How Do You Co-Write?

First off, I'm going to tell you that there have been many times where someone has asked me and my sister this question.  How do you co-write?  And shamefully, I have never had a very good answer... But perhaps I can explain it better in writing than I can in speaking.  Because that seems to be who I am...

C'est voila.  I've explained co-writing in a GIF.  Kidding... Mostly...


All right, there are several ways to do it.  One, I'm going to assume that most people thinking about co-writing don't actually live in the same house, but do see each other in real life...  So, you're going to want to find a day to sit down and talk.  Maybe over tea.  And scones.  Or biscuits.  Or whatever food helps you think, because food tends to help me think...

 (2) Bring a notebook.  Write down ideas.  Talk about your favourite movies, books, TV shows - what you like most about them.  Whether it's the characters, or the plot, or something else entirely.  You might find your own original idea hiding in someone else's, as odd as that may seem.  For example, when Christy and I began Turn of the Tides - we had been discussing Santa Clause.  And Peter Pan.  Three books later in the series, and I still remember the conversation...

(3) Don't focus too much on the plot.  I know, I know, you may want the perfect plot with no plot holes and with the grandest twists and turns that entice the reader so... But there will always be plot holes.  People will always find something to complain about.  And no, that's not very encouraging - but I'll tell you, put more into the characters than the plot.  If you do it right, the characters will surprise you.  Most likely the best books you have ever read were ones that had relatable characters...

(4)  People often ask if we take turns writing... And I think what they imagine is us, at one computer, writing together.  Or even taking turns with chapters.  But it is not so... I suggest using either Gmail, or Chatzy for the actual writing process - you get on separate computers, and one of you begins the chapter... Usually with description.  Say, Christy would begin like so -

Example) The ship rocked on the water, the wood creaking and the sails flapping in the wind.  It was calming... Well, at least it was for Loslin.  Ostaf found it to be rather sickening.  Sometimes Loslin did wonder why the young man wanted to stay on The Vengeance, as he spent quite a bit of time sea-sick.  The young pirate captain stood at the ship's wheel, gloved hands gripping it tightly.  "West," he called his brother's name as he saw him crossing the deck.

Then, I would read her post, and would reply with something like so...

Example)  West looked up, his expression rather confused.  He met ice-blue eyes, realization dawning as the other man called his name once more.  He nodded and began jogging towards the steps.  As soon as he reached his sibling, West stood by his side to look out at the bustling crew.  "Wh-what is it?" he asked, glancing sideways.

AND so it goes, sending paragraph's back and forth.  You have to be careful so that it doesn't end up with, say, this -

"How are you?" Loslin asked.

And five paragraphs later, after West FULLY muses on all of life's issues and basks in the sunlight and perhaps even does his best pirate jig...

"Oh.  Fine."

Yeah.  It's an art to master.  Christy and I did our fair-share of re-writing, and regretting our writing mistakes and... Yes.  Things happen.

(5)  Be kind to yourself, and to each other.  If you're not liking your character, take a step back.  Add a character trait.  Take one away.  Re-write a chapter.  Add a memory.  If you hate a scene you wrote, you can always fix it later.  



(6)  Just write.  You can edit later, you can make everything fit together just as you like it, you can add chapter titles and name the book and... You can do it all later.  Just write your book first.


Thank you all for your time, I love you, God bless and Godspeed in your adventures!

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