go another moment without putting down the particular thought about your steam punk novel, then write that one. If moments later, the urban fantasy takes you, then write that one.

In other words, just as Laer said, follow your soul.

[zachariah]

Whenever this happens to me, I thank the gods for only having two to fret over.

[CrastersBabies]

Whenever this happens to me, I thank the gods for only having two to fret over.

:eek:

I know the feeling! Two. Pshah!

(smiles)

[Wulfen]

Thanks for the replies, very good advice! It's funny, because just thinking about how to handle this has given me more ideas than if I hadn't had this problem pop up.

Reading your suggestions is exactly why I decided to stop lurking; glad to be here. :)

[JT Billow]

I've been writing for a long time, but never in a serious fashion, and never long enough for it to 'stick'. I'm working to change that, as I love it; I don't know that I ever appreciated the difference between wanting to write and being a writer until now. I wanted to be a writer, but for most of my adult life that was as far as it went. Now, I think, I am finally beginning to grasp exactly what that entails.

Now, my problem: I've got two ideas for novels, in different genres. I initially started on an urban fantasy, but now that I'm about 1,500 words in, I'm starting to think back to my other idea, which is more of a steampunk setting. I'm torn on which to proceed with. I think both will need some additional research to flesh out history and other details, but I wanted to start writing a preliminary draft just to get in the practice of writing every day.

Any ideas or suggestions here? Do I scrap both until I get a firmer grasp on which I want to go with? Do I hold off on one versus the other? Am I going too fast, possibly, since I haven't completely fleshed out either world? Maybe try to mix them together somehow?

Thanks in advance for any feedback, I appreciate it!

Wulf, depends on how insane and crazy your mind works. For me, at one point I was working on 3 novels at one time; fantasy, super heroish, spy-thriller. When ever I came to a particular block or empty mental spot during one, I would switch to the other, than the other. When it was all said and done, I completed all three at roughly the same time; 105k, 82k and 95k word manuscripts (1st drafts of course).

But the most important thing I found; keep outlines for your storylines and plots. And, take constant notes. Trying to keep everything together for two different novels, let alone three, all in your head is maddening.
Josh

[Andrez]

Ohhh, I like the idea of mixing them together.

Me too. I had a similar problem going into my next novel - two angles, completely divorced from one another, that I decided to fuse. I'm still working out how... and in the meantime have developed a third tangent to throw into the woodwork!

But it's an interesting idea! ;)