Writing Partners

Contemplating becoming a writing team? There are things to know. Start with what are you both bringing to the table? What are you both hoping to get out of it? Do you both understand the work it requires?

I have taken on this challenge. My best friend from childhood and I are going to attempt to write a novel. Our lives are both rich in the backgrounds we’ve had and the things we have done. I am a published author. My friend is not.

The first thing we did was create a pen-name. This will be different for me, writing under an assumed name. I have always written under my own name. It is a novel experience and I am warming to the idea.

The idea we are working with belongs to my writing partner. The characters are from her imagination. I have to meet them and learn about them. It is very different for me. My characters grow in my imagination and become my friends. And yes, I do argue with them. On good days they let me win.

Not only do the characters come from my partner’s imagination, the entire premise for the story-line is hers. Both of us have done some research on what we are writing about: the where it all takes place, the when, the how, and the logistics. We are certain to take a road trip at some point as we want to be as accurate in our telling as possible.

Did I mention we are writing about a real place? While the characters and storyline are strictly from the imagination, the location is real. The location and its history are a huge part of our story.

Who will write what? How is that determined? In our case we have each taken one of the main characters to write about. I have to learn one character and how she interacts with others. It will be interesting.

My partner is the creative genius, I am just the wordsmith. Together we are hoping to have a mystery tale which will be a smashing success. Do we have more to work with down the road? Oh, yes.

We need a contract on how royalties will be divided with each other and the publishing company. We need to know who gets paid in case we are deceased. We need to work out book signings. Who will we be? Will we be together? How are we going to present our writing presence in the public?

Most importantly, we need to get down to the actual writing. I am hoping we will start in a couple of weeks is just that. I want to see this book start to come to life. The first three pages have been written for a year. We need to move or give it up. I am not one who likes to give up, but I am one who will move to something different while waiting.

Stay tuned to this hub site to see how we fare. Will we make it as a writing team? Will we still be friends? Will the novel get written? These will be the burning questions. Baby steps to completion.