September 16, 2024 • 21 mins
In this listener Q&A episode of Writers with Wrinkles, co-hosts Beth McMullen and Lisa Schmid answer a question about juggling multiple writing projects and staying focused. They share personal approaches to managing ideas and offer advice on how to prioritize projects for aspiring authors.
Key Discussion Points
- Handling Multiple Writing Projects: Beth and Lisa tackle a listener's question about managing various writing ideas, from picture books to novels and screenplays.
- Beth's Approach: Beth often starts several projects and lets the most compelling one "choose her" over time. She encourages finishing at least one project to have something ready for submission.
- Lisa's Approach: Lisa prefers to focus on a single project until it’s completed, emphasizing the importance of staying on task and submitting work consistently.
- Managing Genre Switching: They discuss the challenges of working across different genres (e.g., picture books, novels, screenplays) and the importance of mastering the specific skills required for each.
- Building Community: Beth and Lisa highlight the importance of not “pulling up the ladder” once you’ve achieved success, encouraging writers to lift others up as they advance in their careers.
This episode dives into the challenges of managing multiple writing ideas and staying focused. Whether you’re a multitasker like Beth or laser-focused like Lisa, the key takeaway is the importance of finishing projects and supporting fellow writers.
To Send Us A Question
- Visit this page on our website
- scroll back to the top of these notes and use the 'Send Us a Text' link
Mentioned Links
- Beth McMullen's Substack for her Accountability Group
- Lisa Schmid’s book Hart & Souls available at bookstores and libraries.
Visit the Website
Writers with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Beth McMullen (00:00):
Hi friends, I'm Beth McMullen and I'm Lisa
Schmid and we're the co-hosts ofWriters with Wrinkles.
This is season three, episode34.
And today we're answering yourquestions.
Quick note about how to submityou can visit our website for
the link.
You can actually text from thepodcast notes.
You could yell really loudlyfrom wherever you are.
(00:21):
I mean, not really.
Anyway, we will put all of thisin the podcast notes, so if you
have a question you can veryeasily send it our way.
So we have a good one for today.
Lisa Schmid (00:36):
This is a good one.
I love seeing the questionsthat are coming through.
It's making me very happy.
Beth McMullen (00:41):
You know, and it also makes me feel less like
lonely in the writing universe.
I know that it's like a, ofcourse, a very solitary thing,
but when you see that otherpeople are thinking the same
stuff that you're thinking,you're like, oh so I'm not alone
.
So this is kind of our publicservice to help you guys feel
less alone.
All right, let us jump intothis question.
(01:03):
I'm not going to use the namebecause I don't know if we were
supposed to, so I'll just readyou the question.
I love your podcast.
You always inspire me to keeptrying, so thanks.
Well, thank you too, right backat you.
My question is I have so manydang ideas, mostly picture book,
but also novels, short storiesand movie ideas.
(01:26):
I've queried several picturebooks, but I'm currently working
on a novel.
It's really hard to stay on oneproject or idea, but it feels
like I should focus on one thingat a time.
How do you handle this if youexperience it?
This is such a good question.
Lisa Schmid (01:43):
It is a good question and I know that we are
going to have two very differentanswers.
Beth McMullen (01:49):
We always we're like totally on opposite ends of
the continuum with everything.
It's good, though.
It gives listeners a chance tohear a wide variety of answers.
Lisa Schmid (02:01):
We're like cats and dogs.
We're like our unsold picturebook that we never got really
any rejections on except for one.
I don't know why I'm throwingthis in there.
It just came up.
Beth McMullen (02:12):
I know because you're feeling a certain level
of bitterness about the picturebook.
So am I.
I feel like it was actuallypretty good.
Anyway, what do you think aboutthis question?
We're like cats and dogs.
Lisa Schmid (02:24):
That's my whole point.
We're very different.
You know what's so funny?
This is another thing I justthought of the other day.
So the name of our book, ourpicture book, was cat's rule,
and somewhere in like our saveddocuments I had like another
working title and I'm like whydidn't we use that?
I'm sure this would have sold.
(02:45):
So the other one we had wascats rule, dogs drool.
Beth McMullen (02:53):
Okay, the next time we send it out, that's what
we're going to use, cause it'sfunny and they do dogs do drool.
I mean, it happens, it's like areal thing.
So anyway, yeah, yeah that's my, that was, that was the section
of the podcast that we callLisa's random thoughts, where
(03:14):
you get a chance to peek insideher head and that's what she's
thinking about.
But she's always on task, right?
You're always thinking aboutpublishing and writing related
stuff, so it all connects Truestory.
Lisa Schmid (03:27):
So do you want to answer the question first?
Beth McMullen (03:30):
No, I'm sitting here patiently waiting for you
to answer the question, okay.
You get to go first today,because I read the question and
then you go first.
