It really comes down to the person. I work my best when I'm juggling projects. It gives me perspective and room to digest and process in the back of my mind. Then I revisit it. A good way to handle it is to schedule around it. If you have a few ideas, set days to just work on them. Don't make it rigid, since creativity isn't a faucet, but at least you know you allotted time to work on your newer ideas while still keeping your older project in your head. Perhaps you'll have a hot streak and stick with one. Maybe you won't, but at least you won't feel victimized by SOS - You'll know specifically what other shiny is grabbing you. I try to stick to one finished project before adding a new ball, but yes, that flexes so much it's hard to call it a rule. I say, don't look at it as a syndrome or affliction. Rocker Josh Homme once said, "I don't suffer from ADD. I have OKHY - Okay, Hell Yeah." It's the same thing, you are easily lured to your newest and greatest ideas. Don't consider it a crutch or obstacle. Work with it. I can't think of any author who has said, directly to me or in an Introduction to a collection, that they zero in on one story or idea at a time. They write, shelve, revisit, shelve, write, repeat. The key is to finish what you start. It takes discipline, but that feeling of having a finished draft, first or final, and sharing it with your editors of choice is more rewarding than the temporary buzz of adoration you get when you rapid fire your latest sparks of ideas off.

I struggle with this not only in my writing, but in just about every facet of my life, oh, every day? All day, every day? For me, it is absolutely in the psyche and I guarantee stems from my diagnosed Social Anxiety Disorder & Panic Disorder. I've taken steps to begin overcoming it, but up until recently it's been pretty crippling in allowing me to put things out in a place (IE., the world) where I have zero control over how it is perceived and reacted to. It is pretty exciting, for me, and I'm starting out small by trying to get some short stories published over the summer. It's been a real battle, emotionally and psychologically. Most of my projects get to about 80% completed, dread and anxiety overcome me, and I begin the skeleton and narrative for ANOTHER story. I certainly hope others are able to overcome SOS far easier than I, ha ha.

@Sean...Drop me a note. I got into screenwriting because my PD escalated into agoraphobia and I couldn't keep up with the demands of novel promotion. I figured I'd keep my skills cooking by writing screenplays because no way would I ever make any inroads with those! Whoops. There is a way out. It took me 10 years, but when I hit that tipping point, I spent the next year flying 150,000 miles around the globe. Not bad for someone who couldn't even talk on the phone at one time or walk outside for mail. Still working on the Social Phobias, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve I can share. The SOS in the article you found, Scott, sounds as if it was taken from Robert Greene's book Mastery. All of his books are excellent, and for writers his book on Seduction is invaluable. This week I watched two films that were low budget and constructed around emotional tension. One wasn't so good (Side Effects) and the other (Far From Heaven) seduces the viewer with riveting stealth (it also made me wonder if it was the influence for Mad Men). I have SOS with prose work because of fear. The first thoughts and words are always wretched and I run to the next shiny object. Some close friends and I are trying to beat this by using Heinlein's method (easy to find with a google search), and it's very difficult to do. We support each other with challenges and end-of-day screen shots sent to each other to verify we're barreling through. It helps having others struggling along with you. You do what you have to do and keep searching for whatever it is that works for you. I agree with Mark that WIPs need to be set aside for a time and viewed with fresh eyes. You need to get the damned thing done, but the re-writes are sometimes best done when you can view it as someone else's work. I don't have this problem with scripts, probably because there's so much messy prep that's an accepted part of the process. After something is vetted and all that other stuff, I sleep on the couch. Honest. There's a notebook and pen on the coffee table, and all I have to do is swing my legs over and "spike the job." That's it, the project is planted in my head and stays there all day long, as messy and ugly as it needs to be. I keep Evernote on my phone and dictate notes while driving or waiting in line. It's fabulous. I've been sleeping on the couch since December. It's not half bad. Those of us with SOS are in good company. Josh Whedon deals with this and sticks with David Allen's GTD system, a book he admits he never finished :-) You don't need to finish the book, just smash and grab the parts you need.

I'm in that syndrome right now I think though this time I've written about 40 scenes although there's a big hole in one of the characters. I've got enough so I'm going to plough my way through the first draft and try to keep up with the Go Your Own Quest. I thank Scott and the blog for helping me through this. I'm excited about this project and more importantly, I'm excited about writing.

At first I thought the post was about distraction as it is. But while getting through it I saw it’s about distraction with other ideas. For me it’s helpful to understand the material on personal level. For example: they try to toss me some other projects, but I feel jealous towards my ‘special one’. I think I see it as personal on some deep level (I don’t use word ‘personal’, I don’t see it as personal, but it is obviously personal). I think you should attach yourself to this work with more then just a goal. Second, there should be something that you resonate with: in terms of recent Aristotle talks – try to figure out what you have been imitating. While digging there try to figure out the level of personal in this particular project. In fact I think every time ‘it’s personal’. Whatever distracts your attention it is in you. The distractions may also be systematized – define it, make this flow finite. Try to dig very deep in these distractions, look for what the distractions have in common with your story. Be as much introspective as it takes. In short: try to identify these Units of Imitation, analyze them, try to create a system out of them. Generally ‘categorizing’ [fears] works like curing mechanism .

Ahh!! I recently did go through this - and got cured with some good advice and a reminder of why I started writing it in the first place, so this article is great and spot on. Speaking of 'shiny object syndrome', It's easy for this to happen when you have stepped away from said project for a long time (in my case, I was juggling other projects and lost focus) - anyhow recently reconnected with it again and will make sure I get it done before I lose momentum! Speaking of which, it's go time!

Your pragmatic approach resonated for me, partly because i've only gotten interested in screenwriting becuase I can't let go of my idea. Haven't written it, yet, but am plugging along. However, in jest - what's the difference between SOS and ADD/ADHD? It's ADHD if you can stay in the chair and write 30 minutes. ADD if you can stay in the chair and write 45 minutes, then fall asleep at your keyboard and it's SOS if you can write, more or less, for a month, but then start something new altogether.

I can totally relate to this. I always chock it up to undiagnosed ADD... or maybe it's just a lack of actual discipline on my part. Who knows.

[...] the internet has to offer.  But my problem might actually be more accurately described as “shiny object syndrome,” where I am seduced by new ideas and [...]

Struck gold! There's a weekly check-in for goals on the Black Board community associated with this blog. It's fantastic for those who enjoy some accountability. The group is great, from what I can see all goals are honored, lots of support, and no shame if you don't meet your goals, just a little cheer to get you to the next one. If anybody's not familiar with it, it's listed at the top of this blog on screen left. Black Board. Aside from the goals check in, it's a treasure trove of info, ideas, support, and plain old good people from all levels of our craft.