Authors – Do Smaller Projects to Cleanse the Palate…

Posted on by Chris The Story Reading Ape

First, a big thank you to the Story Reading Ape for this opportunity and everything he does for indie authors like me. Is he blushing? Do apes blush? Have to look that up later.

Charles E YallowitzMy name is Charles E. Yallowitz and I’m the author behind Legends of Windemere, which is a fantasy adventure series. I’ve also written a fantasy poetry book, a fairy tale/post-apocalyptic world novella, and a gory horror novella. On June 1st, I will be releasing a fantasy adventure short story entitled Ichabod Brooks & the City of Beasts. Now if you’ve made it through that list then you might be wondering what my point is. So here we go.

It doesn’t hurt to do smaller projects when you think them up. In fact, it can help you evolve as an author and improve your main works. Whether it’s something in your favored genre or a terrifying experiment in an area you know nothing about, this things are beneficial. You don’t even have to publish them if you don’t want to. Maybe you can have them as a small gift that you hand out to fans of your books or blog. Everybody likes free stuff. Marketing aside, here are a few pros to follow the smaller blips on your author radar.

  1. These can act as a palate cleanser and relieve stress after a larger project. Rarely do you put a deadline on these works, especially if they’re spontaneous. You can take multiple breaks during them and just have fun. There’s very little pressure when it comes to these things and they kind of act like a vacation for your imagination.
  2. If you’re stepping into a new genre or trying something different then you can develop new skills. Your style can develop too. Both of these things will affect your bigger projects and typically for the better. Is your main series a fantasy adventure? Maybe you write a paranormal thriller for fun and this helps you create the atmosphere needed for a haunted house storyline you’d been struggling with. (Note: I do not have a haunted house storyline in my series . . . at least the one I’m working on now.)
  3. Say you do publish the story or decide to put it on your website for free. Now you have a smaller work for people to read and get a taste of your style. That’s marketing right there and it can lead to readers gravitating toward your other projects. Even if it’s in a different genre, people will get a sense of your use of grammar, core style, and overall skill by reading something that takes less than a day.
  4. This one is probably more for series writers, but stepping out of one project to work on a smaller one can avoid staleness. If you’re working on the same thing for a long time then you can unintentionally get into a rut. Many people will suggest that you walk away for a bit and do something else. That doesn’t always mean to walk away from writing entirely, especially if you have other ideas. Tinker with these smaller projects to give the other stuff a break. Combined with the previous reasons, you’ll find yourself coming back to the original idea refreshed.
  5. Finally, these projects are easier to finish. The pride you feel when completing a first draft can be invigorating and help you get over an emotional slump. With a smaller work, you can hit this victory quicker and keep your spirits up when things aren’t going the way you wanted them to. Believe it or not, a big part of being an author is finding that silver lining and basically tricking your own mind into staying positive.

So you can see that those scraps of notes or recurring dreams or tiny specks of an idea can come in handy. Sure, we love to dive into the big one and never let go. Supposedly, the market for poetry and short stories isn’t as lucrative or attention-gathering as novels. Yet, that isn’t what these side projects are about. This is where you have fun, cut lose, and take some risks for your own enjoyment. It’s where you flex your mental muscles and leap around the page like a puppy in the snow. Have fun with the smaller things and you’ll gain more than you realize.

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38 thoughts on “Authors – Do Smaller Projects to Cleanse the Palate…”

  1. Yes, as a creative writing teacher, I write lots of short short stories with my students, which keeps my writing fresh (and sometimes gives me material for my on-going novel project). I also find writing a weekly blog is a great small project that keeps me inspired via my readers/followers, who buy my books from my blog links, and encourage my writing style. 🙂

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  2. Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
    Charles E. Yallowitz author of the Legends of Windemere writes about guest posts and smaller projects that can offer many benefits to a writer. Why I love blogging.. a post is a completed piece of work and offers instant gratification whilst completing long term projects. Pop over to The Story Reading Ape to get the rest of the article on the benefits.

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  5. That’s a great idea. I always struggle to keep writing new things when I’m in the revision phase, or when other beta reading or editing. I think I’ll try some shorts stories in between. Thanks for the suggestion.

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  8. Inspiring post! I have found that smaller projects work very well for me, whether fiction or nonfiction. It helps me grow as a writer and allow me to juggle better with several themes and ideas I can have. 🙂

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