I go to a lot of exhibitions and over the years saw how other photographers were working, essentially on bodies of work. In the late 190's I bought a remaindered (excess stock sold of cheap) 1988 Michael Freeman book "Achieving Photographic Style", what he does in the book is look at how quite a number of different well known photographers were working and how they each had their own style. While learning nothing new from the book it totally re-enforced the way I was already working.
Projects must be of interest, perhaps reflect your pursuits, sympathies or concerns. I played with ideas to start with photographing a small cast iron foot bridge for about a year in all seasons and weather conditions, including snow and fog = that helped me in terms of consistency being able to use images shot in wildly different conditions coherently together, more an exercise than a project to be exhibited as a whole. At the same time realising in other places I that I was photographing industrial landscape, that tightened my parameters and brought structure to my projects. So the first major project was based around an abandoned canal, and as mentioned earlier exhibited in an arts centre gallery.
Each completed project gives you greater confidence and strength, so as I neared completing the Canal project in 1989 I went into the "Black Country" (black from coal dust) an industrial area near Birmingham in the UK. one evening with a friend to take some photos. Stood on top of a coal slag heap knowing I'd just made some great images (I'd never shot there before) I said I'm going to spend 5 years working here with an exhibition at the end, and that's what happened, culminating in an exhibition of 62 images and picking up some arts funding and sponsorship to help with costs.
It's a case of setting yourself some goals, an exhibition, magazine publication, even a book. It's also about trying to say something with you photography, there may be social, moral political overtones or maybe humour, or it may be more documentary.
Ian