So you’ve reached the forty-thousand word point in your latest WIP and you unexpectedly hit the wall. No matter how hard you try that next line just isn’t coming. A couple of days later and still no progress. It's official: you’re in a rut. Why not start on another project, something entirely different? There’s a lot to be said for having two – or more – projects in the works. Sometimes the creative juices just aren’t flowing or your muse has flown the coop, presenting the perfect opportunity to start something fresh or perhaps pull that half-finished project off the shelf and dust it off. I think being in a rut is a sign that you need to take a step back and take a break from your primary WIP.
I discovered the benefit of having multiple WIPs while working on an adult urban fantasy. The writing started to feel stale and unfocused, as if I were trying to force a puzzle piece where it just didn't belong. After a lot of frustrated attempts to make something happen, I decided to start editing a young adult contemporary fantasy that I'd recently shelved. By the time I turned my attention back to the adult WIP, my inspiration had returned and the words seemingly flowed onto the page. Something just clicked! Now, whenever I'm in a writing rut or can't seem to get motivated I either turn to beta-reading or another project.
On the flip side, a lot of writers feel that focusing on more than one project leads to confusion and is too distracting. So in the end, you have to find out what works for you.
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