Co-authoring Next Steps

So, you are embarking on the transformative journey of co-authoring. Now what?

There are a few things to look forward to, like celebrating your successes together! It's so satisfying to share your excitement with someone who is as invested in your project and success as you are. 

Conversely, there is someone with whom you can take the hits as well. With a co-author, you aren't alone in your journey, which means it's not quite as scary. You have someone to both wallow in and squeal in happiness with.

But you might be wondering, where do we start?

First, it has been my experience that in-person world-building and brainstorming together are the most fun and beneficial. However, I also know that isn't always possible. If you can't meet to spend designated time ironing out the specifics of your shared world, schedule a few hours for a virtual call. Go into it prepared to be thoughtful and strategic with your call and prepare what you can ahead of time. Be sure you meet as often and for as long as necessary to outline your work. Building a solid foundation for the project is key.

You need to know ahead of time who writes which parts. Granted, aspects of the story might change or develop differently as you write together and discover more about your worlds and characters. But going into it, you will need a plan to make it as stress-free and seamless as possible. If that's not how your brain works, that's fine, too. This process is based on my personal experience and what has worked for me over the years.

Next, agree on a timeline and process. When do you want to have the project completed and what is the process to get there? What tools will you need? Google Docs is very helpful in these cases because all parties can access the project folder, docs, timelines, etc. However, there are many other ways to do this - Google Docs is mine.

We developed our characters so we knew who was writing which POV, came up with a loose outline so we knew what key points we were writing toward, and then we started!

I would write a chapter, giving myself a week to do so. The following week, my partner would read my chapters, build off them, and write hers. We left notes in the doc as things progressed and changed from our original notes. Reading each other's work was a great way to keep the story cohesive, even when our chapters weren't necessarily interlaced. 

Note: We did a full read-through with feedback and character notes after finishing the first draft. 

Other things to consider:

Communicate. Leave each other notes and stay in communication—if you're both on the same page now, it helps shave time off the revision process later.

Listen to your instinct. Don't be afraid to ask questions and get clarity so you can move forward with your chapter on the same page as your writing partner. The last thing you want is to ignore any confusion or aspects of the story that don't sit right with you - if you ignore them, they will come back to haunt you.

Pivot. It's bound to happen, so don't resist it. You might be halfway through the story and have a bright idea—don't be afraid to explore it with your writing partner. You never know how epic it might make your story or what plot holes you might be able to avoid by listening to those nudges from your instinct.

That's a wrap for now - I hope it was helpful! Happy writing adventures!