Lisa Schmid (03:43):
So I'm one of those people.
I'm not like focused on amillion different projects.
If I have one voice in my head,I'm.
I want to get that story out, Iwant to focus on it, I want to
get it done because I want tomove on from it, and I also want
to have something out in theworld that's making the rounds.
I mean, if you just if you'rehopping from story to story and
(04:03):
you're not accomplishinganything, you're really not
moving forward in any realdirection towards publishing.
And so to me it's I want tofinish that story, stay on task
and then move on to the nextthing.
And so, for example, my myagent had said back some notes
on a on my chapter book that'sout on submission right now for
(04:25):
the second one, and I'm workingon my middle grade, and I never
even looked at the notes becauseI'm like you know what?
I'm working on my middle grade,that voice isn't in my brain.
I need to finish this first,and if my chapter book sells and
I'll go back and then I'llstart working on that.
So I think it's reallyimportant to stay on task,
finish a project and you knowsomething that's going out in
(04:47):
the world, whether it's to yourbeta readers.
It's you know, it's all aboutmoving forward.
So that's my response Stay ontask with one story.
All right, that's a good one.
Beth McMullen (04:57):
I think, first thing, like congratulations to
the person asking the questionfor having lots of ideas.
A lot of people are desperatefor one good idea, and it sounds
like you have many, so awesome,right?
That's just an amazing thing tohave to not feel like you're
floating around thinking I don'teven know what I'm supposed to
(05:18):
be writing about.
But I think I agreewholeheartedly with what Lisa
said, which is that you have tofinish something.
You've got nowhere to go unlessyou finish something, and if
(05:48):
working on multiple projects isstopping you from finishing,
then you need to rein it in andfocus.
On the other hand, you might bethat person who's completely
able to multitask on projects.
My personal experience is thatthis is how it always goes, and
I finally just accepted thatthis is the way it's going to go
.
So I finished something,something's done.
Now it's like I've written it,I've edited it, it's about as
good as I think I'm going to getit, and it's either a book
(06:08):
under contract that I now needto send off or a new something
that I'm going to send out topublishers.
So those are the two directionsthat it's going to go.
So I've gotten it to that point.
It's moving off my plate.
Now, what am I going to do next?
And I always have, like you,three or four ideas that are
bouncing around in my head andinevitably I have started one or
(06:33):
two of them in the past at somepoint, even if it's just like
20 pages or some outline notesor something, and I'm a hundred
percent sure that it's going tobe project day.
So I start working on projectday diligently, like back in,
doing my thing, whatever, andthen at some point I'm like but
actually what I really want todo is project B.
I don't really want to work onproject A.
(06:55):
So then project A goes to theback of the line.
I start working on project B.
Some more time goes by.
Oh, actually project A wasreally the thing that I wanted
to do.
So I go back and at some point,whichever one it is sticks and
that's the one I'm going fullforward on.
But the problem is that I don'tknow in the moment which one is
(07:18):
going to work.
So I think my advice to ourlistener is to make sure that
you've got something done that'sout there.
If your intent is to publish,you've got something that you're
shopping, at whatever level itis that you're shopping.
If you're self-publishing,you've got something that you're
shopping, at whatever level itis that you're shopping.
If you're self-publishing,you've got something in the
pipeline that's getting ready togo out and you're prepping for
(07:41):
that.
But also, I think some of it isthe project choosing you.
You may be sticking your toesin the water three or four
different things and thensuddenly you're like yep, that's
the one, and then off you areto the races, and the thing is
that I repeat this process everysingle time.
So I think it's like I'm tryingto get my head out of the
(08:03):
project that I've gotten gottendone with trying to get it into
the new space, and and thatprocess is that I'm kind of
mucking around in all thesedifferent projects before the
one that's going to stickactually chooses me, and then
off we go.
Does that make any sense?
Lisa Schmid (08:18):
Totally makes sense .
And you're, you're lucky, andit sounds like this listener is
lucky too, because you alwayshave several ideas, you know,
gliding around in your brain,and it sounds like he does too.
And I don't.
I'm not like that, you know,I'm very it's.
I I struggle to find the nextstory idea, but once I find the
(08:41):
next story idea, I go with itLike I'm fully committed, even
though I'm like, oh, is this?
You know me, is this working?
And like I've been through allthat with this middle grade I'm
working on right now.
I stuck with it because it'slike you know what I'm working
on right now, but I stuck withit because it's like you know
what I'm already in.
I've already started writing it.
Well, that's true.
Beth McMullen (08:58):
I never have to ask you, hey, what are you
working on?
Because I know, because youchose it and that's what you're
working on, and you'll beworking on that until you say
I'm done with that.
And there'll be this longperiod of time when you're like
not doing anything and then youhave your idea and then you're
back in the shoot.
