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

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

What if Teyla thinks everything's cool as is, John's completely disgusted and wants to break off negotiations with these people immediately and Elizabeth wants to try to rehabiliate them and then trade?

Those are all completely natural reactions, and would be really interesting to explore.

On the other hand,

I have yet to see and would dearly love to find a fic that addresses spirituality Pegasus style.

Either way, if you're game, we've got our plot. (Now we just have to decide which one. Or we could do both, and have a series on our hands. I mean, the thing that I want see most is everyone dealing with issues that don't really have any good resolution.)

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Maybe.... Oooohhh oohhh ooohh

These two things are tied.

I mean, doesn't it make it much much easier to steal from cannibal bastards than peaceful farmer fred?

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

Let me think about that. Because: wow.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping that's a good wow and not a "Dear Lord you drank all the wine again didn't you Lorraine" wow.

LOL

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

No, I just need to think out the logistics of writing this thing -- we can't just dump it on our poor heroes all at once (or on the readers).

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

*nods*

I agree. Plus I actually *had* been drinking all the wine last night so who knows if I was making any sense. LOL

[executrix.livejournal.com]

Doesn't it make it much easier to steal from cannibal bastards than peaceful farmer fred?

Bearing in mind, however, this immortal exchange from "Butley":

EDNA: I'm not having any bomb-throwing radicals skipping my seminars!
BUTLEY: Any bomb-throwing radicals are WELCOME to skip my seminars.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Pls to be explaining this Butley. LOL

I recognizeth it not.

[executrix.livejournal.com]

It's a very funny mid-seventies play by Simon Gray about an English professor (in both senses of the term) who not only has to deal with the usual academic stresses, but both his ex-wife and his boyfriend are getting married to blokes he can't stand. It was made into a movie with Alan Bates.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oh that does sound funny. I'll have to see if I can Netflix it.