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I often say that the best way to give writing advice is to listen to a person talk about their problem until they explain how to fix it and then repeat that part back to them.

Like this: I’ve never completed anything. I just have random ideas that pop up in the middle of projects and I move on, never finishing the old. Any tips on finishing projects?

Well, the solution is that when random, new, tempting ideas pop up in the middle of a project, don’t abandon the project and go chasing the new idea. You know from experience that when you get to the middle of that project, there’ll be another idea and another and another tempting you away.

I know that’s hard, because often we hit the hard parts, the stuck parts, the parts where things aren’t fun. Often about a third of a way through, and then another third of the way, where there are gear shifts and the way the story moves changes significantly. Those are the most common places where people bog down and a new project starts to look very appealing.

It’s a common problem too, such a common problem that it’s often called “the slutty new idea.” And when you get one, write it down! Get a little of it ready so that when you’re done with your old project, you will have a new one to already set up and ready. But once you get some of it down, put it to one side and get back to your main project. It’s okay to jot down as much stuff comes to you — after all, no project is as much fun as the forbidden project! — but the only way to stop the cycle of project hopping is to pick one project and see it through.

(And thank you for the kind words.)