I think that feels a lot moresane to me, that it feels linear
(09:20):
, where what I'm doing feelslike just a jumbly mess most of
the time.
The other thing that thislistener noted that I think is
worth talking about is that heis working in different genres
of books and he's also workingon screenplays.
So, in addition to jumping frompicture books to novels, he's
(09:42):
also jumping to screenplays,which all require different
skills.
So one concern I would havewould be making sure that your
skill level is up to snuff inall of those.
So maybe you are a more talentednovel writer, so maybe that's
(10:02):
the project that you're thinkingto yourself okay, this is the
one that I'm going to prep andget ready to send out into the
world in whatever way thatyou're choosing to do that.
And maybe the screenplay thatyou're working on in the
background is something thatyou're thinking okay, I'm just
honing my craft in this, I'mworking to get better at this.
Maybe you don't have massiveaspirations for it yet, so
(10:24):
that's another way that youcould approach it, like
something that is at the top,where you're like this is the
one that I'm trying to get outin the world and make a book
deal, whatever.
This is the thing where I'mlike I know this is sort of like
training myself, so I'm goingto work on this kind of in the
background.
So I mean, it's good that thelistener is conceiving of ideas
(10:45):
through these different ways ofpresenting them.
I think that's reallyinteresting.
But I would be careful aboutjust not diluting your skill set
so that you're not hitting kindof those high marks in all of
it, because for anything to getout into the world, it needs to
be as perfect as it can be, likethere's no opportunity for
(11:05):
stuff that just doesn't feelquite done.
Lisa Schmid (11:09):
Yeah, that's some really good advice, beth.
Beth McMullen (11:11):
McMillan, sometimes I have a thought
that's worth sharing.
Lisa Schmid (11:16):
You're like a smarty pants today.
No, that's, that is really goodadvice.
And I was thinking, would thatapply to me?
And it's like no, because I'mso in track.
I'm like, can I work with that?
Beth McMullen (11:28):
every time I'm trying to talk Lisa into writing
a cozy mystery Cause I thinkshe would be so good at it, but
she's got a one track mind andI'm not doing a good job
convincing her.
Lisa Schmid (11:39):
I know I you know what I love, love, love cozy
mysteries.
But I just, I'm just trying tothink how my little middle grade
brain, my little nine-year-oldbrain, would translate into a
cozy mystery.
Somebody would be like who isthis kid solving this mystery in
the little town of you knowwherever.
Beth McMullen (11:58):
Okay, okay, okay, I know when I'm beat.
Call it a day, collect my toysand go home.
Lisa Schmid (12:03):
Someday.
I just need to finish this one.
I'm at that.
You know, at that point I wasat with Heart and Souls when we
went to Tahoe Again, I digress,I'm sorry listeners and that's
where I was at, where I kind ofgot stuck for a while in the
mushy middle.
And now I'm finally.
I can see like daylight at theend of this long, horrifying,
scary tunnel, with lots of plotholes jumping out at me and
(12:25):
screaming at me and yelling booand like that moment where you
were like, oh wow, this doesn'tfit together.
Beth McMullen (12:32):
No, I've had a million of them.
Lisa Schmid (12:34):
I and it's I posted this on Twitter.
I actually have been waking upin the middle of the night like
realizing, like oh, that doesn'twork, and so I've had a note.
You know, I have my notepadnext to me and I wrote these
just random notes and I have no.
I like I looked at them thenext morning and I have no idea
what they meant.
And like some, and someplace onthe notes there was like I'd
(12:57):
written duck with like anexclamation point, and I'm like
no, you know what you meant towrite a different word, which we
won't say because we want tokeep RPG reading.
Beth McMullen (13:06):
You just misspelled it in the night.
Lisa Schmid (13:08):
It's just like ducks in this story, was I
telling you.
Beth McMullen (13:13):
Well, maybe they're supposed to be.
Maybe it's the writing godstelling you to put a duck in
your story.
Lisa Schmid (13:19):
Okay, just for amusement's sake, I wrote one
into the next chapter becauseI'm like like, clearly the gods
are telling me to write a duckinto this story.
Beth McMullen (13:30):
You were influenced by the sleeping
version of yourself it has nopurpose.
Lisa Schmid (13:35):
It literally just waddles through the yard.
Beth McMullen (13:37):
Ducks are cute I think a waddling duck is just
perfectly okay.
It cracks me up so we have onemore thing.
We were talking about somethingthat we wanted to just throw
out at you, and it's come up abunch of times in a bunch of
ways.
We're not going to attribute itto a single question, because
it's come from a variety ofplaces.
(13:59):
Do you want to go ahead andtalk about this?
Lisa Schmid (14:04):
Hi, you know, it's one of those things that I we've
had listeners write in a littlenote about it and then I've
I've had lunch with you, knowdifferent authors that have
expressed this frustration to me.
