Dividing Time Among Scripts?

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  • Dividing Time Among Scripts?

    Say you have two paying rewrite jobs. Do you split time each day between them or write one and then the other?
    www.chuckhustmyre.com

  • #2
    Re: Dividing Time Among Scripts?

    Is this a hypothetical question?

    Most of the time with multiple jobs, you'd have one in first position, another in second position.

    But if for some reason that wasn't the case, I would probably try to do some work on each every day. I've been in this case once.

    What I try to do is work in different spaces for each project. So I'll work, say, in the morning on my desktop on one project, break for lunch, then work in the afternoon at the guild or a cafe on the second project. If that's not possible I'd at least work, say, on my kitchen table for the second project.

    And I'd also try to be in different parts of the process on each project.

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    • #3
      Re: Dividing Time Among Scripts?

      Thanks for the insight. It's not hypothetical. I suddenly find myself with two rewrites and another contract to adapt one of my books into a script, and everyone expects them soon. None of these are WGA deals, but they are paying gigs, so I was just wondering how other writers handled it.
      www.chuckhustmyre.com

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      • #4
        Re: Dividing Time Among Scripts?

        Originally posted by chuckhustmyre View Post
        Thanks for the insight. It's not hypothetical. I suddenly find myself with two rewrites and another contract to adapt one of my books into a script, and everyone expects them soon. None of these are WGA deals, but they are paying gigs, so I was just wondering how other writers handled it.
        Ah, geez, I hate when that happens. I'll have two weeks completely free, then I get three hurry-up projects at once.

        First, you have to ask yourself what best suits your own writing style. Are you a tinker, a binge writer, a methodical writer? And how much can you work per day?

        As I'm methodical, I have what I call A projects, which are those that require the most concentration, like new drafting. Those I put in the early morning slot -- or whatever your most creative time is -- and I schedule three-four hours. Then I take a break and work on the B project for two to three hours.

        I don't do any further writing on those days, just research/project reading in the afternoon, preferably in another location.

        I would do this for 4 days per week. And I would always allow myself to skip the B project if the work on A is "hot".

        For the third project -- and in my case it would be the novel adaptation -- I have 3 days left so I would ONLY work on the C project unless it stalled somehow. Were that to happen I would go back to B, particularly to make up the time I might have lost working overtime on A.

        Think of it as a fun game. You'll be surprised how much you can get done.

        Do you remember what it was like to have multiple classes in college, or even high school? Or how about having more than one part time job -- like slinging chicken into a bucket and also working at the car wash. It's the same theory -- homework for various classes is a lot like multiple projects. I find it all really stimulating!

        And very whatever you can for each -- whether it's your screensaver or the sweater you're wearing -- so you're in the A, B, or C zone.

        You might find you're unhappy when one of them ends

        Best of luck with it all -- remember, you're LUCKY to have an abundance of work!

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        • #5
          Re: Dividing Time Among Scripts?

          Believe me, I know how fortunate it is to have so much work. I like your idea of the A, B, C schedule. I'm wondering, though, from a mathematical standpoint, and the reason for my question, by splitting the work up during the day and week, you delay the completion of each task. Since I am such a single-tasker, I think if I focused on one at a time, with perhaps the shortest first, I could knock them out in order.
          www.chuckhustmyre.com

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          • #6
            Re: Dividing Time Among Scripts?

            Originally posted by chuckhustmyre View Post
            Believe me, I know how fortunate it is to have so much work. I like your idea of the A, B, C schedule. I'm wondering, though, from a mathematical standpoint, and the reason for my question, by splitting the work up during the day and week, you delay the completion of each task. Since I am such a single-tasker, I think if I focused on one at a time, with perhaps the shortest first, I could knock them out in order.
            That works, and I've done that too -- provided that the deadlines are spread out enough so that you can do two back to back.

            As a single tasker, though, you can schedule "play time" after your writing session and start mapping out your adaptation. Since it's not writing per se, you can think of it as a reward for all your hard work, even though it's a form of work.

            It's just a matter of finding ways not to lose the sense of exhilaration writing gives.

            If you find you get panicky about the second and third projects, in that you've forsaken them for project one, you might want to simply designate different days for project one and two. That way you will be on top of everything.

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            • #7
              Re: Dividing Time Among Scripts?

              Good advice, Cooper. Thanks.
              www.chuckhustmyre.com

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              • #8
                Re: Dividing Time Among Scripts?

                Originally posted by chuckhustmyre View Post
                Good advice, Cooper. Thanks.
                Cooper's suggestions are right on the money. I just went through a five month period with four rewrites and a write for hire on a pitch. Sent the last rewrite in today, so I'm officially unemployed until Friday, when I get notes on another rewrite job. You HAVE to look at your deadlines and prioritize.

                I use a whiteboard with all the projects and deadlines listed where I can see them every day. And listed next to each one is what page I'm on for each. Which I can also see every day. It makes it all real and gives you a good idea where you are with all of them at all times. My wife gave me the whiteboard a couple of years ago. Great gift.

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