“What if I’m writing a script, but want to start another one?”

Time to stack projects… or is this simply an example of the Shiny Object Syndrome?

Neo Girl, you’ve got one of two options, but your choice is largely dependent upon answering this question: Is your sudden interest in shifting to the new project motivated by it being a truly “great idea” or are you perhaps suffering from the Shiny Object Syndrome:

Ever had this happen?

You discover a great story idea. You leap into it, both barrels of your creativity blazing. Research! Brainstorming! Characters! OMG, this is so incredible, a sure fire spec script sale in the making!

One month later: You’re still into it, but the prep work has become something of a slog. Once you’ve dug into the heart of the story, there are some difficult choices to make in terms of the narrative and characters. You’ve tested out a bunch of them. Some of them work… maybe. Others, not so sure. But you’ll lick this problem! It’s a million dollar idea!

Two months later: What exactly is keeping you from starting the script? This nondescript sense of unease. You know something is just not right. Well, you’re still not quite sure about where the story is going. And the concept. You keep trying to reach back through time to remember being excited about it, but what exactly was it again…

Three months later: You started writing the script, but then out of the blue, BOOM! You came up with a new idea and it is freaking amazeballs! So of course, you set the first project aside because, hey, this one is the real deal, and you’re so excited, you just leap into research, brainstorming, characters…

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

A year later, have you finished even one script? Maybe none at all?

My friend, you have been done in by the curse of the shiny object syndrome.

If your sudden interest in the new idea derives more from wanting to avoid the hard work of finishing a draft… and you’re using the excuse of this “great idea” to justify quitting the current project…

My advice would be this: Don’t take on this new idea until you finish the script you’re working on. Why?

You do NOT want to get into the habit of quitting projects.

That is nothing more than your Voices Of Negativity undercutting your creative ambitions.

This is my advice if the new story idea is not perhaps a great one, but rather something you perceive as being awesome primarily because of your desire to quit your current project.

If, however, you have stumbled upon a truly great story concept, then you have another choice: Stack projects.

Continue to write the project you’re working on. Then in another part of the day, research and story prep the other project.

But make this choice only under two conditions: (1) You are convinced the new idea is a great one. (2) You commit to finishing your current project.