You and I have both experiencedthis and it doesn't feel good,
but it's that whole concept ofdon't pull the ladder up after
(14:28):
you've climbed it, and what Imean by that is you will see
writers and authors that willyou know, you're friends with or
you've helped along the way,and then now they made it and
they're like in a different zonethan you are and they've
they've reached a success levelthat's maybe perhaps higher than
(14:50):
you, and then they glom on toother people or attach
themselves to more successfulauthors and kind of leave you in
the dust.
And I had lunch with somefriends the other day and
somebody she was expressingsomething very similar to this
and don't do that.
Be that author Like you.
Know, if you're working your wayup and I'm sure you know this
(15:13):
is a community that really liftsyou know, that's always like
lifting people up, like you I'm.
We're all about lifting otherpeople up and trying to help
other people to succeed, and sowhen you get to that point,
don't forget those people thathelped you because they maybe
could still use a hand, you know, and so it's.
(15:34):
It's one of those things.
You see it, you hear about itand it doesn't feel good when it
happens to you.
And you know, I had a friendthe other day.
I was like, oh, this doesn'tfeel good when she was telling
me about it.
Beth McMullen (15:48):
So just don't be that person when she was telling
me about it.
So just don't be that person.
No, it's not a zero sum game.
Somebody else's success doesnot negate your potential
success.
And I hate, I hate to seeexamples of this publishing
universe working that waybecause it does none of us any
(16:10):
good.
Universe working that waybecause it does none of us any
good.
So, in addition to just notfeeling good, we only get better
by learning from each other,and there's lots of opportunity
to engage with other writers ina positive way that helps them
get where they're going, getsyou smarter, all of those things
(16:31):
.
So, yes, be a positiveinfluence in the universe.
Lisa Schmid (16:37):
It's not even just.
I think it's just.
It's like in middle school orin high school, when you're you
all of a sudden you findyourself in the popular group,
like all the popular kids arehanging out with the cool kids,
and you're, you know, if you'rethat jerk, that's like, yeah, I
don't want to hang out withthese people anymore because
they're not cool enough for me.
That's the thing that makes mecrazy.
Beth McMullen (17:00):
It's like yeah, and you do unfortunately see it.
Lisa Schmid (17:04):
Like you do, and it's just, you know, just sit
there and go.
They used to hang out with me.
Now they don't, doesn't feelgood.
So just you know what, keepthat in mind.
It's good when you reach thepoint where you're hanging out
with the cool kids and I'm usingair quotes because I think
we're all cool, but don't forgetabout those, you know, those
(17:26):
uncool.
Again, I'm using air quoteskids that you used to hang out
with because they still, youknow, they still want to hang
out with you.
That's is that.
That's a good analogy.
That's my middle school analogy.
Beth McMullen (17:37):
That is a good analogy from a middle grade
writer who knows middle schoolvery, very well.
I do so.
That's our spiel, that's ourplea to people out there, to you
know, let's all be the bestversions of ourselves that we
can.
Lisa Schmid (17:52):
I should put that on a t-shirt.
Be the cool kid in the cool kidgroup.
Beth McMullen (17:56):
Right, right, absolutely.
So, everybody, I hope thatyou've all bought Lisa's new
book, heart and Souls, which isout now and available all over
the place.
So wherever you buy books,request it at your library, do
all of those things, because itis really good and funny and I
(18:17):
like it and I want you guys toread it.
One other thing I'm doing thisaccountability group.
If you are stuck in the middleof a manuscript, struggling with
a new idea, or many ideas lostin the wilderness of revisions,
all of those things that makeour hearts race, join my sub
stack totally free and you willsee all the details there.
(18:37):
I think this could be a reallyfun way to help each other over
the finish line.
So take a look for thatAnything else you want to add
Lisa?
Lisa Schmid (18:47):
Well, I just want to speak from experience, like
having you as an accountabilitypartner is thrilling and
terrifying all at the same time,and so you are that person.
Beth McMullen (18:59):
I was that duck in your dream.
I showed up and I was like Lisa, come on, let's go.
I know I'm dressed as a duck,this is your dream, but let's
get moving.
Lisa Schmid (19:07):
Right, it's so scary because that's how you're
going to come to me in my dreamtonight, like it's a big giant.
I know it's going to come as aduck.
And you know what I'm going tosay when I see you in my dream
yes, I do.
Yeah, no, you are a goodaccountability partner and you
always have good tips and tricks, and believe it or not.
(19:30):
Even when I'm not writing, I'mthinking what would Beth do?
What would Beth do?
Beth McMullen (19:35):
Oh God, that's scary.
You're hearing my voice in yourhead.
Lisa Schmid (19:38):
Not good.
Beth McMullen (19:38):
Well, now that you're a duck, quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack you're goingto have to translate from duck
to human.
