What are your 'best practices' with your writing partner?
October 8, 2015 3:29 AM Subscribe
I'm about to start a writing project with someone else. I have no idea how this is done: logistically, that can be all worked out, I mean more division of labor. Does one dream up and the other grind it out?
What works best for you and your writing partner?
Best answer: When I'm working with other writers, what we nearly always do is meet to break story (in person or video chat). This happens either all at once in the beginning, or several times over the course of a project, once for each big chunk. We decide in those meetings what the character arcs are, what the plot beats are, key conflicts and themes. Basically hash out all the what-happens-next bits. Then we work out a structure for which bits of story go in what order (episodes or chapters, say) and assign out who does which sections of writing. Sometimes alternating, sometimes each writer is more in charge of one character and their POV; generally try to let each of you write the things you're more excited about. You go away and write on your own. Then you show the pieces to each other and smooth over the transitions and any continuity conflicts that spring up, and there will always be some.
I would never, never, never participate in an uncompensated co-writing relationship that amounts to "one dreams up and the other grinds it out." If you're not both doing both of those things, it's not a partnership, it's a commissioner/client relationship. Whether or not money is changing hands.
posted by Andrhia at 6:25 AM on October 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
I would never, never, never participate in an uncompensated co-writing relationship that amounts to "one dreams up and the other grinds it out." If you're not both doing both of those things, it's not a partnership, it's a commissioner/client relationship. Whether or not money is changing hands.
posted by Andrhia at 6:25 AM on October 8, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I've worked in a collaboration with another author on a major project. These are the issues I would settle going in.
Why are we doing this as a collaboration?
What is the time schedule?
What are our individual strengths/weaknesses?
What are our particular likes/dislikes?
From there you may be able to work out an assignment of duties.
If one person likes writing the first draft and is willing to drop the ego while the other refines it, that's one thing. If both want to do the exact same thing and neither wants to do what is necessary to get a finished product, that is another.
These are general rules. Patience. Be able to raise and lower your ego. Collaborate for a reason. Collaborate on something small before you try collaborating on something big.
In my case. I was collaborating for the hell of it with someone I like who I consider a good writer. The time schedule was open-ended. I'm better at generating ideas (although he is not bad at this - I would say our product is 70% my ideas, 30% his) and he is better at grounding the story and demanding plot and character development (He pays special attention to character development). We both like creating and rewriting so that doesn't interfere with what we want to do.
Patience. He takes a lot longer to do something than I do. Raise my ego: insist at times on how something must go when he is in the wrong. Lower my ego: be willing to "kill my babies" both on my own and when he insists. We took on the goal of writing a short story together with the premise it could be extended. It is now novella length and nearing completion.
Logistically. Brainstorming sessions to work out story and characters. Write a short section. Pass it over to the other. Brainstorming sessions to work out problems. (Why does this character continue to hang out with the other when the person is obviously dangerous?) Write the next section.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 7:01 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Why are we doing this as a collaboration?
What is the time schedule?
What are our individual strengths/weaknesses?
What are our particular likes/dislikes?
From there you may be able to work out an assignment of duties.
If one person likes writing the first draft and is willing to drop the ego while the other refines it, that's one thing. If both want to do the exact same thing and neither wants to do what is necessary to get a finished product, that is another.
These are general rules. Patience. Be able to raise and lower your ego. Collaborate for a reason. Collaborate on something small before you try collaborating on something big.
In my case. I was collaborating for the hell of it with someone I like who I consider a good writer. The time schedule was open-ended. I'm better at generating ideas (although he is not bad at this - I would say our product is 70% my ideas, 30% his) and he is better at grounding the story and demanding plot and character development (He pays special attention to character development). We both like creating and rewriting so that doesn't interfere with what we want to do.
Patience. He takes a lot longer to do something than I do. Raise my ego: insist at times on how something must go when he is in the wrong. Lower my ego: be willing to "kill my babies" both on my own and when he insists. We took on the goal of writing a short story together with the premise it could be extended. It is now novella length and nearing completion.
Logistically. Brainstorming sessions to work out story and characters. Write a short section. Pass it over to the other. Brainstorming sessions to work out problems. (Why does this character continue to hang out with the other when the person is obviously dangerous?) Write the next section.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 7:01 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm working on a book with one other coauthor. For us, we made decisions on who would draft which chapters based on our individual skill sets. But we each read and edit and re-read the other's work so that we're both happy with it. And we came up with the big picture outline together and check in regularly via email or in person.
Working on a major writing project with another person can be frustrating. We have different voices in our writing and prefer different styles of communication. But in general this has been extremely rewarding and a good exercise in working through tough spots in order strengthen a creative relationship.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 7:13 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Working on a major writing project with another person can be frustrating. We have different voices in our writing and prefer different styles of communication. But in general this has been extremely rewarding and a good exercise in working through tough spots in order strengthen a creative relationship.
posted by schroedingersgirl at 7:13 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
One of the advantages is that it has eliminated the weak points that might have been left in if either of us wrote it on our own. The disadvantage is that it is no longer an auteur piece. I have had to give up things I like. Another advantage is that I would never had made it the way it is turning out. In that sense, the collaboration has expanded my voice.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 7:32 AM on October 8, 2015
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 7:32 AM on October 8, 2015
Best answer: A bit different: I'm collaborating on a comic. We kick plot and character back and forth, often while stoned. Ideas that sound good get written down. Eventually he goes off and writes a script for the chapter, with rudimentary stage directions and suggestions for paneling and page breaks. I take the script and draw page thumbnails, often completely ignoring his suggestions on how to lay it out. I'll also edit the script at this point for space. Then we look at what I have. If he thinks anything I left out is really important, he'll argue for them, and we'll both consider how much we care about this particular change. He also tends to write with this in mind, and will often write conversations that include a few lines that add flavor but can be removed in a pinch.
