Successful Co-Writing: the Who with the What Now?

[lunabee34]

I've been wondering for some time now how those of you who co-author fics negotiate doing so. It seems to me that writing with another person is potentially an incredibly rewarding experience but also one that can be fraught with tension. The only time I attempted to co-write a fic was roughly two years ago, and while the experience was very positive and a lot of fun, the fic was ultimately abandoned when we both had different visions for the project.

In the interest of full disclosure, my musing is prompted by an unfinished fic currently sitting on my hard drive. I'd love for someone to write it with me, but I'm unsure how the actual writing would proceed. Does one person do most of the actual writing, while the second person contributes heavily in the outlining, plotting, and revision/expansion stages (which seems the most workable model to me)? Do both people write equally, maybe taking turns every page or so (which seems much more difficult to me as even two very good writers will differ in terms of style)?

If you have written with another person and feel that the experience was a positive one, please share with me your tips on co-writing. And I'm maybe kinda putting out feelers to the hard-core flisters here about collaborating with me on something. Maybe. LOL

Comments

[lyr]

A couple of years back, I signed on as the third of a writing team working on an AU virtual season 2 of SGA. We planned to write the first three eps and an outline of the overall arc together and then write solo installments after that. I did the organizing, taking the overall short outline of the first ep and splitting it into 21 fully outlined scenes we could divide evenly between us. I know some other people split these things up by each taking a different character POV, or each writing a set amount of words and then handing it back.

[lyr]

And P.S.: I'd love to work on something with you, but I'm short on time right now.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a really cool project. Did it ever get completed?

I'd love to work on something with you as well. :) Whenever you get some time or an idea you think would be good to collaborate on, let me know. ;)

[lyr]

It was pretty cool, but no, it didn't. Two of the three of us turned in our first scenes, but the third never actually wrote anything, so we sort of just let it go so she wouldn't feel too bad about it. I'd like to one day adapt the solo episodes I mapped out into fics of my own.

I will absolutely let you know when I have the time and an idea. If you have an idea you think I'd be a good fit for, you let me know, too.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oh you should. I know they'd be good reads.

If I think of anything I'll let you know. I wouldn't want to pass up the opportunity to collaborate with you.

:)