Choosing Your Writing Projects: 6 Tips for New Authors

In the vast expanse of the writing world, juggling various opportunities is both an exciting challenge and a daunting task for new authors. Choosing the right writing projects is a crucial step for any new author.

 

“The writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Deciding on the right projects is pivotal in carving out a writing niche. As you progress on your writing journey as a new author, each project becomes a step toward fulfilling the short-term and long-term goals of your writing career.

 

Welcome to the next guide in our series designed to assist new authors in Managing Multiple Writing Projects. This multi-part journey is designed with a singular goal in mind: to help you grow in knowledge as a new author on your writing journey. Whether you’re a first-time author or a creative soul testing the waters of writing, this series provides a gateway to future success.

 

Each guide in the series spotlights a specific aspect of balancing multiple writing projects. This guide sheds light on important considerations and offers valuable advice on project selection.

 

Let’s delve into the dynamics of choosing your writing projects wisely.

 

Understanding Your Writing Strengths & Interests

Aligning your projects with your strengths amplifies the quality of your work and keeps you engaged and motivated.

Recognizing and harnessing your writing strengths is the cornerstone when starting any writing project. This process goes beyond simply categorizing yourself into a specific genre or style. It’s about identifying the nuances that make your writing unique.

 

George R.R. Martin, the author of the award-winning, “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, has a knack for world-building and creating multi-dimensional characters. His strengths allow him to weave complex and intertwined narratives to captivate millions of readers. Similarly, understanding your strengths helps you select projects where these qualities shine, enhancing your confidence, enjoyment, and quality.

 

Aligning your writing projects with your personal interests is also vital. The writing process often demands long hours. Maintaining motivation can be challenging even for seasoned writers. This process becomes less laborious and more enjoyable when you work on topics you’re passionate about. As William Wordsworth put it, “Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.”

Imagine a writer with a deep interest in ancient civilizations choosing to work on a contemporary romance novel. The disconnect between their personal interests and the writing project can lead to less motivation and result in subpar work. Conversely, if the writer chooses to work on a historical fiction set in ancient Rome, their personal interest can fuel their writing, resulting in a more engaging and authentic narrative.

 

Understanding your writing strengths and interests is a critical first step for new authors. It helps you pick projects you’re passionate about, and it aids in crafting narratives, which echo your unique voice, setting the foundation for a successful writing career.

 

Assessing the Market

Deciphering the literary market’s complex dynamics is another crucial skill to develop. To create work with potential for commercial success, you need an understanding of your audience and market trends. As Stephen King stated, “The most important things are the hardest to say because words diminish them.” A deep understanding of your audience helps bridge this gap, enabling you to choose projects that touch readers’ hearts while also meeting market demand.

 

Understanding the market starts with identifying your potential readership. Who are they? What’s the age group? What are their reading preferences? If you are writing a dystopian young adult novel, for example, understanding the interests, reading habits, and social concerns of the youth could help you craft an appealing narrative.  For instance, the success of The Hunger Games series spurred a wave of dystopian young adult fiction. However, following market trends should not come at the cost of compromising your unique voice or interests.

 

Another essential aspect of market assessment is understanding the publishing landscape. Traditional publishers tend to be more inclined toward famous named authors. So, if you don’t have a large following, self-publishing might be a better option. Also, consider current marketing strategies and which platforms work best for your genre. Your decisions will influence what you write, as well as how you publish and market your work.

 

Market assessment increases the likelihood of your work being accepted and read. It’s also a tool to gauge competition and carve a niche for yourself. For instance, if there’s a glut of detective stories on the market, you might choose to write in that genre due to popularity but with a unique twist to set your work apart.

 

Market assessment helps you mold your work to fit current trends. It’s also about making informed decisions, which increases your potential for success while staying true to your unique voice. The market constantly evolves, so keeping an eye on these changes could be the difference between a manuscript gathering dust and making sales.

 

Feasibility & Scale of the Project

Evaluating the feasibility and scale of a writing project is yet another important step in the selection process. Consider the size of a project, the resources required (time, research, support), and whether you’re ready. This provides better clarity before making a commitment.

 

Assessing feasibility and scale helps you set realistic expectations and sustainable motivation. As a new author, you might be brimming with ambition. However, diving headfirst into a complex project without adequate assessment or understanding could lead to disappointment and frustration. Enthusiasm dampens when midway through a project you realize it’s beyond your current capabilities or the time allotment is more than you give.

 

Feasibility

Do you have the skills, resources, and time to complete a project successfully? If you’re planning to write a poetry anthology but have only ever written prose, are you willing to invest the time and effort to learn the intricacies of poetic structure and rhythm? Likewise, if you’re working on a fantasy novel, are you ready to build an entire world from scratch? If you’re writing a historical fiction novel, you would need a considerable amount of research into the era. Ask yourself, do you have the research skills and resources needed to authenticate your narrative?