Oh, complicated, wow.
All right, so that is it fortoday's crazy episode.
Listeners, please remember tovisit our website and find out
how to support the show bysubscribing, following and
(20:02):
recommending, and please lookfor the ways to submit your
questions, because we do lovethese questions.
They're fun.
We are back with episode 35 onSeptember 30th and we're talking
to literary agent KathyArmstrong, who is at Marsal Lion
.
And we're talking to literaryagent Kathy Armstrong, who is at
Marsal Lion, so if you want toknow what agents are thinking
about and talking about, pleasejoin us for that one.
These are always superinteresting conversations and I
always come away knowing thingsI didn't know before.
(20:24):
So until then, happy reading,writing and listening.
Bye, lisa Beth, bye guys.
Hi friends, I'm Beth McMullen and I'm Lisa
Schmid and we're the co-hosts ofWriters with Wrinkles.
This is season three, episode34.
And today we're answering yourquestions.
Quick note about how to submityou can visit our website for
the link.
You can actually text from thepodcast notes.
You could yell really loudlyfrom wherever you are.
(00:21):
I mean, not really.
Anyway, we will put all of thisin the podcast notes, so if you
have a question you can veryeasily send it our way.
So we have a good one for today.
Lisa Schmid (00:36):
This is a good one.
I love seeing the questionsthat are coming through.
It's making me very happy.
Beth McMullen (00:41):
You know, and it also makes me feel less like
lonely in the writing universe.
I know that it's like a, ofcourse, a very solitary thing,
but when you see that otherpeople are thinking the same
stuff that you're thinking,you're like, oh so I'm not alone
.
So this is kind of our publicservice to help you guys feel
less alone.
All right, let us jump intothis question.
(01:03):
I'm not going to use the namebecause I don't know if we were
supposed to, so I'll just readyou the question.
I love your podcast.
You always inspire me to keeptrying, so thanks.
Well, thank you too, right backat you.
My question is I have so manydang ideas, mostly picture book,
but also novels, short storiesand movie ideas.
(01:26):
I've queried several picturebooks, but I'm currently working
on a novel.
It's really hard to stay on oneproject or idea, but it feels
like I should focus on one thingat a time.
How do you handle this if youexperience it?
This is such a good question.
Lisa Schmid (01:43):
It is a good question and I know that we are
going to have two very differentanswers.
Beth McMullen (01:49):
We always we're like totally on opposite ends of
the continuum with everything.
It's good, though.
It gives listeners a chance tohear a wide variety of answers.
Lisa Schmid (02:01):
We're like cats and dogs.
We're like our unsold picturebook that we never got really
any rejections on except for one.
I don't know why I'm throwingthis in there.
It just came up.
Beth McMullen (02:12):
I know because you're feeling a certain level
of bitterness about the picturebook.
So am I.
I feel like it was actuallypretty good.
Anyway, what do you think aboutthis question?
We're like cats and dogs.
Lisa Schmid (02:24):
That's my whole point.
We're very different.
You know what's so funny?
This is another thing I justthought of the other day.
So the name of our book, ourpicture book, was cat's rule,
and somewhere in like our saveddocuments I had like another
working title and I'm like whydidn't we use that?
I'm sure this would have sold.
(02:45):
So the other one we had wascats rule, dogs drool.
Beth McMullen (02:53):
Okay, the next time we send it out, that's what
we're going to use, cause it'sfunny and they do dogs do drool.
I mean, it happens, it's like areal thing.
So anyway, yeah, yeah that's my, that was, that was the section
of the podcast that we callLisa's random thoughts, where
(03:14):
you get a chance to peek insideher head and that's what she's
thinking about.
But she's always on task, right?
You're always thinking aboutpublishing and writing related
stuff, so it all connects Truestory.
Lisa Schmid (03:27):
So do you want to answer the question first?
Beth McMullen (03:30):
No, I'm sitting here patiently waiting for you
to answer the question, okay.
You get to go first today,because I read the question and
then you go first.
Lisa Schmid (03:43):
So I'm one of those people.
I'm not like focused on amillion different projects.
If I have one voice in my head,I'm.
I want to get that story out, Iwant to focus on it, I want to
get it done because I want tomove on from it, and I also want
to have something out in theworld that's making the rounds.
I mean, if you just if you'rehopping from story to story and
(04:03):
you're not accomplishinganything, you're really not
moving forward in any realdirection towards publishing.
And so to me it's I want tofinish that story, stay on task
and then move on to the nextthing.
And so, for example, my myagent had said back some notes
on a on my chapter book that'sout on submission right now for
(04:25):
the second one, and I'm workingon my middle grade, and I never
even looked at the notes becauseI'm like you know what?
I'm working on my middle grade,that voice isn't in my brain.
