For composing projects, I do my best to line things up such that once I'm done with a piece, there's a new one to work on...optimally, with a deadline imposed by somebody else. I don't write anything anymore that someone hasn't asked me to, so that I have a sense of obligation driving me -- and the standing invitation I have to write for thomascantor and/or wavyarms is handy in that regard.

That's not to say there isn't music I want to write of my own volition; but my plan is not to actually execute those ideas until there's somebody who wants them.

Also, I usually enlist someone with more energy and drive than I do to spearhead personal projects -- for example, wavyarms was my XO for a recent recording of some choral music, and without her I'm not sure anything would have gotten done...