(Other times I'll do the first draft, in the form of page thumbnails and placeholder dialogue. It's not important who does the first draft; what's important to this project is that he does a pass or two of applying his skills at Snappy Dialogue learnt from all the sitcoms he listens to in the background while working.)
Then I go draw the thing. Which I guess is kind of "grinding it out", there's a lot more labor involved in that part of making comics. He doesn't get to make any edits to the images after this point. You could sort of see this as being "he handles a the character stuff, I handle the world building and description" if we were only producing prose, though there's definitely overlap.
Basically though: brainstorm together, pass drafts back and forth, polish each others' contributions, be willing to revert a change if the other feels it's important. When we're discussing our edits we spend a lot of time quantifying how important we feel it is that a change be reverted - I like "I will fight you for this" versus "it's not a big deal".
posted by egypturnash at 1:01 PM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
(Other times I'll do the first draft, in the form of page thumbnails and placeholder dialogue. It's not important who does the first draft; what's important to this project is that he does a pass or two of applying his skills at Snappy Dialogue learnt from all the sitcoms he listens to in the background while working.)
Then I go draw the thing. Which I guess is kind of "grinding it out", there's a lot more labor involved in that part of making comics. He doesn't get to make any edits to the images after this point. You could sort of see this as being "he handles a the character stuff, I handle the world building and description" if we were only producing prose, though there's definitely overlap.
Basically though: brainstorm together, pass drafts back and forth, polish each others' contributions, be willing to revert a change if the other feels it's important. When we're discussing our edits we spend a lot of time quantifying how important we feel it is that a change be reverted - I like "I will fight you for this" versus "it's not a big deal".
posted by egypturnash at 1:01 PM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you so much for these insights. And, obviously, I won't stop reading if anyone else has something to add.
posted by From Bklyn at 4:12 AM on October 9, 2015
posted by From Bklyn at 4:12 AM on October 9, 2015
Best answer: My partner and I have an ongoing series, though each book can stand on its own. We plot together, making sure we understand the overarching arc of the series, and we brainstorm all the big ideas. Then, so long as we know what has to happen in each book, we let each other do our thing, then check each other's work in editing. This method requires a LOT of trust in each other (we only started working together after we'd both published multiple books on our own, so we knew the other person produced quality work and met deadlines, but the rest was a leap of faith). It also requires excellent communication. We're on Slack all day, throwing quick questions to the other when we need help or inspiration.
And let me second what is said above, about one person dreaming and the other grinding. NO NO NO. The idea is the easy part. Most people have dozens of ideas for books, and getting through the grind is what separates writers from dreamers. The ONLY way I could see this working is if the "dreamer" also sits down and grinds out a *very* thorough outline the writer can use--and even then, I'd keep track of the time spent by both people.
The others have covered a lot of the craft topics, but I'm not seeing anything about business, which is how this venture should be treated. You need a contract that spells out in explicit detail what each person is responsible for--not just with the writing, but in managing the business (marketing, design, formatting, website maintenance, etc). You'll need all that for sure if you're publishing independently, and the majority of traditional publishers require you to do plenty of non-writing support for projects. The contract should state how payment works, what investment is required, how decisions are made (both creative and business), and what happens if one of you is hit by a bus. This helps protect both of you, but it will also prevent conflict later on, letting you focus on the writing instead of arguing about who was responsible for updating Facebook.
posted by mjm101 at 9:09 AM on October 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
And let me second what is said above, about one person dreaming and the other grinding. NO NO NO. The idea is the easy part. Most people have dozens of ideas for books, and getting through the grind is what separates writers from dreamers. The ONLY way I could see this working is if the "dreamer" also sits down and grinds out a *very* thorough outline the writer can use--and even then, I'd keep track of the time spent by both people.
The others have covered a lot of the craft topics, but I'm not seeing anything about business, which is how this venture should be treated. You need a contract that spells out in explicit detail what each person is responsible for--not just with the writing, but in managing the business (marketing, design, formatting, website maintenance, etc). You'll need all that for sure if you're publishing independently, and the majority of traditional publishers require you to do plenty of non-writing support for projects. The contract should state how payment works, what investment is required, how decisions are made (both creative and business), and what happens if one of you is hit by a bus. This helps protect both of you, but it will also prevent conflict later on, letting you focus on the writing instead of arguing about who was responsible for updating Facebook.
posted by mjm101 at 9:09 AM on October 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
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posted by Jubey at 4:09 AM on October 8, 2015 [1 favorite]