I need to finish this first,and if my chapter book sells and
I'll go back and then I'llstart working on that.
So I think it's reallyimportant to stay on task,
finish a project and you knowsomething that's going out in
(04:47):
the world, whether it's to yourbeta readers.
It's you know, it's all aboutmoving forward.
So that's my response Stay ontask with one story.
All right, that's a good one.
Beth McMullen (04:57):
I think, first thing, like congratulations to
the person asking the questionfor having lots of ideas.
A lot of people are desperatefor one good idea, and it sounds
like you have many, so awesome,right?
That's just an amazing thing tohave to not feel like you're
floating around thinking I don'teven know what I'm supposed to
(05:18):
be writing about.
But I think I agreewholeheartedly with what Lisa
said, which is that you have tofinish something.
You've got nowhere to go unlessyou finish something, and if
(05:48):
working on multiple projects isstopping you from finishing,
then you need to rein it in andfocus.
On the other hand, you might bethat person who's completely
able to multitask on projects.
My personal experience is thatthis is how it always goes, and
I finally just accepted thatthis is the way it's going to go
.
So I finished something,something's done.
Now it's like I've written it,I've edited it, it's about as
good as I think I'm going to getit, and it's either a book
(06:08):
under contract that I now needto send off or a new something
that I'm going to send out topublishers.
So those are the two directionsthat it's going to go.
So I've gotten it to that point.
It's moving off my plate.
Now, what am I going to do next?
And I always have, like you,three or four ideas that are
bouncing around in my head andinevitably I have started one or
(06:33):
two of them in the past at somepoint, even if it's just like
20 pages or some outline notesor something, and I'm a hundred
percent sure that it's going tobe project day.
So I start working on projectday diligently, like back in,
doing my thing, whatever, andthen at some point I'm like but
actually what I really want todo is project B.
I don't really want to work onproject A.
(06:55):
So then project A goes to theback of the line.
I start working on project B.
Some more time goes by.
Oh, actually project A wasreally the thing that I wanted
to do.
So I go back and at some point,whichever one it is sticks and
that's the one I'm going fullforward on.
But the problem is that I don'tknow in the moment which one is
(07:18):
going to work.
So I think my advice to ourlistener is to make sure that
you've got something done that'sout there.
If your intent is to publish,you've got something that you're
shopping, at whatever level itis that you're shopping.
If you're self-publishing,you've got something that you're
shopping, at whatever level itis that you're shopping.
If you're self-publishing,you've got something in the
pipeline that's getting ready togo out and you're prepping for
(07:41):
that.
But also, I think some of it isthe project choosing you.
You may be sticking your toesin the water three or four
different things and thensuddenly you're like yep, that's
the one, and then off you areto the races, and the thing is
that I repeat this process everysingle time.
So I think it's like I'm tryingto get my head out of the
(08:03):
project that I've gotten gottendone with trying to get it into
the new space, and and thatprocess is that I'm kind of
mucking around in all thesedifferent projects before the
one that's going to stickactually chooses me, and then
off we go.
Does that make any sense?
Lisa Schmid (08:18):
Totally makes sense .
And you're, you're lucky, andit sounds like this listener is
lucky too, because you alwayshave several ideas, you know,
gliding around in your brain,and it sounds like he does too.
And I don't.
I'm not like that, you know,I'm very it's.
I I struggle to find the nextstory idea, but once I find the
(08:41):
next story idea, I go with itLike I'm fully committed, even
though I'm like, oh, is this?
You know me, is this working?
And like I've been through allthat with this middle grade I'm
working on right now.
I stuck with it because it'slike you know what I'm working
on right now, but I stuck withit because it's like you know
what I'm already in.
I've already started writing it.
Well, that's true.
Beth McMullen (08:58):
I never have to ask you, hey, what are you
working on?
Because I know, because youchose it and that's what you're
working on, and you'll beworking on that until you say
I'm done with that.
And there'll be this longperiod of time when you're like
not doing anything and then youhave your idea and then you're
back in the shoot.
I think that feels a lot moresane to me, that it feels linear
(09:20):
, where what I'm doing feelslike just a jumbly mess most of
the time.
The other thing that thislistener noted that I think is
worth talking about is that heis working in different genres
of books and he's also workingon screenplays.
So, in addition to jumping frompicture books to novels, he's
(09:42):
also jumping to screenplays,which all require different
skills.
So one concern I would havewould be making sure that your
skill level is up to snuff inall of those.
So maybe you are a more talentednovel writer, so maybe that's
(10:02):
the project that you're thinkingto yourself okay, this is the
one that I'm going to prep andget ready to send out into the
world in whatever way thatyou're choosing to do that.
And maybe the screenplay thatyou're working on in the
background is something thatyou're thinking okay, I'm just
honing my craft in this, I'mworking to get better at this.
