how to balance multiple wips
i never thought that i would be qualified to make a post on this since i’ve only ever had one wip i was working on at one time, but since finishing the first draft of my first novel, that has changed! having more than one wip can be stressful and chaotic, which is why i’m going to offer some of my tips on how to keep your stories straight.
one per day
a useful strategy i’ve found is to decide which wip you’ll be working on today and set your daily goal for it. i do this by using my google calendar to plan out my writing week in sessions. you don’t always have to plan ahead on what wip you’ll work on—on occasion i schedule open or free writing sessions where i can choose which wip i want to work on that particular day. you can ofc adapt this strategy how you need, but i do think it’s one of the best ones i have to offer.
work on projects you love
you should spend your writing time with a story and characters you adore. if something isn’t working for you in one of your wips, don’t be afraid to change it or to put that project aside for a little while to focus on other wips. you don’t have to keep going with every single wip you ever started—as writers, our stories will fluctuate and persist and if we really love one, it will stick around for as long as you want it. sometimes it’s hard to let go, and you never truly have to. your characters and their stories will always be a part of you, no matter if you’ve left them behind or they still stand by your side.
stuck on one, move to another
one of the great things about having multiple wips is that you will probably always have something you can bounce back to. say one of your plots gives you writer’s block and you just can’t get past it. turning to one of your other wips will keep your creative brain busy and pumping out ideas, which will eventually lead to your block breaking down. this is definitely one of the best things about having more than one wip at a time, but if you can always start a small writing project like a short story too to overcome writer’s block!
distinguish battle lines
it is important to draw distinct lines between your wips to help keep you organized and your plots tight. you want to avoid the voices of one wip bleeding into another, so this is another good reason to stick to one wip per day. before you start writing, go through your wip notes or outline or skim the last few paragraphs you wrote to ensure your mind re-grasps the style of your current wip. deciding and identifying the differences like point of view (first person or third?), the number of character perspectives, the pacing, and the base themes will help with this.
final word
it really is up to you to take initiative of your writing projects and prioritize your time between them. remember not to overwork or stress yourself and practice making reasonable and achievable goals. as always, you and your mental health come first so don’t forget to take care of yourself!! a bit of a shorter post today but i hope you still find it useful. that’s all from me :)


















