[Stylist] Working on multiple projects

Tue Feb 25 12:10:39 UTC 2020

Vejas, you ask such good questions - so thoughtful.  It has been delightful
to see you growing over the years that I have been on this list. You are so
mature and logical and I know that whatever you do, or decide to do, will be
just right.  You can trust yourself in what you choose to work on. I really
commend you on your achievements and accomplishments - you must be a
professors dream student.  I predict that you will do whatever you desire to
do in your writing life, not only now at school, but in the years ahead.   

So nice to hear that you are near the end of your undergrad degree.  What a
feeling that is.  Typically seniors are having the same issues  that you
described - a feeling of wanting to get things finished up, but in a
quandary of how to do it. We call this Senioritis.  You are ready to move on
and leave this school .  

I can only speak for myself in how I do the work.
I am sure others here will give you additional information that will help
answer your question. There are some prolific writers here - and they can
give you  good advice.   I'll share my own methods here, but there will be
other  writers who can share more and in different ways, I imagine.

I always have multiple projects going at any time - With 4 published books
on the current market,  there are others in the wings.  I also work on
individual publications in literary magazines for both poetry and personal
non-fiction essays. Continuously.   I don't just send things out randomly,
but select the magazines that fit what I do best .  

For poems I have a folder in which I have Poems in Progress, or even Poem
Ideas to work on.  For the books, I have a folder for each of the books I am
working on, and some potential books that are way on the back burner.

In any one day, I choose one to work on. I devote that entire day to that
one project.  It all depends on the material I have or what is on my mind
that day that determines what I will do.  I don't make to-do lists or set
goals. Instead I have intentions and those intentions guide everything I do
not only for the day, but for the year or beyond.  

I visualize the work  in "collections."  
Each particular piece is part of a collection and I never think of it as an
individual work, but one that will be viewed as part of a whole.
In my thoughts, I have determined  the next collection that will come out as
a book, and anything that will be in the book will have priority when I sit
down to work for the day. Right now, I have 2 priorities - one full-length
book of essays and one chapbook of poems.  I work back and forth between
those two - most days. At other times, I have ideas for some projects that
are coming later, and I will take time to place those ideas in the
appropriate folder/file so it is there when I am ready to work with that
project.   

In between all of this, I have some projects that I work on for
organizations - such as the upcoming National Poetry Month. I've committed
myself to do several programs  in person for local organizations, as well as
a couple of programs on-line where I will present my own poetry and
participate in discussions about it for a group.  I am very careful to not
take on anything that is unnecessary or that would interfere with my time
management for my own creative work.   The writing is my priority - talking
about  occasionally is not my priority, but is enjoyable if the audience is
a good one that is appreciative and warm.  Recently, I did a radio interview
that will be aired in the near future. I also do an occasional on-line
interview.   But my focus is always on getting my writing projects done. 

I think of it all as a dance that is carefully orchestrated choreography.
Best of everything to you as you wind down your semester.  Enjoy it all for
it will all be over so fast. Don't miss a single moment of  these final
weeks in your life.  Each day is a  precious gift.  Stay strong to the end.
You are just about at the finish line.
I cm cheering you on.

Lynda

-----Original Message-----
From: Stylist <stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Vejas Vasiliauskas
via Stylist
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 2:43 AM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Cc: Vejas Vasiliauskas <alpineimagination at gmail.com>
Subject: [Stylist] Working on multiple projects

Hi everyone, 
I'm having a great final semester of college and am especially enjoying my
very small creative writing Capstone seminar. 
I am currently working on heavily exanding and revising two short stories
for one class, as well as having to write a third short story for another
class. In addition, I have been thinking about wanting to start another
story or two that would just be for myself, because I have really neglected
writing "just for fun" these past few months. 
Luckily, I still have a lot of time, and nothing is due in at least another
3 weeks. However, tonight I was feeling in the mood to write, but once I put
on my playlist (which nusually inspires me), nothing came out. I kept
drifting from thinking about one project/idea to another. 
I know it is ultimately my decision, but I wanted to ask these of you who
have worked on multiple projects at a time how you have handled them. I'm
thinking of setting time on a to-do list just to focus on one individual
piece. 
Thanks, 
Vejas  
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