The Three C’s of
Collaboration
A lot of elements go into a successful co-writing
experience. But there are three basic considerations that will apply to almost
any type of writing collaboration.
Compatibility
When working with a writing partner, compatibility is very
important, not only between writing styles but also in regard to your
personalities, your work ethic, your expectations and goals, and your approaches
to conflict resolution.
We are fortunate to have been friends long before we became
co-authors, so a large part of the compatibility question was already decided.
Before starting on our first novel, we did some writing exercises to determine
if we could work well together in that area. We also discussed expectations and
found that we both want the best possible end product, regardless of how many
revisions it takes. We have similar dedication to the process of writing and we
share a desire to work through any disagreements.
Even though we have known each other for years, there was
still a lot of very necessary discussion on these points. For writers thinking
of partnering we would suggest detailed dialogue with your potential partner(s)
to clarify these issues. How do you each feel about revisions? Can you take
criticism? How many words/pages do you feel should be written per day? How many
words should a finished book contain? How will you resolve disagreements about
plots, characters, sentence structure, etc.? How will you divide the work on
each project?
The more compatible you are on these points before you
start, the smoother your writing partnership will go.
Communication
This seems like a no-brainer, but it can surprise you how
much different your viewpoint is from your co-author’s. For instance, when
writing our second novel we assumed we had pretty much the same idea of how a
particular house would look. When it came time to write the scenes, we were
surprised to learn we each had wildly differing images in mind. This experience
taught us it’s a good idea to decide as much as possible in advance of writing
the first page. Of course, not everything can be decided ahead of time because
the writing process is a fluid thing and often changes are made mid-story, but
much can be determined at the beginning.
How to we accomplish this? Pictures help. We find photos on
the internet of what our characters look like. We also use pictures as a
starting point for certain structures. Even animals. Those pictures never make
their way into our books; they are for our private use only. Diagrams and maps are
useful tools as well. For instance, the Guju bird in our novel Tangerine
is loosely based on a white peacock; and before finishing Betrayed we
knew exactly how Lance’s cabin was laid out because we had already drawn it.
We also find it beneficial to describe our characters, just
for our own information, well in advance of starting the story. We need to know
what their personalities are, their histories, their attitudes, their
approaches to situations, their habits, their flaws, their positive qualities.
The bottom line is, never assume you and your co-writer
have the same idea in mind. That said, do we always get all the bases
covered? No, of course not. There are still times when something will crop up
and we’ll be surprised at each other’s perspective. Then at least one of us has
to reconfigure her mental outlook, but often we end up somewhere between our
individual visions.
Compromise
Ego has no place in writing. Confidence, yes. Ego, no. If
you are so married to your work that you refuse to make changes, working with a
writing partner may not be the right move for you. Keep in mind that the
ultimate goal in your writing is to produce the best possible end result. If
something will make your project better, then it’s worth considering.
For us, there is a lot of compromise, and it’s surprisingly
easy to do. For instance, one of us wanted a character of ours to have scars
and the other did not like the idea. In a separate story, one of us wanted a
character’s wife to be a baker, but the other didn’t think it necessary to
include her livelihood. A trade ensued. We kept the part about the baker and
eliminated the scars. This was an agreement we could both live with. Often if
one of us has a cherished line of dialogue or other element we wish to keep in
the story, the other will acquiesce. Then the next time around, the one who
previously yielded will prevail. It’s a balance.
There will be times when no compromise is acceptable. Our
best advice for those times involves three things. Number one; be ready to make
your case for why you want a certain element in the story. Back it up with good
reasons. Number two; be willing to listen as your partner makes his/her case.
Ask questions and sincerely make an effort to see the other’s point of view. Be
willing to give the matter careful consideration. And number three; know when
you need to take a break from each other. It might be just a several hours or
possibly even a couple of days before you can come together again and resolve
the issue.
Here are the links to Wodke Hawkinson and their works:
Website: http://wodke-hawkinson.com/
Twitter ID:@WodkeHawkinson
Tangerine
- Romance and intrigue in a future where space travel is commonplace and
aliens a part of everyday life.
Betrayed
- Brooklyn is taken captive during a botched
carjacking. And so her nightmare begins.
Betrayed - Alternate Ending - Written
especially for readers of Betrayed, this publication begins at chapter 49
of the original novel and takes the story in a completely different direction.
*Make sure to check back for the rest of this blog post on January 11th.
