What's the longest you've ever worked on anything?

[Australis]

I've given up working on me - it's too hard, the bits don't fit and the plans are incomplete.

I've been working on a novel about ancient Greece since 1993. I've done about 35% of the first draft and a ton of research, which is still ongoing, and part of the problem - as more research comes to light, more discoveries, it changes the slant of the story. It's a lot of fun, and quite intriguing, but doesn't contribute a lot to the actual writing and finishing.

Aside from that, I wrote a 7 part TV miniseries. I worked on it when I wasn't actually at work and I doing a lot of commuting which gave me extra time. It required a lot of research as well (Australian history) and then each script went through at least 5 drafts. Took a solid year. At the end I had the piece of writing I'm most proud of.

 

[Kestra]

I've spent 6 years trying to teach my husband that the bathtub is NOT a laundry hamper.

No success yet, but I keep trying.

The bathtub?!

I guess my list would be my education, my marriage (or rather, relationship with the man who is now my husband), and myself.

They've all had their ups and downs, but things are looking better and I'm feeling like I'm finally seeing some results. I'm constantly looking for ways to better myself and I'm far from perfect now, so I'm pretty sure this will be a lifelong thing.

 

[LitmusDragon]

I had the idea of writing a book about a child who had a praying mantis for a spirit animal for about 10 years now. I didn't actually start writing the book until about three years ago, and finished it earlier this year.

 

[RandyS]

I spent seven years writing, researching, and rewriting a sci-fi novel. On the day I finished it, I was making an updated back-up of the file at the exact second my computer crashed and I lost all that work.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I spent seven years writing, researching, and rewriting a sci-fi novel. On the day I finished it, I was making an updated back-up of the file at the exact second my computer crashed and I lost all that work.

Multiple backups never occurred to you?

 

[ares93]

I spent seven years writing, researching, and rewriting a sci-fi novel. On the day I finished it, I was making an updated back-up of the file at the exact second my computer crashed and I lost all that work.

Multiple backups never occurred to you?

i did that once. had four 500gb drives in external enclosures plus a NAS with two 1TB drives. last year i messed up and used those cable thingies to tie the wires together. and when one fell off my desk the all went along for the ride... haven't made backups since then. mostly because of a lack of harddrives.... backups are overrated.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

My name is PKTrekGirl and I am a project-aholic.

I have projects going that involve everything from Photoshop (making desktops and avatars) to reading (read all books written in English about mountaineering on Everest) to movie watching (see every single film made by Humphrey Bogart) to running (run 800 miles this year) to collecting (I collect rare films, 1st edition books, Bev Doolittle prints, Russian lacquer boxes, Russian eggs, Icons, Rudolph Valentino and Errol Flynn memorabilia, unique souvenirs from all the places I've traveled, Star Trek Hallmark Christmas Ornaments, Depression Glass, and who knows what else. )

I wouldn't even know how to rate some of these projects, in terms of time...because collecting, for example, is a lifetime activity that you never really 'finish' in most cases. Shoot, I even have a collection of turtles somewhere in a box - turtles were my college sorority mascot...and I collected quite a few, back in the day, but haven't acquired any new ones in 15 years, probably.

So in light of all that, I guess I'll go with the project I have been working on, off & on, since I was about 12 years old: "Project Lose Weight." I don't even want to THINK about all the weight I've lost over the years...especially since, incredibly, I STILL have about 20 - 25 lbs to go.

 

[Eyes]

I don't tend to work on things for that long. I try, but eventually I move on to other things. I have a story that I'm writing at the moment, which I started about a month ago. This time I really plan to finish it, and not move on, but it's hard to do that.

Probably the longest I've continually spent working on something is, er, well at the moment it's that novel, and I honestly can't think of anything that I've really worked and worked on for longer.

 

[RandyS]

I spent seven years writing, researching, and rewriting a sci-fi novel. On the day I finished it, I was making an updated back-up of the file at the exact second my computer crashed and I lost all that work.

