Being the mother of story siblings
Have you heard the whole "Working on two books at once is like dating two people at once" analogy? Perhaps because I don't know what that feels like (thank goodness), the analogy has never resonated with me. I'm constantly working on more than one story at once, but I never feel as though I'm turning my back on one while I devote myself to the other. I'm not keeping any secrets or being unfaithful.
I love them both equally--but they're simply in different stages.
For me, working on multiple stories feels like raising multiple children. As with children, it's easier to have more than one. Mothering got so much easier after the second child. By that time, the eldest was mature enough to have conversations with, to share projects with, to trust with small responsibilities. And that all made having a baby even more fun. There were no longer moments in the day where I thought, "I just want to talk to someone who can talk back!" I appreciated the toddler's toddlerness more and the baby's babiness more because I had more perspective on how fleeting each stage was.
When I'm working on two books, they're in different moments of development, too. There's the baby story, and yes, I'm oohing and aahing over how cute it is and the wonder of getting to know something that hadn't existed before. But the older story (a.k.a. the one being revised), surprises me with complexity or subtlety or beauty that it has grown all on its own, seemingly without any help from me.
Just like as a mother you don't love one child less because you happen to be cuddling with the other at the moment, it's possible that spreading your love out a little actually helps your stories. You learn something on the new one that helps fix an issue with the older one. Stumbling blocks with the first keep you aware of your weaknesses so you won't make the same mistakes again.
I'm curious if anyone else feels this way. Do you work on more than one story at a time? How do you feel about it?
I love them both equally--but they're simply in different stages.
For me, working on multiple stories feels like raising multiple children. As with children, it's easier to have more than one. Mothering got so much easier after the second child. By that time, the eldest was mature enough to have conversations with, to share projects with, to trust with small responsibilities. And that all made having a baby even more fun. There were no longer moments in the day where I thought, "I just want to talk to someone who can talk back!" I appreciated the toddler's toddlerness more and the baby's babiness more because I had more perspective on how fleeting each stage was.
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| (Sometimes I spend time with my book babies and my real baby at the same time, too...) |
Just like as a mother you don't love one child less because you happen to be cuddling with the other at the moment, it's possible that spreading your love out a little actually helps your stories. You learn something on the new one that helps fix an issue with the older one. Stumbling blocks with the first keep you aware of your weaknesses so you won't make the same mistakes again.
I'm curious if anyone else feels this way. Do you work on more than one story at a time? How do you feel about it?
I like this analogy much better than the dating one, too. My husband is the only guy I ever dated, so I have no idea what that's like, either. ha ha!
ReplyDeleteI'm technically working on two projects right now, but one is resting while I actively work on the other one. So I'm not sure if that counts! In light of the analogy, I guess it shows my kids are really good at taking long naps!
I don't draft more than 1 story at a time - but I can sometimes draft one and edit the other. Sometimes! Other times, my brain melts away on me :)
ReplyDeleteSo, so true. I used to think I couldn't work on two stories at once, but one story does help the other, as long as they're in different stages, like you mentioned. Great post!
ReplyDelete~Debbie
I love your analogy, because different stories are like different friends (or siblings). I've always worked on multiple stories and articles, typically doing NF during the days and F at night. I've not had to work on more than one novel-length fiction at a time yet, but I suspect if I were under contract to draft one and revise another, I'd spread them out like I do my F and NF. So far, the fiction/nonfiction has been a great mix for me, and they each improve my writing, as does teaching.
ReplyDeleteLovely photo! It would be very writerly if I could see the pages you are working on :)
Great post! I can work on picture books while I'm working on a middle grade, but I have a really hard time working on two middle grades at the same time. MGs and PBs are so different, so I guess that makes it easier.
ReplyDeleteI never thought I'd be able to, but yes - I've just done that and turns out to be a great way to use down time. While you let one settle, you can be working on the other.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post. Some day I hope to be able to work on two MSS at once.
ReplyDelete