Creating new story plots - good or bad way to get past stuck story plots?

Question

Do you think it's a good or bad idea to create new story plots when you're stuck with the one you're working on? And then take these new plots/ideas and kind of see if you can apply them to your main story, if you know what I mean.
The story I'm working on currently is a fantasy replica of the Lion King so I've been semi-consciously sticking it out of my head and working on other stories, one that's another fantasy I've finished and I'm staring a new one that's somewhat purposely your stereotypical YA romance (just for fun, of course, don't kill me, I'm REALLY bored :P).

It seems to me that the ideas and the certain thoughts of "what I should do next" flow more easily with these new stories, and I'm thinking it's because they're new ideas or because I don't have the restrictions I've unconsciously set up of "what I want it to be like" on my main story.

However, looking back on the first 'other' story I wrote - meant to be neither cliche nor stereotypical - turned out very much so. It seems that when creating new stories I automatically reach for the spare load of cliches to fill in all the gaps, so applying a cliched plot to the main plot doesn't always help.

So I rambled on a bit, and hopefully you figured out what I was trying to say. XD What's your opinion on it?

Answer 1

For me personally I never want to start a new story plot because I'm afraid that I'll fall in love with it and forget the original one. But, I've found that having more than one project to work on at once to be unbelievable helpful. Then I can just transition between the two as I get stuck. And it seems the best way to get out of being stuck it too keep writing, regardless of what's being written. I have never heard, however, of adding these new plots into the original, to me this sounds just kind of tricky. I think if you were able to add them into the main story it could work. You could add them in like subplots. It could be like writing out of order I suppose, and if it turns out you can't add them into your main plot, just the writing itself could possibly get you unstuck.



As for the plots being cliched, I don't think I'd worry about it. Just write it, and if it ends up sounded cliche, see what you can do to fix it, and if you can't, don't add it to the main plot. You are already a step up by realizing sometimes your ideas are cliche and being able to recognize them.



My opinion would be to go for it. You're stuck now so you aren't getting anywhere. In my opinion, crappy writing is better than no writing because you can edit bad ideas, but you can't edit what you haven't written.

Answer 2

If you get stuck on a story plot the best is not to start another it will only fill the empty time temporarily.Every plot has a rough spot but if you always start new plots you'll just keep starting new ones and never finish others.I reccomend re-reading your plot to see if everything makes sense.Then,I just let it come to me.Make sure to read aloud for max. imagination.



♥ Hope I Helped!

Answer 3

I find that if I get stuck on a story, it's usually better for me to work on something else if only for a while, then once I have something for the first story get back to it. I can't "force" ideas out--they have to either flow as I'm writing or come to me when I'm doing something else.



So for me, I'd take your mind off of the old story, maybe ponder a new one--but don't completely forget the old story!