Maybe you don't have massiveaspirations for it yet, so
(10:24):
that's another way that youcould approach it, like
something that is at the top,where you're like this is the
one that I'm trying to get outin the world and make a book
deal, whatever.
This is the thing where I'mlike I know this is sort of like
training myself, so I'm goingto work on this kind of in the
background.
So I mean, it's good that thelistener is conceiving of ideas
(10:45):
through these different ways ofpresenting them.
I think that's reallyinteresting.
But I would be careful aboutjust not diluting your skill set
so that you're not hitting kindof those high marks in all of
it, because for anything to getout into the world, it needs to
be as perfect as it can be, likethere's no opportunity for
(11:05):
stuff that just doesn't feelquite done.
Lisa Schmid (11:09):
Yeah, that's some really good advice, beth.
Beth McMullen (11:11):
McMillan, sometimes I have a thought
that's worth sharing.
Lisa Schmid (11:16):
You're like a smarty pants today.
No, that's, that is really goodadvice.
And I was thinking, would thatapply to me?
And it's like no, because I'mso in track.
I'm like, can I work with that?
Beth McMullen (11:28):
every time I'm trying to talk Lisa into writing
a cozy mystery Cause I thinkshe would be so good at it, but
she's got a one track mind andI'm not doing a good job
convincing her.
Lisa Schmid (11:39):
I know I you know what I love, love, love cozy
mysteries.
But I just, I'm just trying tothink how my little middle grade
brain, my little nine-year-oldbrain, would translate into a
cozy mystery.
Somebody would be like who isthis kid solving this mystery in
the little town of you knowwherever.
Beth McMullen (11:58):
Okay, okay, okay, I know when I'm beat.
Call it a day, collect my toysand go home.
Lisa Schmid (12:03):
Someday.
I just need to finish this one.
I'm at that.
You know, at that point I wasat with Heart and Souls when we
went to Tahoe Again, I digress,I'm sorry listeners and that's
where I was at, where I kind ofgot stuck for a while in the
mushy middle.
And now I'm finally.
I can see like daylight at theend of this long, horrifying,
scary tunnel, with lots of plotholes jumping out at me and
(12:25):
screaming at me and yelling booand like that moment where you
were like, oh wow, this doesn'tfit together.
Beth McMullen (12:32):
No, I've had a million of them.
Lisa Schmid (12:34):
I and it's I posted this on Twitter.
I actually have been waking upin the middle of the night like
realizing, like oh, that doesn'twork, and so I've had a note.
You know, I have my notepadnext to me and I wrote these
just random notes and I have no.
I like I looked at them thenext morning and I have no idea
what they meant.
And like some, and someplace onthe notes there was like I'd
(12:57):
written duck with like anexclamation point, and I'm like
no, you know what you meant towrite a different word, which we
won't say because we want tokeep RPG reading.
Beth McMullen (13:06):
You just misspelled it in the night.
Lisa Schmid (13:08):
It's just like ducks in this story, was I
telling you.
Beth McMullen (13:13):
Well, maybe they're supposed to be.
Maybe it's the writing godstelling you to put a duck in
your story.
Lisa Schmid (13:19):
Okay, just for amusement's sake, I wrote one
into the next chapter becauseI'm like like, clearly the gods
are telling me to write a duckinto this story.
Beth McMullen (13:30):
You were influenced by the sleeping
version of yourself it has nopurpose.
Lisa Schmid (13:35):
It literally just waddles through the yard.
Beth McMullen (13:37):
Ducks are cute I think a waddling duck is just
perfectly okay.
It cracks me up so we have onemore thing.
We were talking about somethingthat we wanted to just throw
out at you, and it's come up abunch of times in a bunch of
ways.
We're not going to attribute itto a single question, because
it's come from a variety ofplaces.
(13:59):
Do you want to go ahead andtalk about this?
Lisa Schmid (14:04):
Hi, you know, it's one of those things that I we've
had listeners write in a littlenote about it and then I've
I've had lunch with you, knowdifferent authors that have
expressed this frustration to me.
You and I have both experiencedthis and it doesn't feel good,
but it's that whole concept ofdon't pull the ladder up after
(14:28):
you've climbed it, and what Imean by that is you will see
writers and authors that willyou know, you're friends with or
you've helped along the way,and then now they made it and
they're like in a different zonethan you are and they've
they've reached a success levelthat's maybe perhaps higher than
(14:50):
you, and then they glom on toother people or attach
themselves to more successfulauthors and kind of leave you in
the dust.
And I had lunch with somefriends the other day and
somebody she was expressingsomething very similar to this
and don't do that.
Be that author Like you.
Know, if you're working your wayup and I'm sure you know this
(15:13):
is a community that really liftsyou know, that's always like
lifting people up, like you I'm.