 

Scale

The scale of the project relates to its length and complexity. A novella is a shorter venture compared to a full-length novel, and a standalone book involves less long-term commitment than a series. Understanding the scale helps gauge whether the project aligns with your skills, available time, and commitment. This is particularly important if you plan to juggle multiple writing projects.

 

While big, ambitious projects might seem appealing, assessing feasibility and scale helps you choose a project you can complete successfully and with satisfaction. Strike a balance between ambition and practicality. A challenging project can stimulate growth, but it should also be manageable. Start with a manageable project and progressively take on bigger challenges.

 

Building a Diverse Portfolio

Assembling a diverse writing portfolio is akin to a painter creating an array of artworks using different techniques, colors, and styles. A diverse portfolio could include short stories, poems, essays, articles, or even excerpts from larger works like novels. It can span across different genres or styles, from mystery and fantasy to creative non-fiction and reportage.

 

Diversifying doesn’t mean scattering efforts haphazardly across genres or styles, but thoughtfully experimenting and growing your skills in different directions. It helps in skill development. Each type of writing has its challenges and nuances. Writing a gripping short story requires a different skill set than writing an in-depth, analytical essay. Exploring various forms of writing sharpens a range of skills, making you a better and more flexible writer.

 

A diverse portfolio can increase your marketability. It may open doors to a variety of writing opportunities, from magazine features and blog posts to short story compilations or novels. When publishers or potential clients see your ability to adapt your style and tone across different genres or forms, it heightens your appeal.

 

Diversification can prevent creative stagnation. Trying different types of writing can offer fresh inspiration and prevent burnout, keeping your writing passion alive.

 

Building a diverse portfolio provides a safety net. If one area doesn’t work out as planned, you have other areas to lean on. For example, if your attempt to break into mystery novels doesn’t immediately succeed, your success in writing lifestyle articles can keep you going financially and motivationally.

 

Diversification isn’t about diluting your focus. It’s about expanding your horizons and skillset. As Octavia Butler said, “You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it.” So, don’t be afraid to experiment, learn, and grow as a writer. The key is to select projects that challenge you, interest you, and help you develop a well-rounded writing portfolio.

 

Matching Projects with Career Goals

Aligning your writing projects with your career goals is a strategic step towards a fulfilling writing career. Your projects should align with these short-term and long-term career goals. It’s the equivalent of setting your compass in the direction of your chosen destination and then selecting the paths that lead you there.

 

Clear direction.

To do this effectively, you need first to have a clear understanding of your career goals. Do you want to become a bestselling novelist, a respected journalist, a renowned poet, or an influential blogger? Your career goal could also be about the impact you want to have through your writing. Maybe you want to inspire young adults, inform them about relationship issues, or entertain readers with thrilling mysteries.

 

Once you have defined your goals, the next step is to choose projects that align with them. If your aim is to be a novelist, then starting a novel would make sense. If you wish to be a journalist, writing and submitting articles to newspapers and magazines would be a good start. When you know where you want to go, it becomes easier to get there.

 

Ensures focused growth.

Choosing projects aligned with your career goals makes every project an opportunity to develop relevant skills and experience. If your goal is to be a science fiction author, for example, each science fiction story you write enhances your ability to build futuristic worlds, imagine advanced technologies, and delve into scientific concepts.

 

Fosters long-term motivation.

When you work on projects that contribute to your bigger goals, it’s easier to maintain motivation, even in the face of challenges.

 

Increased chances of success.

Publishing is a competitive field. Focusing on projects aligned with your career goals allows you to build a consistent portfolio and establish a presence in your chosen area, enhancing your visibility to literary agents, publishers, and readers interested in that genre or field.

 

Matching your writing projects with your career goals helps bring you closer to the writing career you envision. Let your career goals guide your project selection, and let each project be a step toward your writing dreams.

 

Conclusion

Choosing writing projects involves several components leading to your success as a new author. Embrace the challenging complexities of selecting potential writing projects. We hope you have found the strategies useful. We hope they equip you with the insights and tools needed to help shape your destiny as a new author.

 

If you’d like, you can start the series from the beginning: Managing Multiple Writing Projects: Tips for New Authors.

 

While the writing journey is full of continuous learning and improvement, you don’t have to go it alone. We’re excited to continue the journey with you, providing guidance and encouragement every step of the way. Our goal is to provide basic insights and practical advice to help you navigate the writing world with increased confidence.

 

Don’t wait. Start today!

 

How can we help? To let us know, please fill out our contact form. Happy writing!

 

Reader Takeaways

• Understand your writing strengths and align them with your interests.
• Know your audience and market.
• Ensure your projects are feasible and manageable.
• Create a diverse writing portfolio.
• Align your projects with your career goals.