Multiple backups never occurred to you?

Actually yes. I do have another backup. Sadly though, this one is an older backup which did not include the last few months of my work (I forgot I even had it til recently). Basically, I'm gonna have to rewrite the last several months worth of work.

Still frustrating as hell though.

 

[RandyS]

My name is PKTrekGirl and I am a project-aholic.

I have projects going that involve everything from Photoshop (making desktops and avatars) to reading (read all books written in English about mountaineering on Everest) to movie watching (see every single film made by Humphrey Bogart) to running (run 800 miles this year) to collecting (I collect rare films, 1st edition books, Bev Doolittle prints, Russian lacquer boxes, Russian eggs, Icons, Rudolph Valentino and Errol Flynn memorabilia, unique souvenirs from all the places I've traveled, Star Trek Hallmark Christmas Ornaments, Depression Glass, and who knows what else. )

I wouldn't even know how to rate some of these projects, in terms of time...because collecting, for example, is a lifetime activity that you never really 'finish' in most cases. Shoot, I even have a collection of turtles somewhere in a box - turtles were my college sorority mascot...and I collected quite a few, back in the day, but haven't acquired any new ones in 15 years, probably.

So in light of all that, I guess I'll go with the project I have been working on, off & on, since I was about 12 years old: "Project Lose Weight." I don't even want to THINK about all the weight I've lost over the years...especially since, incredibly, I STILL have about 20 - 25 lbs to go.

I like some of your list, and even share a few (reading and watching movies, though I count those more as "fun" rather than a "project".).

Regarding your turtles somewhere in a box. Are we talking LIVE turtles here or what?

 

[Cheapjack]

My project will definitely be finished by the 25th. Maybe this time I'll get a sweetie or two for it. The problem with me, is that people around me think I am pulling ideas from thin air, and I'm not, I've been reading SF since I was ten and I can think of the odd thing, with a bit of effort. I might not think of anything ever again, but I might get a job out of this.

 

[SmoothieX]

I'm surprised how many people are writing a book on the side. The thought has never occured to me. I do a lot of technical writing for work, so I'm used to that. Any novel I tried to do would be incredibly dull.

 

[Cheapjack]

I hope it goes right this time. I think I will have a little weep if it doesn't.

 

[Servo]

I've been working on my beer belly for about 20 years.

Other than that, I'd say I've spent the most time working on my guitar skills. Been playing for around 16 years.

 

[ares93]

I'm surprised how many people are writing a book on the side. The thought has never occured to me. I do a lot of technical writing for work, so I'm used to that. Any novel I tried to do would be incredibly dull.

i dont think theres a trekkie/trekker that haven't tried writing just for fun.
i've been writing ST stories for years now. but "From ashes..." is the only project i can actually call a book. but truth to be told i think i'm going to scrap the idea. i've pretty much finished the preliminary draft but... my english is simply not good enough and translating approx 100-120 thousand words to hungarian will take quite a while.

 

[BolianAuthor]

Hmmm... well, I spent about ten years developing and refining my Star Trek: Entomalians story, before I finally posted it here way back when, and most recently I spent over two years writing Battlestar Urantia, so I guess those two works would be my longest projects to date.

 

[KimMH]

23 years with the hubs and 21 with the kid.

 

[Cheapjack]

My project should be finished by the 25-26th. I didn't tell anyone about it this time, cos that's a bad technique, but all the same, you feel there is pressure on you, even if you don't tell anyone. Just getting some praise for it, would be great, would be good. Just being paid for something I have set my heart on since the age of ten, would be good. People can sometimes be very cruel.

 

[SmoothieX]

i dont think theres a trekkie/trekker that haven't tried writing just for fun.

Honestly, I never have. But I'm an engineer, and everyone knows we can't write.

 

[Miss Chicken]

It spent nearly 5 years getting my diploma in Library and Information Service. Some times I studied full-time, sometimes part-time.

I have spent about 15 years researching my family tree and it is still an on-going thing.