Don’t throw your WIPs away!
You have some projects that are works-in-progress but then something happens. You lose interest, you can’t seem to finish it so you get frustrated about it or you don’t think it’s any good. You’ve probably left your WIPs alone for days, weeks, or months. You come back to them and there’s still nothing. So now you’re hovering over that delete button. Well, don’t. Here’s why:
The right time to come back to your WIPs
You probably thought that the right timing is mostly for lovers. To be fair, there is love between you and your project. It’s just quite blurry at the moment but it’s there. Don’t throw it away because, at some point in your life, you’re going to look back on your progress. Those unfinished works contribute to it despite the missing parts.
Maybe you can pick it up again and you will realize how easier it is to do now. You will have a completely different attitude towards it. You have a new perspective from the time you’ve put your project on pause. If you couldn’t do it before, that doesn’t mean you never could do it all along.
Your previous WIPs are the missing piece
You’re doing something entirely new. It’s a different project. Maybe you’re writing a story and you realize it’s missing something. You get stuck in a cycle of writing and erasing. It’s a sinking feeling because self-doubt can sometimes be a strong force. But then, you’re sorting through your previous drafts. Lo and behold, you’ve found your missing piece.
Your previous WIPs that are left untouched can still be used. You might be able to take something from them and fit it right in with your new work. Sometimes, what you are looking for is already in our hands. We just have to realize their potential. After all, you wouldn’t have made them in the first place if you didn’t think they are a good idea.
Making something new
When you come back to your WIPs that have been stored away, you can also make something new out of them. It’s not always about continuing where you left off or extracting an idea or detail from it. Your WIP can also undergo a rebirth. It’s like a superhero who has disappeared and come back stronger than ever.
Don’t throw away your WIPs so quickly. You never know, you might have a need for them someday. They’re not remnants of failure.
In fact, just as what WIPs stand for, they are your progress. Through them, you further develop yourself and your art as well as be reminded that you are growing.
