27 September 2011

Collaboration

I really enjoy collaborative writing, although I don't get to do it very often these days. Whether that collaboration means crafting a story from beginning to end with a co-author or trading it back and forth round-robin style without a communal clue as to where it's going, I like it. I started doing it back in grade school, in fact. Of course, then it took the form of "I wrote myself into a corner. Here. Write me out of it" along with the handing over of pencil-scribble-covered pages. Usually, it worked. Fresh eyes and a fresh imagination can always see something new. And I would naturally return the favour upon request. That's what partners are for. Writing is so often a solo gig, and sometimes it can get lonely. Sure, all those voices in your head can keep you hopping, but sometimes they clam up, and sometimes you need a break from those fictional people. Having a co-author to turn to, whether it's a means of getting you unstuck when you can't figure out how to get out of the mess you've gotten your characters into, or it's someone to bounce ideas around with until you collectively decide what happens next, can be an invaluable thing. I'm hoping I have the chance to do a bit of co-writing soon. It's going to take an alignment of the stars to make it happen, I fear, but I've got this really big magnet I've been dying to try out, so I'll see if I can't do something about that and the laws of physics be damned.

3 comments:

Kate Davies said...

Would love to take a chance on collaboration, but haven't ever really given it a try - and I worry that I'll fail at keeping up my end of the bargain. I can barely keep my writing promises to myself these days, LOL.

Still, it's always intrigued me!

Maia Strong said...

Sometimes it helps my motivation to know that someone else is waiting on me. Not always, of course, but sometimes. But when it comes down to it, I just find it fun. It's a game or a 'choose your own adventure'. I always have been a roll-player/gamer. Collaboration is similar, but without dice. Usually. ;-D

Maia Strong said...

Or, indeed, *role*-player. *sigh* Too much wine to spell properly tonight.