Co-writing a Fic

[CHeSHiRe-CaT]

I had a question that's been nagging me, but my twinnie hasn't been around for me to talk to, so I decided I'd make this thread to hear your ideas (and probably Psychic's when I do actually talk to her), and to actually help co-writers in general for a reference, when they need this sort of help that I need right now.

My question is simply this: what method(s) would you use to divide up the story you're writing with your fellow writer between each other? Of course, I'm looking for things that are fair and almost equal when it comes to the work each author has to do, but overall, I keep asking myself, "how am I going to share the work? How do we help to understand each others' writing, and how do we put together our thoughts and ideas so they relate?"

In summary:
• What method(s) would you use to divide up the story you're writing with your fellow writer between each other?
• How would you allow your co-writer to understand your thoughts and ideas, and how would you express them so that both writing styles come from one influence?

 

[Kiyohime]

XD Deja vu.

As I already said, Saber and I fire a chapter back and forth between us in PMs, editing it and discussing the changes in bolded letters within the quoted chapter. Most of our notes are pretty crazy and irrevelant, but that's us for you. XD

 

[Ledian_X]

Well, Power Shot and I teamed up to write a bit of chapter 19. We're also doing that one-shot featuring his character. What we do is write a part and send it to each other to be edited and once everything's cool, we add it to the story. We switch writing a certain part here and there. It's pretty cool. It's like having a beta reader with you all the time/

Plus, share ideas and talk about them before we work on it. All part of creating a cohesive fanfic universe. I also do the same thing with Nylf, Carlotta and anyone else who wanted to be in this universe of fics.

LX

 

[BirthdayPirate]

Well, having had a failed co-authorship before, I feel like a bit of an expert on the subject. The best thing you can do is start as early on in the fic as you can, so one person doesn't already have fifty ideas while the other has none. Since writing styles are hard to mix, it works best to have two different POV characters, and have each author only write one. Do your best to completely split up the process, so you don't end up arguing with each other.

 

[Psychic]

Seriously, man; stop making threads without telling me. >>

Anyhoo, Chesh, I like some of these ideas. Our initial plan was for each of us to write a different chapter, but these ways sound pretty good. Instead, we could sort of each write different parts of the chapters and put them together. Or at least do something along the likes of what Scrap and Saber did, and have one person sort of write the base, then the two of us could edit it along the way however we want, sending it like a tennis ball back and forth in PMs. It sounds like an excellent way to share ideas and come to decision whenever there's a conflict.

What Chesh and I have working to our advantage is that we think similarly, we share common ideas a lot, and we often approve of each others' ideas, so we don't have a lot of huge conflicts, especially when it comes to plot things. With us the main problem will probably be exactly how to write it, because our styles are a bit different, and mixing the two might be hard and confuse the readers sometimes.


Thanks for your help, everyone, it's much appreciated!

~Psychic

 

[FlamingRuby]

I usually get with the other person(s) and plan out the whole thing first. Then, once we get the plan created, I write it out, giving all involved updates on how I'm doing, adding in suggestions and cutting unneeded scenes/characters along the way

 

[CHeSHiRe-CaT]

Hence my reference to you in my first post, Psycho xP

I like Scrap and Saber's idea as well, and the only thing we need to do is figure out who starts the base of the chapter (probably every other one, we assign to each other). Yeah, our original plan was to write separate chapters, but I kept thinking that the individuality/style and view would make them a bit too divided, and combining sounds like something we'd be able to compromise.

 

[billy5772]

My question is simply this: what method(s) would you use to divide up the story you're writing with your fellow writer between each other?

Well, The Drama of Serebii is a co-authored fic. Floating Flames and I simply wrote every other chapter. I started the thread with the prologue, he wrote chapter 1, I wrote chapter 2, and so on. Of course we discuss the basic plot, but other than that, it's pretty much up to either of us what to do with our respective chapters.

And that arrangement has worked out fine.

