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What to do?

By Dragonwriter | Posted: 24 May 2009

Views: 480
It's been bugging me for a while now, but I was wondering if it's better to just write in chronological order or if it's okay to skip around. I have two different "big ideas", though one fits inside the other. The smaller one consists of seven trilogies, or twenty-one different books. The larger one is still in construction and is closer to a series, but is somewhat linked to the other "big idea". Is it okay to jump around from story to story? Right now I'm working on the first book of three of the trilogies, in addition to completeing the second book of another trilogy AND writing individual scenes from the other "big idea" (series). Should I only focus on one?
Any comments on this are appreciated. I apologize in advance if this is confusing, spellcheck is currently not available, and it would take much longer to explain in-depth about the two larger ideas. Thanks again!
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Comments 
JD Higginson
24 May 2009
You have to ask yourself if multiple projects distract you from each other. I have my main one and a few shorts based around the same world on the go. I find that the various stories allow me to always have something to write even if I'm having a block on one or two but my mind still remains saturated with one world, one set of magical laws etc.

Hope that helps.

JD
Jennifer Munro
27 May 2009
I think the only way to find an answer to this is to try different things. What works for me might not work for you. I can skip about happily but it might not work for everyone -FE
Dragonwriter
06 June 2009
Thanks for the advice! I'm still unsure what effect the skipping around has done to my writing, besides forcing it to stick to an outline. As for sticking to the same 'magical laws', one of the ideas takes place within the other, so they are still in the same galaxy, but one has a broader scope. Thanks again!
Sincerely,

Dragonwriter
DeUndrae
06 June 2009
You could skip around. Some authors write their later books (possibly in the middle of a series) first, publishes it, then write the books about theirworld set in an earlier time second. It can work, but it can be confusing for a first-time writer.
I've also planning a saga (six books), and it consists of three different time periods, but somehow they're all connected. I can write the second time period first than write the first, but it can be confusing to the reader and me as well. So I'll suggest to start with book one first then progress to the other books later. That way you can make changes to your world without crossing the trapwire of making it incoherent. Hope this helps!

DeUndrae
audreyhepburn
27 November 2009
Personally I like to work on several different things at once, but writing can be more focused if the author is only working in one project at a time.
taylorswift97
28 February 2010
Hi Dragon Writer,
I don't think it would be a bad thing to write them all in a mixed up order, although when you write them all at different times in different orders, they may not fit together and make sense as much. 

taylorswift97

Writer
Dragonwriter

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Roles: Writer
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Hello! I am a young fantasy writer with serious ambitions. I write as a kid, for kids. My motto is 'there's always more you can do', which is probably why I work my tail off at getting published. I've ... (Read more)
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