A zebra has stripes. And every zebra’s stripes are in a different configuration, like a fingerprint. At least that’s what I’ve seen on nature documentaries. So what does this have to do with writing?

The strips of a Zebra remind me of the various stripes of a writer, that is, the various genres or types of writing we do. Most writers have several types of text. I write nonfiction books, articles, and blog posts about writing (as one of many topics); I also write screenplays. And I’ve written a bunch of other stuff over the years, from adolescent novels to office procedure manuals.

When I meet someone whom I haven’t seen for a while, they invariably ask me, “How’s that book coming?” And I have to ask, “Which one?” I usually have two or three books I’m actively working on, with many more on the Future titles list. And my filing cabinet is full of folders with ideas and notes, sometimes outlines, references, and other materials, just waiting for me to have the time to work on them.

When they tell me the title, or gist, of the idea I was working on when last I saw then, I fill them in on the results: it was published, it went back to the filing cabinet, whatever.

I have found that being involved in several projects at once is typical of many writers. So if you’re frustrated with all the ideas and projects you’ve started and can’t seem to finish because of all the new ideas streaming through your mind, relax. You’re typical, at least for writers I’ve known.

It’s as if we need to work different writing muscles all the time. For me, I love writing anything I decide to write. But I truly revel in writing my screenplays. In fact, I use my screenplays as a reward when I have a writing task that I’d rather not have to do. I say, “If I finish this task, then I can write on my screenplay for a few hours.” And invariably, I get the task done and get my reward.

Another way of looking at this changing of projects is that we hate a routine. I know I do. So when I get bored or discouraged with one project, I move to another. I have had jobs (luckily in the past) like being an AP clerk (accounts payable), where I was processing paperwork all day. That was boring. So as a writer, I shift gears every once in a while, even though the project is not yet finished. Of course, when I finish a project, then I get to move on to another without having to make excuses to myself.

I am one of those writers who writes both fiction and nonfiction (if you haven’t guessed that already). I have found that if I go too long without writing any fiction (like a few months), I go nuts. Really. I get depressed. I stop eating (not a bad thing) and I stop talking (a sure sign of my depression). But the moment I return to writing fiction, my depression lifts, and I’m fine. So maybe that’s another reason for my various projects.

It took me many years to figure out the source of my depressions. Now, I know the signs. But of course, now I’m writing on my screenplays full time (along with all this nonfiction), so the depression has no chance of taking hold of me and wrestling me to the ground.

To return to the zebra stripes, if I were to write only nonfiction books about writing, I’d look like a solid colored horse. But I sports stripes, each one reflecting a different type of writing that I enjoy writing. And I’m happy.

What are your stripes? What genres do you switch back and forth between throughout your writing year?

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Katherine Ploeger, MA, MFA, is a writer, teacher, and consultant. She publishes practical, process-oriented information for nonfiction writers and screenwriters on her blog, Katie’s Writing Notes (katieploeger.wordpress.com). Also check out her website at www.ploegersservices.com for books about writing.