We're all about lifting otherpeople up and trying to help
other people to succeed, and sowhen you get to that point,
don't forget those people thathelped you because they maybe
could still use a hand, you know, and so it's.
(15:34):
It's one of those things.
You see it, you hear about itand it doesn't feel good when it
happens to you.
And you know, I had a friendthe other day.
I was like, oh, this doesn'tfeel good when she was telling
me about it.
Beth McMullen (15:48):
So just don't be that person when she was telling
me about it.
So just don't be that person.
No, it's not a zero sum game.
Somebody else's success doesnot negate your potential
success.
And I hate, I hate to seeexamples of this publishing
universe working that waybecause it does none of us any
(16:10):
good.
Universe working that waybecause it does none of us any
good.
So, in addition to just notfeeling good, we only get better
by learning from each other,and there's lots of opportunity
to engage with other writers ina positive way that helps them
get where they're going, getsyou smarter, all of those things
(16:31):
.
So, yes, be a positiveinfluence in the universe.
Lisa Schmid (16:37):
It's not even just.
I think it's just.
It's like in middle school orin high school, when you're you
all of a sudden you findyourself in the popular group,
like all the popular kids arehanging out with the cool kids,
and you're, you know, if you'rethat jerk, that's like, yeah, I
don't want to hang out withthese people anymore because
they're not cool enough for me.
That's the thing that makes mecrazy.
Beth McMullen (17:00):
It's like yeah, and you do unfortunately see it.
Lisa Schmid (17:04):
Like you do, and it's just, you know, just sit
there and go.
They used to hang out with me.
Now they don't, doesn't feelgood.
So just you know what, keepthat in mind.
It's good when you reach thepoint where you're hanging out
with the cool kids and I'm usingair quotes because I think
we're all cool, but don't forgetabout those, you know, those
(17:26):
uncool.
Again, I'm using air quoteskids that you used to hang out
with because they still, youknow, they still want to hang
out with you.
That's is that.
That's a good analogy.
That's my middle school analogy.
Beth McMullen (17:37):
That is a good analogy from a middle grade
writer who knows middle schoolvery, very well.
I do so.
That's our spiel, that's ourplea to people out there, to you
know, let's all be the bestversions of ourselves that we
can.
Lisa Schmid (17:52):
I should put that on a t-shirt.
Be the cool kid in the cool kidgroup.
Beth McMullen (17:56):
Right, right, absolutely.
So, everybody, I hope thatyou've all bought Lisa's new
book, heart and Souls, which isout now and available all over
the place.
So wherever you buy books,request it at your library, do
all of those things, because itis really good and funny and I
(18:17):
like it and I want you guys toread it.
One other thing I'm doing thisaccountability group.
If you are stuck in the middleof a manuscript, struggling with
a new idea, or many ideas lostin the wilderness of revisions,
all of those things that makeour hearts race, join my sub
stack totally free and you willsee all the details there.
(18:37):
I think this could be a reallyfun way to help each other over
the finish line.
So take a look for thatAnything else you want to add
Lisa?
Lisa Schmid (18:47):
Well, I just want to speak from experience, like
having you as an accountabilitypartner is thrilling and
terrifying all at the same time,and so you are that person.
Beth McMullen (18:59):
I was that duck in your dream.
I showed up and I was like Lisa, come on, let's go.
I know I'm dressed as a duck,this is your dream, but let's
get moving.
Lisa Schmid (19:07):
Right, it's so scary because that's how you're
going to come to me in my dreamtonight, like it's a big giant.
I know it's going to come as aduck.
And you know what I'm going tosay when I see you in my dream
yes, I do.
Yeah, no, you are a goodaccountability partner and you
always have good tips and tricks, and believe it or not.
(19:30):
Even when I'm not writing, I'mthinking what would Beth do?
What would Beth do?
Beth McMullen (19:35):
Oh God, that's scary.
You're hearing my voice in yourhead.
Lisa Schmid (19:38):
Not good.
Beth McMullen (19:38):
Well, now that you're a duck, quack, quack,
quack, quack, quack you're goingto have to translate from duck
to human.
Oh, complicated, wow.
All right, so that is it fortoday's crazy episode.
Listeners, please remember tovisit our website and find out
how to support the show bysubscribing, following and
(20:02):
recommending, and please lookfor the ways to submit your
questions, because we do lovethese questions.
They're fun.
We are back with episode 35 onSeptember 30th and we're talking
to literary agent KathyArmstrong, who is at Marsal Lion
.
And we're talking to literaryagent Kathy Armstrong, who is at
Marsal Lion, so if you want toknow what agents are thinking
about and talking about, pleasejoin us for that one.
These are always superinteresting conversations and I
always come away knowing thingsI didn't know before.
(20:24):
So until then, happy reading,writing and listening.
Bye, lisa Beth, bye guys.
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