 

[Wandering Rhythmical Phoenix]

I think the best approch wouuld be to write a whole chapter/large part and PM EMAIL whatever, the chapter to the person. Then Person 2 works on the part of chapter, sends it back , Person 1 adds the next part and looks over stuff in the first part, and from there its "Scrap and Saber"-ing (I trademark that) the rest of the fic. Its probly best to work with somone you know well on SPPf, that knows your personality, or somoene who can pick it up fast, so you dont endup with a murder in one paragraph, the main villian square dancing with the hero over a pit of magma in the next >D

 

[Astinus]

I had it simple, because I actually lived near the co-writer. He would write the scene, I would check it over, write the next part, and back and forth we'd go. He actually caught a lot of small mistakes.

Unfortunately, we lost interest in the fic, because we couldn't come up with any ideas for it. :/

 

[Power Shot]

Yep, co-writing's tough, because there's more then one person, and that makes it hard if people can't work well with other people. Me and Ledian work pretty well together, so that isn't a problem. But for some people it can be.

Basically, what Ledian said, we do. I don't have anything outside PMs, so that's all we can go on.

 

[xXSaberXx]

Lolol. Like Scrap said. We're crazeh.

AHEM. But anyhoo, yes, that is what we do. Even though I get lazy and it both kinda drops for a while, it gets back up when we get un-lazy/want to write the story again.

Like we had like, one thing planned, and then we made it digi-morph and now it's something else that's really cool. xD

I think the biggest problem is lazyness. (LOL ME LOL.) and the fact that you need a good relationship with le author cause then it's fun and you want to do it more. :/

Usually me and Scrap have whole PM's on just the character's hair. ROFL.

:3

 

[CHeSHiRe-CaT]

Oh, need not worreh about meh and Psychic XD We're the most cooperative and awesome twinnehs ever D: PsychicxCheshire Twinness > You.

 

[Smile Guy]

Yes! I'm back! Not that anyone actually noticed my disappearance but... meh.

Personally, I could never co-write. I've often proof-read and changed (a bit too much sometimes (sorry Blue Meowth) other people's work but I couldn't work with someone on an actual story.
I italic the word story because with scripts I often can only work (or at least work good) with a second person -- A third or more person spoils the broth for me though. The reason? Often for some reason the dialogue doesn't sound fluid and real when read out by actors or merely read out. And often the jokes in humour scripts actually become funny, especially with my proper partner who is a real live person and I shall not betray their name.

 

[CHeSHiRe-CaT]

That's another oddity about co-writing a fic; it doesn't necessarily have to include exclusively two writers, but if it can be pulled off with more than two, three, etc. if they all work well together.

One day, I'd like to capture one great fic with a board of three or more writers (it would be a courageous and experimental, and even a refreshing experience), but until that day comes, it's either me, or someone else writing a story together xP

 

[Elemental Charizam]

And that arrangement has worked out fine.

Bit of a problem if one of the duo stop writng for a while though... *coughFlamescough*

 

[SnoringFrog]

The only co-writing fic I ver attempted to do never got anywhere after the prologue I wrote, but I was supposed to write the chapters that were from one poin of view, and the other person (can't even reemmber who it was now) from the other point of view. If my partner had actually written something, I think it may have worked out, but, they never did, and so my the fic kinda went down the drain.

 

[CHeSHiRe-CaT]

That's another aspect to consider; thanks for sharing, SnoringFrog. I remember someone mentioned that idea to me once, and it's very interesting and fairly flexible/easy to work with. Simply have each of the authors take on the perspective of individual characters and place them all together. Vereh awesome *nodnod*

 

[Torkoal]

YOU CAN DO THIS!?!?!? anyway i need help with my fic and would be more than happy to have someone co-write it with me. Here it is: http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?t=115250

 

[CHeSHiRe-CaT]

Usually, Torkoal, you have to plan out a fic with a co-writer before you actually write it, not getting someone to help you write a fic that's already posted. The other person needs to understand what your plot, characters, etc. are about, and need to look at your writing style before anything is written. You can get someone here to co-write for your fic, but it's unconventional to do it when it already has a few chapters out