Too Much?

I've wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. Life just took me somewhere else first.

There were other responsibilities, other jobs, other things that needed to be done. Writing was always there, somewhere in the background, waiting for the day when I could finally sit down and give it the time it deserved.

Now I can. And I've been loving it. Maybe a little too much. Because once I finally had the time to write, I discovered something I probably should have anticipated: I have a lot of stories in me—a lot.

At first, I thought I shouldn't allow myself to start anything new. Surely the sensible thing would be to pick one novel, finish it, and then move on to the next. No distractions. No shiny new ideas. Focus.

That sounds reasonable. It also doesn't sound much like me.

When I have an idea, I want to develop it. I want to see where it goes. I want to figure out the characters, the setting, the mystery, the ending. Sometimes the idea is so persistent that ignoring it takes more energy than writing it down.

So yes, I have a lot of projects. Probably more than most writers. And I can practically hear a family member’s voice telling me that this is exactly why I don't finish things. I try to do too much. I take on too many projects. I get distracted by the next idea. I've heard that voice enough times that it has sometimes become my own.

But I'm starting to question the conclusion. I don't think having a lot of ideas is what kept me from becoming a full-time writer. If anything, I think the real reason is much simpler: I didn't have the time. Now I do.

And instead of trying to suppress the part of myself that generates ideas, I've started figuring out how to manage it. That's an important distinction.

I currently have two fully drafted novels, one of them in final revisions. I have two more novels that are mostly drafted. Every project has a full master outline. I have a detailed spreadsheet tracking the projects, their stages, chapters, word counts, and other information I need to keep everything straight. I have a premise ranking list that helps me decide where to spend my time.

I'm not just starting things. I'm putting systems around them.

Maybe not every novel will eventually be completed. I'm realistic enough to understand that. Some projects will probably prove stronger than others. Some may eventually be set aside. Some might merge with other ideas. That's part of writing, too.

But I've started putting in the work required actually to finish these books. And I've discovered something interesting along the way. I can work on multiple projects. I need structure.

If anything, I've figured out how to take the thing people might see as a weakness—too many ideas—and make it manageable. Goals. Outlines. Spreadsheets. Rankings. Word counts. Revision plans.

The ideas aren't the problem. The question is what I do with them.

For years, I wanted to be a writer and didn't have the time to become one fully. Now I have the time.

And apparently I also have enough ideas to keep me busy for quite a while. I'm okay with that. Because this isn't just something I happen to do when I have a free afternoon. This is a body of work. And, like any body of work, it needs to be managed.

Writing may be creative, but the writing career is also a business. So I'm treating it like one. Even if that means my spreadsheet is getting almost as much attention as my novels.