I’ve got at least four WIP’s, at least two of which are getting burnt on the back burner. Stuff happens — an idea you had that seemed like a sure winner just cools off and you can’t think of anything else to say. There’s at least ten of my novels that sat on a shelf for decades before I finally finished them off and submitted them for publication. And those are two lessons in themselves: NEVER throw anything out, you don’t know if that fire in your soul for that story may reignite. Also, don’t try to force a story out. It’ll be a half-baked product and you’ll wish you hadn’t.

Alternately, if you’ve got ‘the bug’ over a new story, you’ve got it work it out. It’s a fever you’ve got to get out of your system. I just published “The Empire” on Amazon and figured I’d give it a rest (even though it’s my first published sci-fi novel). It’s a sequel, and the new one’s just hit the shelves. Plus I need to get the other unfinished jobs done. WRONG! This new story’s flowing off the keyboard, the characters are telling the story, it’s everything you want when you get a project started. So why block successful progress? Keep it moving, friends.

That’s the tip of the day: when the bug bites, get to writing. When you’re bursting to tell your story, you’re probably going to give it everything you have. Almost every experienced writer will tell you ‘the fever’ comes maybe once a season if you’re lucky. So take advantage of it!