Sometimes as a writer it is easy to get bogged down in one project. We work so hard on a manuscript that we get tunnel vision. This can make it hard to see problems in our work. It can also make it hard to break through writer’s block and find creative ideas.

In an effort to combat this I have been working on three projects at once. I am revising a work in progress and creating first drafts of two others. This is the first time I’ve tried this approach. It seems to be working well.

Typically I work for a week on one project then switch to another. Sometimes, though I might stay longer with a project if it is flowing well. I find that this keeps each project fresh. If I am hitting a wall in one story, I can usually make progress in another. One downside is maintaining continuity. Long breaks require me to shift gears mentally when I return to a story.

I don’t have any finished project yet from this process, but so far it has proved productive.  I wonder if other writers have found this approach productive or distracting?