Writing a single novel or piece with someone is often much harder than it seems. Even with your closest friends, differences in creative or work styles can make planning and completion more challenging than initially anticipated. Co-authoring involves many additional steps, such as designating roles, maintaining constant communication, and overcoming interpersonal conflicts. However, many co-authors have successfully completed beautiful works by employing a few critical strategies.
Practice Teamwork
You may need to become more familiar with teamwork, even with a close friend. You will want to use simple strategies to practice coming together to achieve a common goal. Team-building activities include playing a team sport, Two Truths and a Lie, trust falls, escape rooms, jigsaw puzzles, multiplayer video games, and more! Being familiar with teamwork can help you tackle your writing project more efficiently.
Choose a Theme
You should collaborate on an overall theme of your writing before you get started. If you’re writing fiction, what will be the plot? What characters will be involved? What lessons will be learned? How will you world-build? For nonfiction, you must find reputable research sources and establish a problem or question to solve. Plan an outline of your writing piece’s beginning, middle, and end; discuss what will happen and when it will happen in the story.
Designate Roles
You can’t just pull up a document with a co-author and start typing without a plan. Who will write what? Many co-authors will alternate chapters or character perspectives (in fiction cases). You can divide the writing up however you’d like. You can write the first hundred words while your co-author writes the next hundred. However, the best strategies are to alternate chapters, perspectives, timelines, or other narrative separations in the text to account for the different writing styles you both will bring to the project.
Use Collaborative Software
You will want to use tools that encourage and foster collaboration. Use writing software or programs that allow multiple users to edit and write on a single piece, like Google Docs. For communication, establish a chatroom or workspace where you can communicate using a method that works best (text, phone, or video), such as Discord or Slack. You can even utilize free book formatting software to visualize how the writing will look on paper. Collaborative software eliminates surprises or communication issues with your writing.
Establish a Contract
Unless this is a personal writing project for fun, your writing will likely involve publishing, profits, and costs. A written contract will put everyone’s preferences in writing and make it legally binding when signed. You can choose how the book will be written, designed, published, and paid for. You can also decide how the profits will be divided, if any, including royalties. You may not think a legal contract is necessary when writing with close friends, but it’s better to make things official in case of emergencies or conflicts.
Utilize a Schedule
Say you like to take it easy and slow when writing, but your writing partner prefers to finish everything immediately. These different preferences can cause tension. You should devise a schedule that suits everyone’s writing style and needs. Consider creating a writing schedule or calendar that dictates how much should be done in specific periods. What your schedule dictates is up to you. You can choose a completion date for the entire work, each chapter, or a particular word count. Make sure your goals are realistic!
Decide on Disciplinary Rules
Conflict is expected in any relationship, including co-authors. Even if you’re best friends, working together on a project will foster some tension. Before the problem starts, you’ll want to agree on rules to take if disciplinary action is needed. What will happen if someone deletes the work, changes the writing’s direction, or misses a deadline? There needs to be accountability and discipline if the project is to be taken seriously.
Set Boundaries
It may be tempting to collaborate and write as much as possible, especially in the early phases of the project when excitement is at its highest. However, a work-life balance is essential. Consider setting boundaries, such as a work schedule or designated days off to allow rest periods. You don’t want your co-author getting mad at you for calling them at 3 AM or your partner getting upset because you won’t stop getting messages from your co-author during your dinner date.
Who Will Edit?
Unfortunately, there is more to writing than, well, writing. You’ll have to proofread and edit the work before publishing your project. Who will do the editing? Will you edit your work or that of your co-author’s? Will you hire an outside editor? Make sure these goals are established before you hit a roadblock.
Create a Marketing and Publishing Plan
Once your work is written and edited, you can publish and advertise it. Will one person be in charge of the marketing? Will you self-publish or try to get the attention of a publisher? Before starting, collaborate on your goals and marketing plans. You’ll want to prepare for the cost and time investment of marketing your work.
Summary
Collaborative writing can be challenging, but by practicing teamwork, designating roles, using collaboration tools, and establishing clear boundaries, co-authors can create a productive and harmonious workflow. Setting realistic schedules, having a contract, and deciding on editing responsibilities early on are crucial steps for success. With effective communication and planning, collaborative writing projects can result in creative and well-organized work ready for publication and marketing.
